Lil’ Romeo – Interview

At fifteen, Lil’ Romeo is back with his third album RomeoLand. The hot new single, “My Cinderella,” is making a steady climb up the charts. Romeo is a true multi-platform artist. Aside
from Romeoland, his hit Nickelodeon show “Romeo!,” launches its second season this fall as his clothing line P. Miller shorties continues as to be a must have item at national department stores JC Penny, Sears and Kohls.

Romeo’s growing up with the girls on his mind. The growing ladies’ man’s interest can be heard on ‘The One,” “My Girlfriend,” and “My Crush” on RomeoLand. Romeo took time out on location of Romeo! to talk about how he’s heating up this fall.

Tell me about your new album.

My new album is a lot of fun. There’s something on it for everybody, songs you can dance to, songs you can sing along with. On this album I’m talking a lot about girls. Last time I was rapping a lot about me. This time I’m looking for a girlfriend, I’m looking for “My Cinderella.”

I don’t really have any collaborations on it. It’s just me and The Rich Boys, a new group that I have coming out. My dad is on some of the songs. Nick Canon did three songs with me on the album. I met him when we did the song, “Parents Just Don’t Understand” with 3LW for the Jimmy Neutron movie soundtrack. He’s really cool to work with. We kept in touch and we hang out and play basketball sometimes. So, I wanted him to be on my album. We had a lot of fun making the video with Tatyana Ali. She’s on one of my favorite shows, ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.’

How did your involvement change on Romeoland from your last album?

I really matured a lot with my writing. I wrote a lot of stuff on the album along with my dad. Some of the songs my dad started out writing and then I took over, tweaked it and finished it. I was writing all the time for this album. Whatever I was doing,if I thought of song lyrics I’d write them down right away or call my phone and leave them on my voicemail. I was writing when I was on the set of the show, I was writing everywhere.

What music are you listening to now?

I like Usher and J-Kwon and my Uncle Silkk’s new album’s. I think Hoobastank is really cool. They’re different. I like Ciara’s new song, “My Goodies” and Lil Wayne’s new song, “I Miss My Dawgs.” My sisters like Jojo’s song ‘Leave (Get Out.)’

What TV shows do you like?

I like to watch my show, Romeo!, “Spongebob,” re-runs of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “My Wife and Kids” with Damon Wayans.

What’s your favorite episode of your show?

My favorite episode is when I became my dad and I had to run the record company and handle an artist that was really a pain all by myself. I also liked the episode where I was dared to lick a coach roach.

How are you similar to your character on the show?

I’m similar to my character on the show a lot because he likes making music. He like’s making songs with his band “Pieces of the Puzzle.” Except he is trying to get to where I am now. He’s trying to get a record deal and make records and get on the radio. He tries to sneak into radio stations and get his records that he and his brother made put on the air. He tries all kinds of crazy things to get famous with his music.

Do you like acting or making music?

I like acting AND I like doing music. I like doing them both just as much. Acting, doing the show, it’s a lot of work, but we have fun on the set. We play jokes on each other and on the crew and the director and stuff. A lot of kids who are actors spend a lot of time away from home and don’t get to see their families, but I work with my dad, so I get to see him and we joke around and play basketball and stuff.

I do a song on every episode and me and my dad work on the songs together so, I get to do music and acting with my show. I still work on my music for my albums so it all works out. I like doing the show. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t do it and if I wasn’t happy doing it or if it started to not be fun anymore, my dad wouldn’t let me keep doing it. He’d say CUT!

Do you get to have a say in what the show’s are about?

My dad and the director let me come up with ideas for the show. I am writing some scripts. I have lots of ideas. If there’s something I want to do, I tell them and we work it out and it gets into the show if everybody agrees it’s a good idea.

What do you do when you are not working?

I’m playing basketball or working on my album making sure everything is tight. I recorded all of it already but there’s still more stuff to do. I work all week on the show and then I have weekends off so I go home to Los Angeles to see my family. We do the show in Canada .

What’s the weirdest thing that you’ve ever done?

Once for one scene on the show, I had to dance around in a bathrobe like that scene from the Tom Cruise movie. I felt silly and weird, but it was fun. They make my dad do silly stuff. Like in one episode he’s afraid of a mouse and is covered in mouse traps and in another episode he’s afraid of the water and is learning how to swim. Watching him do that stuff is funny and watching it when it’s done is funny!

Do you have a celebrity crush?

No, well maybe J Lo.

Anybody you’ve worked with that you want to work with again?

The Rock was a lot of fun to work with. He’s like a big kid. He was playing jokes on me and stuff. I’d also like to work with Hilary Duff again. We did a Christmas song together last year.

What’s the most valuable thing your dad taught you?

My dad taught me the importance of getting an education. If I don’t do well in school he won’t let me do my music or acting. I get straight A’s. I go to a regular school when I’m not taping the show or doing a movie. It’s a college prep school and it’s hard. I just finished the 8 th grade and we do 12 th grade work, but I want to go to college so this is what I have to do

What do you want to study in college?

I want to major in business so I can be on the business side of music and movies too when I get older.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?

I see myself being an actor and a rapper or being a star player on the NBA and a successful businessman, like my dad.

Do you have a regular teenage life?

My dad makes sure I have a regular life like other kids. I have to do chores at home. I have to watch my sister’s and brothers because I am the oldest of 6! I have to do the dishes, take out the garbage and all that stuff. I do it all when I am home.

Who do you admire?

My dad and my fans.

If you ever had to leave home forever, what would you take with you?

I would take my cell phone, my P. Miller shoes, and a basketball

Do you get nervous on stage?

I used to get nervous when I did performances in the beginning. I still do sometimes, but not a lot anymore. I’m better now. I got used to it.