By age 7, while most children were still learning to read and write, pint-sized rapper/actor Benjamin Flores Jr., aka "Lil P-Nut," was already on the path to stardom.

The Memphis-born MC became an Internet sensation in 2010 thanks to viral YouTube music videos that garnered over 10 million views. With features alongside artists like Yo Gotti and Cymphonique and multiple appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show by his eighth birthday, Flores Jr. had already earned the respect of the entertainment world.

In 2011, Lil P-Nut made his big screen debut as the voice of Atticus, the rapping penguin in Happy Feet Two, which grossed over $150 million worldwide. Now, this Saturday (July 13), Flores Jr. can be seen in his first starring role on the small screen in Nickelodeon's buzzed about new show The Haunted Hathaways.

The primetime series, which was created by comedy icon Robert Peacock, centers around a family that moves to New Orleans only to find out that their house is already occupied...by a family of ghosts.

In addition to showing off his acting chops, Lil P-Nut also gets to flex his lyrical muscles on the supernatural series. "Sometimes they write my rap, but sometimes they'll let me write my own," P-Nut tells BET.com. "I get to do what I love best while doing the other thing that I love best at the same time."

Lil P-Nut will be returning to the big screen in January 2014 in the action comedy Ride Along, which stars another rapper/actor, Ice Cube, and Real Husbands of Hollywood star Kevin Hart.

That won't be the first time the charismatic nine-year-old has worked with the MC-turned-entertainment mogul. The budding star had a guest role on the Cube-produced Are We There Yet television show.

The legendary West Coast lyricist offered some words of encouragement to the multi-talented youngster. "I told him that I rap a little bit, he told me 'Keep it up. You'll go far,'" remembered Lil P-Nut, who also said that his dream movie role would be to play the "Straight Outta Compton" rapper in a biopic.

Boasting film and television credits that outshine many actors five times his age, what else could this young Hollywood wunderkind possibly want to do next? "When I grow up I wanna be a chemist," P-Nut exclaimed enthusiastically. "That's one of the things I wanna do when I get older."

Young, talented and — perhaps most importantly — grounded (he still says 'sir' and 'ma'am' when addressing his elders), Lil P-Nut is a shining example of what is possible with hard work and a good attitude. If the sky is the limit for most, Benjamin Flores Jr. is shooting for the stratosphere.

The Haunted Hathaways also stars Chico Benymon, Tyra Colar and Ginifer King. Don't miss the premiere this Saturday (July 13) at 8:30 p.m. (EST/PST) on Nickelodeon.

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(Photo: Evans Vestal Ward/Nickelodeon)