Master P Amazed America Loves His Dancing Skills  1/9/06

Rapper Master P is astounded he's still in the running to win US TV dance contest Dancing With the Stars after having just three days to prepare for his first performance.

While ballroom rivals including George Hamilton and Tatum O'Neal had a whole month to practice for the show's debut on Thursday night (05JAN06), the rap mogul - real name Percy Miller - was called in at the last moment after his injured son Lil' Romeo was forced to pull out.

His poor cha cha cha performance earned the 38-year-old the lowest marks from the show's judges, but Miller believes his efforts in helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina in his native New Orleans, Louisiana, paid off.

The rapper has dedicated his turn on the reality show to those who lost their lives in the August (05) storm.

He says, "I think all the Hurricane Katrina victims got phones and computers and they must have called in and faxed in for me."

And now the rapper, who is currently taking care of 2,000 homeless families through his Team Rescue One charity organization, is keen to get serious about his dancing efforts.

He adds, "I want to do my part. Sometime I'm like I don't know what I'm doing out here."

Despite finishing with more points that Master P, US sportscaster Kenny Mayne has become the first dancer voted off the show.