Michael Jackson’s Contract Helped Make Master P a Mogul

Long before No Limit Records became one of the most recognizable labels in Hip-Hop, Master P made a $25,000 investment that he says changed the course of his career.

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During his conversation with Keisha Nicole, the No Limit founder reflected on paying Michael Jackson’s attorney $25,000 simply to learn more about the business behind the music.

Master P explained that he wanted to understand the type of business structure that existed at the highest levels of the music industry. His meeting with Michael Jackson’s attorney provided a piece of information that would help shape his approach to No Limit.

According to P, the attorney explained that it was possible to structure a distribution deal where the artist or label received 85% while the record company received 15%.

“That light bulb went off in my head,” P recalled.

There was one major catch: P would need approximately $200,000 for marketing and promotion.

Instead of walking away, he went back to what he knew best: hustling.

Master P said he returned to selling CDs out of the trunk of his car and raised the money he needed to compete in the music business.

“That’s when I knew I was ready to be in the music business,” he said.

By the time he returned to New Orleans, P says he was already successful and began building the roster that would turn No Limit into a powerhouse, signing artists including Mia X and Fiend while assembling producers and other talent around the label.

Perhaps the wildest part of Master P’s story is how quickly No Limit’s historic run happened.

Whether it was the famous tank logo, the Pen & Pixel album covers or the relentless release schedule, No Limit became impossible to ignore during the late 1990s.

But according to P, the foundation wasn’t simply music. It was understanding the business.

Check out the clip below.