Look To The Stars Asks Romeo

Romeo (formerly “Lil’ Romeo”) is not only a well known rapper/actor but also the eighteen year old son of producer and entertainment mogul Master P. His father was a featured competitor on the television hit, “Dancing with the Stars”. Moreover, with the wonderful things the dynamic duo of father and son are doing in several communities in the USA, they may dance a place right into your heart.

LTTS: The last time we talked to you was at the Diversity Awards and you touched on the subject of a project you and your father are doing in New Orleans. Please expand on your project.

Romeo: With my Dad (Master P) and I being from New Orleans and what happened with Hurricane Katrina, we just wanted to do something to give back to the kids and the people and let them feel a part of New Orleans. A lot of people feel isolated.

My Dad and I are really big with education. As you know, I am going to college, next year I am going to USC. I got a full basketball scholarship there. We are building up this huge center. It is going to have a basketball court, library, studio, dance studio for the kids who want to dance, and a lot of other activities. We wanted to do something very different. And the thing with this is you don’t pay to get in, you have to read two books a month at least to get in. You have to drop off a report. We wanted to do something positive for the kids and show them that the world is not over…we can build this back.

LTTS: Was this the brainchild of your father or was it your idea?

Romeo: Actually, it was kind of both of ours. We went to Houston after Hurricane Katrina looking for some of our people who were lost in the Hurricane. It was something we were thinking about just looking at everybody. I’m a kid so I know what kids like. We just like to be kids, play basketball and football. My dad thought about the things adults would like. We added our ideas together and came up with this great idea.

LTTS: Tell me about your basketball camp.

Romeo: The camp is called the “Best of the Best”. This will be its first year. With me loving basketball and it being a passion of mine, I just wanted to give back to the kids. I know a lot of kids do not have fathers or mothers. I want to be the person in their lives that they can look up to.

We are going to have session with 500 kids. We are going to have a big basketball camp. Santa Claus will come over to talk to kids and give presents.

LTTS: So this basketball camp is taking place in Louisiana as well?

Romeo: We are doing it in three places. We will be doing in LA, Louisiana,and then Houston.

LTTS: When are these basketball camps going to take place?

Romeo: The one is LA will be the week before Christmas. The one in Houston will be the week after Christmas and the one in Louisiana will be the day before Christmas.

LTTS: So is there still a way for people to become involved?

Romeo: They can contact certain local radio stations.

LTTS: Charity sounds like a passion of you and your father. It sounds like you’ve got a full plate but do you have any other charity work that you are involved in?

Romeo: Building the youth center in New Orleans and the basketball camps are the main things but we are also tied to a lot of other things. I speak at schools and orphanages. We are not the kind of people to always have the television cameras on what we do. We just do our part… I feel like God put you here for a reason and I want to give back any way I can.

LTTS: Well, thanks for your time, and good luck with all of your projects. And we wish you a very merry Christmas.