Master P Replaces Bill Clinton as NAACP Keynote Speaker

Yesterday (July 11), former President Bill Clinton was scheduled to speak at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Mich. for an NAACP town-hall meeting. The forum, which saw more than 1,000 NAACP members attend, addressed the idea of a “new state of young Black America” and tackled issues such as poverty, education, politics and health. Clinton, who is jokingly referred to as the “first Black President,” was scheduled to be the keynote speaker, but at the last minute, he canceled his appearance. “It was on his calendar and it was on our program,” Deidre Malone of the NAACP told the Detroit News. “We are not quite sure if the NAACP got a solid confirmation that he was coming, but we got a confirmation that he won’t be able to make it here.” So who did the NAACP find as a replacement? Master P, of course. According to the Detroit Free Press, the No Limit founder talked to the audience about becoming strong Black leaders and placing value in education. “Don’t be afraid to make a change,” P said. “I come from the ghetto. I’m a living witness that you can make it.” Master P also addressed the controversy surrounding hip-hop lyrics, telling the audience that hip-hop needs to be fixed but it shouldn’t be used as a cop out for African-American’s social problems. “I was once part of the problem,” P said. “But I realized, by having kids, that if I’ve got to get in the car and turn down my own music, something is wrong and I’ve got to fix it.”