“O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou, Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name.” – William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II.
Well, so much for that. Clearly, Percy Romeo Miller (known in the rap world as Lil’ Romeo) didn’t heed that advice, as the Associated Press reported today that he has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Southern California.
Miller’s father is none other than hip-hop mogul and NBA training camp fixture Master P. The younger Miller is considered to be a top-15 prep point guard, according to one recruiting service.
“Getting a college scholarship is more important than winning an American Music Award, and I plan to be the best student-athlete I can be at USC,” he said.
(But a Grammy Award? Now that’s an honour.)
So a wealthy teenage rap star is going to university to play basketball. How is this not a terribly flawed plan?
Let’s see. Tours. Recording contracts. Publicity commitments. Two-a-days. Training camp. Homework? Practice. Stop me if I’m making too much sense.
Sports and music make strange bedfellows, Romeo. Just ask Dad, who attended several training camps as a non-roster invitee in hopes of catching on with an NBA club (most notably with the Raptors), but never could. Sure, you might have a step or two on the old man. Sure, you might be a prized local recruit. And sure, we know your intentions may be good.
But can this possibly work?
As nice as this story is from a public relations standpoint (kid millionaire values education and sport), how realistic is it that a. he’ll be able to put aside his rap career during the season and that b. it won’t be a distraction to the team? He’s still itching for fame and fortune, just in another kind of arena.
Miller can’t possibly dedicate enough of his time to both commitments. Either the record company complains to the school or, more likely, vice versa.
It just can’t end well. We’d like to see it work out, for both interested parties. But let’s be realistic. What do you think, Shakespeare?
“Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied; and vice sometimes by action dignified.” – Act II, Scene III.
Maybe Willy was on to something.
