Master P has always been at the forefront of innovation — from building his No Limit Records label from the ground up, to his numerous business endeavors. Back in the late 90s, he was on the cutting edge of another Hip-Hop phenomenon — rappers trying to play professional ball. On October 27, 1999, the Hip-Hop mogul was officially cut from the Toronto Raptor's roster.
The fact that he even played pre-season ball was a huge deal. Yes, Shaq, Kobe, and others might have entertained rap careers after they joined the league, but P was the first rapper with the skills to legitimately approach the NBA. While P didn't end up playing in any regular season games, he did play in pre-season games for the Charlotte Hornets and the Raptors, scoring four points in his Hornets debut and eight points during his Raptors appearance.
“Basketball saved my life,” he said in a previous interview about his love for the game. “It took me on the road, gave me a bigger vision. Basketball is how I escaped a lot of negativity."
No doubt, he served as an inspiration for fellow rapper-baller J.Cole who ended up playing for the Rwanda Patriots of the Basketball Africa League and eventually made history when he was featured as the cover of NBA 2K23: Dreamer's Edition.
