Mia Young (born January 9, 1970), better known by her stage name Mia X, is an American rapper and songwriter from New Orleans.[1] She enjoyed success in the local "bounce" scene of the early 1990s.[2] She was the first female emcee to get a contract with rapper and entertainment magnate, Master P on his successful record label No Limit Records. She is known for collaborations with several No Limit Records artists, including Master P and Silkk the Shocker on the seminal albums, Ice Cream Man, Ghetto D and Charge It 2 Da Game.[3]
Mia X | |
|---|---|
 Mia X in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mia Young |
| Also known as | The Mother of Southern Rap, Mama Mia |
| Born | January 9, 1970 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations |
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| Years active |
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| Labels | |
Personal life
editYoung grew up in the Lafitte housing project in New Orleans' seventh ward. Her father was a trucker and her mother was a counselor. She graduated from Redeemer High School and briefly attended Delgado Community College before she decided to pursue a career in music.[4]
In 2006 in a magazine article, her publicist releases a statement of an upcoming cookbook. Before her cookbook she did on online page on Instagram #teamwhipdempots. Her cookbook was finally released in 2018.[citation needed]
In the 2010s, Mia X was diagnosed with uterine cancer and beat it. In surgery for the cancer, the surgeons accidentally "tore her cornea off", and that left her with 73% vision in one eye.[5]
Music career
editMusic beginnings
editMia X's rap career began in the late '80s and early '90s before she graduated from high school, when she performed in a "mobile entertainment service" called New York Inc. with Mannie Fresh, who would later rise to stardom as the production genius behind Cash Money Records.[4] She made her recorded debut in 1992 with the single "Ask them Suckas" (an answer song created in response to "Ask them Hoes" by 39 Posse), on Lamina Records. In 1993, she released "Da Payback," a maxi-single which appeared on both the Rap Dis! and Lamina Records labels, which despite its status as "the No. 1-selling local record of 1993 at Odyssey Records" did not generate any income for the artist.[2]
In 1994, Mia X signed a contract for two albums with Roy Joseph, Jr.'s Emoja Records. The label (along with its successor, Slaughterhouse Records) released her full-length debut Mommie Dearest in 1995.[6] Joseph later filed a $10 million lawsuit against Master P and No Limit Records, asserting that the label "persuaded Mia X to break her contract." No Limit Records subsequently filed a countersuit against Joseph asking for $20 million in damages.[7]
1995: TRU, No Limit Records and Good Girl Gone Bad
editIn 1995, Mia X was signed to Master P's label No Limit Records after he inquired at Peaches Records and Tapes (where she was working at the time) about promising local female rappers.[4] She joined the roster as a solo artist and also became a member of Master P's group at the time, TRU, where she experienced national success.[8] She was the first female rapper to be signed by No Limit Records.[9] On November 21, 1995, Mia X released her first album titled Good Girl Gone Bad,[9] which failed to chart on any of the Billboard charts.
1997–98: Unlady Like and Mama Drama
editIn 1997, she released her first single from her upcoming second album titled "The Party Don't Stop" featuring Master P and Foxy Brown. On June 24, 1997, Mia X released her second album, Unlady Like,[9] which peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and No. 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The record was certified gold in October 1997.[10]
On October 27, 1998, Mia X released her third album, Mama Drama, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
1999–present
editBeginning in 1999, Mia X went on hiatus from recording following the deaths of fourteen family members, including both her parents, in an eighteen-month span, in addition to the dissolution of the No Limit roster due to Master P pursuing non-musical interests.[11][12] In the early 2000s, she worked in real estate and as a ghostwriter for other hip-hop artists.[12]
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Mia X recorded "My FEMA People" in response to the ensuing disastrous conditions in New Orleans. [13]
Mia X appeared on C-Murder's 2008 release Screamin' 4 Vengeance, on tracks titled "Mihita" and "Posted on tha Block".[citation needed] On June 13, 2014, she released a new single titled "Mr. Right", featuring artist Ms. Tasha via her label, Mama Mia Muzic.[14] On September 1, 2015, Mia X released a new single titled "No More" featuring Caren Green.[15] She released a mixtape in 2010 titled Unladylike Forever,[12] and claimed she was working on a new album titled Betty Rocka Locksmith, but it was never released.
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- Good Girl Gone Bad (1995)
- Unlady Like (1997)
- Mama Drama (1998)
Extended plays
edit- Da Payback (1993)
- Mommie Dearest (1995)
Filmography
edit- Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | I'm Bout It | Kasey | Supporting role |
| 1998 | MP Da Last Don | Nicey | Supporting role |
| I Got the Hook Up | Lola Mae | Supporting role | |
| 1999 | Hot Boyz | Police Secretary | Uncredited role |
| Foolish | Heckler #2 | Cameo | |
| 2006 | Dream Home | April | Supporting role |
References
edit- ^ Goldsmith, Melissa Ursula Dawn; Fonseca, Anthony J. (December 1, 2018). Hip Hop around the World: An Encyclopedia [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 455. ISBN 9780313357596 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Aiges, Scott (March 19, 1994). "Home-Grown Bounce Music Rules Big Easy's Rap Roost". Billboard. pp. 1, 26, 30.
- ^ Bynoe, Yvonne (2006). Encyclopedia of rap and hip-hop culture. Greenwood Press. p. 261. ISBN 0-313-33058-1.
- ^ a b c Spera, Keith (August 15, 1997). "Mia X Puts Her Spin on Poetry of the Street". Times-Picayune.
- ^ "Mia X - Struggles With and Beating Cancer (Part 4)". YouTube. October 4, 2018. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ Coyle, Pamela; Perlstein, Michael (June 25, 1999). "Master P's Tactics Rapped in $10 Million Lawsuit; Rivalry Allegedly Extends to Threats". Times-Picayune.
- ^ Perlstein, Michael (July 17, 1999). "Dispute over Rap Queen Revs Up; No Limit Hits Foe with Countersuit". Times-Picayune.
- ^ "Mia X joins Master P's No Limit Records". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 264. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
- ^ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
- ^ Arnold, Paul W. (November 28, 2009). "Mia X Talks Her Hiatus And New Music". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ a b c Mercedes Velasquez, Rosario (April 30, 2010). "Mia X, Been Through the Storm". XXLmag.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
- ^ "F--- Katrina: New Orleans Hip-Hop Remembers the Hurricane". Fox News. March 25, 2015.
- ^ "Mr. Right (feat. Ms. Tasha) - Single by Mia X on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. June 13, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
- ^ "No More (feat. Caren Green) - Single by Mia X on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. September 1, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.