Master P’s Family Empire, which premiered on REELZ Saturday night, gives viewers a look at the day-to-day at one of hip-hop’s most successful families.

Master P’s Family Empire

Master P, the rapper and businessman, found success for himself in the 90s and has continued to put out music while being an entrepreneur in the industry ever since. Now, along with his nine children, including actress Cymphonique and rapper/actor Romeo, he’s overseeing the continued success of what can only be called an empire. For Master P, letting the cameras follow the famous family around for a reality show felt normal.

“It’s been everyday to us because you know we had our own TV shows – Cymphonique had her own TV show, Romeo had his TV show, I’m constantly in the spotlight. I feel like it’s just been natural to us, because it’s Reelz TV and it’s the real show, it’s like we’ve lived this ‘Empire life’ and we’ve been living it forever,” Master P told uInterview in an exclusive interview. “I feel like the stuff that you see on TV and you see on the actual show Empire, I’ve been living that my whole life. I tell my kids all the time Lucious has nothing on me; I lived this, this is for real.”

“Cymphonique is a talented artist, Romeo is a talented artist, they both into movies, the kids are basketball players, Veno’s a super model,” Master P. added. “To be able to showcase this in a positive light I think this is going to be unexpected because people are looking for drama when talking about reality TV, but you’re not gonna find that with us. It’s about business with us. It’s about taking it to the next level, staying focused and saying ‘we wanna build a generation of wealth.’ That’s what this family is about and it’s got to start with education, and you got to start with family values. So we want to break that stereotype, what they think about hip-hop families.”

While Master P wants to be clear to make a distinction between the Lyon family and his, he admits that he’s a fan of the show. Empire is a series that’s meant to entertain its viewers with ambitious family members constantly vying for power – but in his empire, in his family, it’s more about working together, according to Master P.

“I’m definitely a fan [of Empire], but I’m just saying the way Lucious lives and the way I live it’s like different because my family, it’s about keeping the family together and working as a team and it’s not about money,” explained Master P. “It’s about love, and we’ll give up everything when it comes to that. So it’s not about greed or nothing like that, it’s about integrity. It’s about your character. […] That’s the difference about us; that’s entertainment for an audience, this is real family value and love with Master P’s Family Empire.”

In keeping with the theme of family in their empire, Cymphonique revealed that Master P is a hands-on, no-nonsense parent that strives to be straightforward and honest with his kids. Furthermore, no matter what success they achieve on their own, he’ll forever and always be their father, a figure to whom they’re to show respect.

“My dad, when you talk about strength and discipline, it’s like he just keeps it real,” Cymphonique told uInterview. “He says it’s not about being our friend, so he’s not a yes man to us, so if he sees something wrong he’ll be like, ‘You know, I just wanna be honest with you, all these other people are not gonna tell you this, but this is how it is.’ […] At the end of the day, I still have to respect my dad. I still am going to take his advice.”

Master P echoed Cymphonique’s sentiments, and revealed that he feels the same way about his own father as he hopes his kids feels about him.

“If you got a dad your dad have to be a dad. I’m successful right now, sold 75 million records, made Forbes, but when my dad tells me something right now I got to listen because he planted that seed in me to know that he’s the dad and the same thing with my kids,” said the hip-hop mogul.

Master P’s Family Empire airs on REELZ Saturdays at 9/8c.

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Q: What’s it like to have your life recorded for ‘Master P’s Family Empire?’ -

It’s been everyday to us because you know we had our own TV shows – Cymphonique had her own TV show, Romeo had his TV show, I’m constantly in the spotlight. I feel like it’s just been natural to us, because it’s Reelz TV and it’s the real show, it’s like we’ve lived this ‘Empire life’ and we’ve been living it forever. I mean to put it on TV and let our fans see it, I feel like the stuff that you see on TV and you see on the actual show Empire, I’ve been living that my whole life. I tell my kids all the time Lucious has nothing on me; I lived this, this is for real. Cymphonique is a talented artist, Romeo is a talented artist, they both into movies, the kids are basketball players, Veno’s a super model. So, I feel like it’s kind of natural for us, but just to be able to showcase this in a positive light I think this is going to be unexpected because people are looking for drama when talking about reality TV but you’re not gonna find that with us. It’s about business with us. It’s about taking it to the next level, staying focused and saying ‘we wanna build a generation of wealth.’ That’s what this family is about and it’s got to start with education, and you got to start with family values. So we want to break that stereotype, what they think about hip-hop families.

User
Q: Are you fans of the TV show ‘Empire?’ -

Oh yeah, I’m definitely a fan, but I’m just saying the way Lucious lives and the way I live it’s like different because my family, it’s about keeping the family together and working as a team and it’s not about money. It’s about love, and we’ll give up everything when it comes to that. So it’s not about greed or nothing like that, it’s about integrity. It’s about your character. We have nothing to take with us but our character when we leave. So I think that’s the difference about us; that’s entertainment for an audience, this is real family value and love with Master P’s Family Empire.

User
Q: How do you manage discipline with all your family’s success? -

Well, I think no matter how successful they are, I’m still gonna be their father and you know I tell my kids all the time, ‘I’m your parent I’m not your friend and you don’t need yes people around you.’ If you got a dad your dad have to be a dad. I’m successful right now, sold 75 million records, made Forbes, but when my dad tells me something right now I got to listen because he planted that seed in me to know that he’s the dad and the same thing with my kids. I’m gonna always be their dad so I don’t care how successful you are, you got to go by my rules and if you go by my rules – because I’m always gonna want my kids to be better than me and it’s about teaching them the right things. When you love your family you want to show them the right way. It’s all life lessons.

User
Q: Cymphonique, what’s it like to have Master P as a father? -

Cymphonique: My dad, when you talk about strength and discipline, it’s like he just keeps it real. He says it’s not about being our friend, so he’s not a yes man to us, so if he sees something wrong he’ll be like, ‘You know, I just wanna be honest with you, all these other people are not gonna tell you this, but this is how it is’ and I think with him it’s all about respect. So, like you were saying, I was able to do the show and do music and all that, but at the end of the day I still have to respect my dad. I still am going to take his advice.

Master P: And I also have to be respectful for my kids for them to want to listen to me. I got to get out there and do the right thing.

Cymphonique: And that’s a part of our values, which you’ll see, so it’s not just an empire of like all wealth – that’s a facet of it. The money is a part, the business savvy is a part of it, but also values and integrity.

User
Q: As a father, what’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced? -

To be honest with you, I like to listen to my kids. If they get in trouble, I want to know what’s going on. I’m not just gonna jump out there and say, ‘Oh I’m gonna discipline my kids.’ I want to know why they did things, and I wanna be able to talk to them and communicate. I think parents need to be able to communicate with their kids and get to the bottom of things before just disciplining them. I think that I’ve built that relationship with my kids when something get real they’re gonna tell me the truth, because they know I’m gonna be the person that’s gonna be there for them in the end. I think that’s the type of love and respect we have for each other. It’s like, ‘Let’s be able to talk to each other first.’

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