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Tavis: One would think that if you were a hugely successful musical artist, film, and TV producer, not to mention actor and entrepreneur and you own your own clothing line, that you probably would not be interested in playing basketball for the Las Vegas Rattlers. But here is Percy Miller, aka Master P, playing guard in the ABA for the aforementioned Rattlers and lookin' like he got some mad skills, too. He still finds time these days, though, for his music. His latest single is called Them Jeans from the CD Good Side, Bad Side. Master P.

Nice to see you, man. How you doin'?

Master P: I'm doin' great.

Tavis: Happy new year.

Master P: Oh, happy new years to you, too.

Tavis: I am honored to have you come through here for the first week of this show.

Master P: I'm glad to be here.

Tavis: Let me start by asking you a question that I know you've been asked any number of times before, and the last time you and I had a chance to talk on television at least was on the other network that I was on on BET. So this ain't BET. It's a whole 'nother audience and I suspect, something just tells me that a lot of folk in this particular audience of PBS viewers, somewhere in this mix there are some folk who really don't understand, appreciate, certainly not embrace hip-hop. What do you say to folk who just off the cuff, just because it's hip-hop, dismiss it?

Master P: Well, I just think people that don't understand hip-hop, don't knock it till you try it. Because it definitely took a lot of kids off the streets. Also, it took a lot of inner city kids to another level. I mean, which is, me, myself, is a prime example that you can make a change, and it's also opened up a lot of opportunities. I mean, you think of hip-hop from the past, people was just into the music. Now hip-hop is a business. You know, a lot of kids are gettin' paid. A lot of kids are takin' their families out the ghetto. So there's definitely an opportunity for our people, and I think it's also changing the economy. I mean, the money that hip-hop is bringing to the economy right now is definitely making changes for our people. I mean, 'cause kids are goin' back changin' the 'hoods, changin' the ghettos. I mean, they're doin' their part. So it's definitely a great thing. I mean, hip-hop is not going nowhere. I know a lot of people think of hip-hop as a negative, but it's also everything you do have a negative in it. I mean, hip-hop is a positive. Think about the positive people that are doin' stuff in hip-hop, like me and my son was able to be the first father and son of hip-hop, and it's a great thing. Because we're raisin' our families in this, and it's definitely incredible for our people.

Tavis: There's no question it is a multi-billion dollar business, and you got a nice piece of that, I imagine. I just saw a black enterprise the other day.

They were trying to estimate your worth, and they had it somewhere between $300 and $400 million dollars. Somewhere, your worth is in that range. Were they close?

Master P: They close, but you know what? I'm working right now--I don't even get caught up into that. The thing is, I think what's great about it is, wow, to be able to come from the ghetto just to even make millions of dollars. You know, it's incredible for our people and I'm just trying to do my part and, um, hopefully, from generation to generation we change what we're doing, I mean, because not only just the music--I mean, you look at what I was able to accomplish in this business was being able to go into the clothing business. You know, me and my son have our clothing company, which is P. Miller signature collection, and he have P. Miller Shorty, so...I mean, to be 13 years old and to be able to have your own business that makes millions of dollars, it's incredible 'cause I thought where I came from that I had came a long way. But now to see my son to make it out the ghetto and be, you know, labeled Richie Rich--

Tavis: The black Richie Rich.

Master P: Yeah. Man, it's incredible. I sit down, I get on my knees and thank the man all the time. I mean, to--you know, what we're able to accomplish. That's where my new album come from. It's called The Good and the Bad Side, which will be out soon. Because when you look at it, I think everybody has 2 sides to 'em. You know, to be able to make it out the ghetto and say "oh, that's my bad side," then to be able to do something else "that's my good side."

Tavis: There's no question about that. We all have a good side and bad side. Hip-hop has a good and a bad side, and part of what turns people off to hip-hop is that outrageousness of the bad side. Talk to me about the responsibility that artists, yourself included, have to make hip-hop more credible. What I mean to suggest by that is that there are a lot of folk in this game...

Master P: Yeah.

Tavis: Who, for better or worse, are giving hip-hop a name that ain't so good these days.

Master P: Well, I'm gonna tell you, Tavis, I got into hip-hop to change my life. I come from the streets, so I was able to make a change. I think it's bad when you got kids get into hip-hop to want to be bad. Most people that's on the street, they want a better life. And that's what me and my friends--we definitely wanted a better life. But not--a thing that makes hip-hop bad is the kids that in it for the glorified, the bad side of it, because they never really lived like that, and they'll be around with millions of bodyguards and stuff but they're not living like that. So these kids out in the real world don't understand that so they glorify it. I mean, I think it's getting back to the let's let the music have fun--that's what my new single's about--Them Jeans. It's just a club party song saying you know what? Let's have fun. Let's forget about the violence that's in hip-hop because there's violence in everything you do--doctors, lawyers--I mean, you look at it, you know--

Tavis: But hip-hop it has violence, much of it--some of it--violence, misogyny.

