Believe it or not, Romeo Miller’s first job as a child was selling yo-yos and Pokémon trading cards.
Yep, the actor-rapper-producer formerly known as Lil’ Romeo (who is also a child of hip-hop royalty) had a lil’ hustle growing up. Go figure.
Now, decades later, Miller is at the helm of a hip-hop empire and is an entrepreneur through and through. The 27-year-old launched No-Limit Forever in 2010, following in the footsteps of his father, Master P., and has a clothing line called Rome Everything.
“When you’re a young entrepreneur, the main thing that you have to know is, if you don’t fail, you’re never going to be successful,” said Miller.
He also has a flourishing acting career. Miller stars in Growing Up Hip-Hop, a reality show with Angela Simmons that premieres on WE Tv on Oct. 13. Miller, who also executive-produces the project, wants the series to be a step above the standard reality TV. So he put what he describes as “inspiring young people” in front of the camera. “It’s not about catfighting; it’s not about hooking up with this person. This show is about kids actually chasing their dream,’” Miller told The Root for Food for Thought, a video series celebrating the ingenuity and accomplishments of celebrities and influencers of the African Diaspora. Fans can also catch Miller as Gram, the love interest of Tiana (Serayah), on Empire.
We sat down with Miller to discuss entrepreneurship and his greatest failure and, of course, to share some “food for thought.”