Master P and Jess Hilarious’ tales of her unpaid wages for her role in “I Got the Hook-Up 2” are beginning to feel a lot like a version of the classic game Who Done It?
The former music executive attempted to clear his name and change the narrative surrounding his business acumen when he stopped by “The Breakfast Club” on Feb. 27.
When Master P, 52, sat down to talk with DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God, he had one goal in mind: “To educate the people.”
Jess and the New Orleans native have vastly different recollections about her being paid for her appearance in the 2019 film.
During her stint as co-host of the popular syndicated radio show, she briefly discussed D.C. rapper Fat Trel’s past issue with the mogul not keeping his word when she revealed she had somewhat of a similar situation.
“That man will talk a good game to you. Even with me, ‘I Got the Hook Up [2],’ I’m still owed some bread for that,” she claimed on Feb. 21. “I’m not gon’ lie to you,” she added while clarifying that she shot two scenes and was only paid for one that made the final cut. “I stayed there for 13 hours to do two scenes. … I like to charge $15,000 per skit.”
It seemed as though her comments got back to the No Limit Records founder because he addressed them publicly in an Instagram post that is still visible on his account.
In it, Master P wrote, “For the cowards hiding behind their computers enforcing fake news, I do have @jesshilarious_official contract from 5 years ago for I Got The Hook Up 2 and the copy of the check that was cashed and paid.
He continued, “She was joking about a second check that was never in her contract. That’s the narrative they ran with for clickbait and fake headlines. Thank God for receipts!”
However, in his chat with DJ Envy and Charlamagne, Master P attempted to explain that talking about an issue from years ago was a tactic being used to cause further division in the Black community and that the entire ordeal was a result of miscommunication. He also mentioned that despite Jess’s claim that she was owed $15,000 by him, that simply is not the case.
“It’s not that many opportunities out here. Shout out to 50 Cent what he doing in the TV game, but when somebody come on the set it’s not from him. You know, your check is not going to get cut from that person,” he explained. “The young lady that was on here, I love her, I like her, like, she funny to me. I wouldn’t have put her into the movie if I didn’t feel like that.”
When pressed to clarify exactly what was miscommunicated, the “Make ’em Say Ugh” rapper responded, “Yeah, but why is we talking about that? Let’s be honest, I gave you an opportunity. Why is we talking about that? Why is we talking about that to bring — I’m not even in the music business no more, I’m not in the entertainment, that’s what I’m saying.”
He then revisited Jess calling him out when he said that she was joking about him owing her money and that blogs used a snippet of the conversation to get views.
“So you take that and turn it into clicks. Even when she read it, I wasn’t addressing her when I said, ‘People hide behind these computers and blogs,’ that wasn’t about her, that’s what I’m telling y’all. It’s all a miscommunication. What she read was not about her.”
But what the comedian read was a direct quote from his Feb. 24 Instagram post. He again continued to explain, “We in a production thing, we don’t pay for the talent, that’s what I’m saying.”
According to IMDb, BondIt Media Capital and Master P’s Genius Minds are the production companies behind the film that was distributed to just over 40 theaters and to video-on-demand by RLJ Entertainment and Bob Johnson’s Urban Movie Channel in 2019.
Deadline reported that Master P and his son, Romeo Miller, put up $5 million of their own money to make the project after big studios passed on the opportunity to assist the follow-up to 1998’s “I Got the Hook-Up.” In its opening weekend, the sequel barely raked in $150,000, according to the trade publication.
What remains unclear after hearing Jess and Master P’s sides is who exactly is responsible for the supposed missing payment of $15,000 and if the comedian will ever receive the funds.