Master P: Rock and roll has violence, too, but we don't look at it like "Wow, we're scared of rock and roll." You know, I mean, country music has violence in it. You just don't see it. But when you put it out, when you look at it, I mean, look--from R&B to whatever, you know, I mean, everybody has problems, you know what I'm saying? So don't stereotype it just 'cause we have one little problem or whatever. I mean, look at...like I say--even from the Presidents of the United States to whatever, you know, it's gonna be a problem. But let's look atthe good side, too, and let's glorify that, too. And that's where you're gonna see, where you can appreciate it, you know what I'm saying, 'cause we come a long way, I mean, to be able to be doing music with my son, show you that we've definitely come along. I think about what I say when I'm doing a record with my son. I can't do it like with my music--when I do a record, I can't do it that way no more because now I gotta think about you know what? My son got a different audience and I got a different audience.

Tavis: I should ask you to explain. Obviously, you keep saying your son. Your son is a star in his own right, Lil' Romeo. I was baby-sitting some kids the other night, and they had Tivo'd all of his TV shows, and I was baby-sitting--all they wanted to do was watch Lil' Romeo all night. He's a star.

Master P: Yeah. I just want to thank all the kids out there for making his show the number one show for kids, and it's a great thing. That just goes to show you how far we came, and he'd come from hip-hop. So that's a positive, and let's glorify that. I mean, Romeo's definitely a role model. I consider myself as being an inspiration because I come from a negative lifestyle and was able to make a change.

Tavis: From the worst housing project in New Orleans--

Master P: Oh, yeah, Calliope projects. You know, and a lot of my homies, I mean, we came a long way. You know, we came a long way, and now we're doing other stuff. We're giving other people opportunities and we're also building opportunities. So, I mean, it's also a great thing in hip-hop. Don't just get caught up by, you know, Tupac/Biggie Smalls, what happened with their lifestyle.

That was a tragedy to show other people you gotta go a different direction. You know, that's almost like walking to a dead end. When you know there's a dead end down there, you gotta go the other way. So there are kids out there that want to go in another direction and that's what we gotta save hip-hop for, for those kids that want the right thing out of it.

Tavis: You love playing basketball. You got--as I said earlier--you got more money than you know what to do with, own businesses in all sorts of genres, and yet what you love doing more than anything else, when you get the time, is playing hoops. And I was fascinated to learn that Kobe Bryant's father is the coach of the team that you're on, the Las Vegas Rattlers. How's that?

Master P: Oh, man, that's been great. Uh, Joe Bryant is definitely a great coach. He teaches a lot out there. He's preparing me to go back to the league and playing in the ABA, you know, you get a shot to go back to the NBA so I have several NBA teams watching me--hopefully, the new team in Charlotte, I'll get a chance next year to go play with them. But, man, playing--

Tavis: So you'd really do this? You would really put your business on hold for a moment while you go play in the NBA?

Master P: I wouldn't say I'd put my business on hold. I got great people that work for me that, you know, it's a family-ran business and you know--I have people that work for my company that's gonna get the job done. So I'd still be in touch--I'd be a phone call away. I mean, I look at basketball as just half of the year. You know, and so, during that time when I'm on the road and basketball is like an hour a day practice, so the rest of the time I got time to work and do what I need to do. And, I mean, like I said, playing for Joe Bryant is great, you know what I'm saying? I mean, he's a great coach.

Tavis: Is there anything that--only got about a minute left--is there anything that you aren't doing? I don't know what it might be--anything that you aren't doing or haven't done, aside from playing in the NBA, that you really want to do? Like, what's next on your list, on your wish list?

Master P: Uh, I gotta learn how to play golf, you know what I'm saying?

Tavis: Ha ha ha! That--that's amazing. You cut all these deals with white folk, and you don't know how to play golf?

Master P: I don't know how to play golf yet, man.

Tavis: How'd you pull that off? That's a show unto itself.

Master P: Yeah. I got my homey, you know, Boz. He probably going to teach me how to play golf, so, uh, you know. And then I'm gonna hook him up with Oprah Winfrey. My homeboy Anthony Boswell, you know what I'm saying, he wanted to meet Oprah Winfrey, 'cause she's a great woman, so I'm gonna hook that up.

Tavis: I'll tell you one thing--once you figure out how to keep the ball from slicing right, come back and let me know. P, nice to see you.

Master P: Nice talking to you.

Tavis: My pleasure. Thanks for joining us tonight. You can catch me tomorrow as always on my radio show on NPR, National Public Radio. And I'll see you back here tomorrow on PBS when my guests include the daughter of Senator Strom Thurmond, and former Saturday Night Live star Tracy Morgan. Good night from Los Angeles and keep the faith.