Happy Birthday, Mia X!

Today, Jan. 9, marks the 49th birthday of New Orleans rapper Mia X.

Born Mia Young and raised in the 7th Ward Housing Projects of New Orleans, the ambitious MC started making music in the late '80s, and by 1993, dropped her own EP called Da Payback. Her fiery delivery and solo projects got her noticed by Master P, the founder of No Limit Records.

In 1994, Mia X signed to No Limit as a solo act, but was also involved in the subgroup TRU, which was primarily made up of the label's founding family, Master P, C-Murder and Silkk the Shocker. Mia X released her debut album Good Girl Gone Bad in 1995 and although she was No Limit's first lady, the album failed to gain her any national recognition. It wasn't until a show-stopping verse on "Verbal Assault" and her sophomore LP, Unlady Like, which she dropped in 1997, that fans really started to pay attention. Thanks to tracks like "The Party Don't Stop," featuring Master P and Foxy Brown, Unlady Like peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 11 for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

Over the years, Mia X has worked on some of No Limit's most notable releases. Other than her own discography, Mia lent her talents to tracks on TRU's True to da Game, Master P' Ghetto D and Silk The Shockker's Charge It 2 Da Game.

Though she's still dropping music, Mia X has shifted her attention to her health more in recent years. The NOLA rapper shared with fans on Instagram that she was diagnosed with uterine cancer in January 2016. She gives fans updates on her disease and her funding raising efforts through social media and seems to be in better spirits than ever.

Most recently, she celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of her critically acclaimed Mama Drama LP in the fall of 2018.

Happy Birthday, Mia X!

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