James Prince facts for kids

James Prince (born James L. Smith; October 31, 1965) is an American record executive and talent manager. He is also a music promoter. He started the record label Rap-A-Lot Records in Houston, Texas, in 1986.

His label has signed famous artists like UGK, Geto Boys, and Scarface. James Prince and his son Jas also helped Canadian rapper Drake early in his career. Besides music, Prince has managed professional boxers such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Ward, and Shakur Stevenson.

Early Life and Beginnings

James Prince was born on October 31, 1965. His mother, Sharon Johnson, was 16 years old when he was born. He has an older sister named Zenia and a younger half-brother named Thelton.

Growing up, James Prince played football. He also showed a strong interest in business from a young age. He finished high school at Kashmere High School.

Music Career

In 1985, James Prince worked at a bank. He was laid off when he was 20 years old. His first goal was to help his younger stepbrother, who was a rapper known as Sir Rap-A-Lot. He also wanted to help his friends Raheem and Jukebox stay out of trouble.

They would meet at his grandmother's house to practice their music. Prince later bought an old building. He turned it into a used car dealership called Smith Auto Sales. He started by selling regular cars, then moved on to selling fancy cars to athletes. In 1986, the same building became a recording studio for his artists.

Starting Rap-A-Lot Records

In 1987, James Prince started Rap-A-Lot Records with Cliff Blodget. Cliff Blodget was an electrical engineer and a computer science expert. He worked as the label's in-house engineer and producer.

Prince used his last money to invest in the label. He was inspired by Russell Simmons and his label, Def Jam Recordings. In 1988, Prince and Blodget moved the company to New York City.

Lyor Cohen, a music executive, showed Prince how much money artists like LL Cool J and Whodini were making. This made Prince realize the big potential in the music industry. He then decided to move the entire label back to Houston with the group Geto Boys.

The Geto Boys and Early Success

The first group Prince formed for his label was the Geto Boys. He found members in different ways. He saw Bushwick Bill dancing at a club. He met Willie D through his barber. He found Scarface in a club parking lot, playing his music demos.

Prince's brother was first in the group. But Scarface replaced him after a freestyle battle. Scarface performed better, and Prince's brother agreed it was the right choice. Prince used local radio stations like KTSU to share the label's music.

In 1989, Rap-A-Lot Records made its first big deal. They worked with Rick Rubin on the Geto Boys' second album, Grip It! On That Other Level.

Geffen Records was working with Rubin. They decided not to release the album because of its lyrics. This happened just a week before it was supposed to come out. The Geto Boys said this was unfair. The album had already sold over 500,000 copies independently.

This problem led to Rubin leaving Geffen. He then signed with Warner Records, and the album was released there. The controversy actually helped the album, and its sales tripled.

Growth and Challenges

In 1991, Prince signed a deal with Priority Records for music distribution. They released the Geto Boys' third album, We Can't Be Stopped. By the mid-1990s, co-founder Cliff Blodget left Rap-A-Lot. In 1995, Prince signed new distribution deals with Noo Trybe Records and Virgin Records.

During the 1990s, some government agents investigated Prince and his label. They thought the label might be involved in illegal activities. However, the agents were later found guilty of bad conduct themselves.

Prince was concerned about the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. He suggested that The Notorious B.I.G. and his manager Puff Daddy leave Los Angeles for their safety. This was weeks before the rapper's tragic death in 1997.

Mentoring Drake

In the early 1990s, Mathew Knowles approached Prince about managing the group Destiny's Child. Prince declined because their music style did not fit his hip-hop label.

Decades later, a new chance came through Prince's 19-year-old son, Jas. Jas found the singer Drake on Myspace. He told Lil Wayne and Bun B about Drake, suggesting they work together. This led to a record deal for Drake with Lil Wayne. Drake also featured Bun B on his albums So Far Gone and Trill OG.

Jas and James Prince Sr. were listed as executive producers for Drake's albums like Thank Me Later and Nothing Was the Same. This was because they helped introduce Drake to the music world.

In 2018, James Prince released his autobiography, The Art & Science of Respect: A Memoir. Drake wrote the foreword for the book. In the spring of 2018, Prince advised Drake not to respond to another rapper, Pusha T. This helped calm down a disagreement between them.

In 2021, Prince helped Drake and Kanye West become friends again. Their goal was to work together to help Larry Hoover, who was in prison. They wanted to raise awareness about incarceration in the United States.

They held a benefit concert in December 2021. The concert supported groups that advocate for changes in the justice system. It took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The concert was shown in some IMAX theaters and streamed on Amazon's Music and Prime Video services.

In March 2022, Prince decided not to attend the Grammy Awards. This was because Kanye West was not allowed to attend. In November 2022, after the death of rapper Takeoff in Houston, Prince offered his sympathy. He also set up a memorial at the place where the incident happened.

Boxing Career

James Prince loved boxing when he was young. He was an amateur fighter and a fan of boxing promoter Don King. He became a manager for boxers to get involved in the sport.

Around 1999, he opened a boxing gym in Houston called JPrince Boxing. This gym later became part of the larger Prince Boxing Complex. Prince wanted to meet Mike Tyson to manage him. Instead, Floyd Mayweather Jr. approached him. Mayweather was a fan of Prince's record label.

Prince decided to manage Mayweather. They agreed on a 20% deal, which was higher than Mayweather's previous deal. This also gave Mayweather a chance to start a rap career with Prince's label. Their management relationship ended in 2003 due to disagreements about money.

Prince also managed Andre Ward after the 2004 Summer Olympics. In 2002, Prince called Ward when he heard Ward was thinking about quitting boxing. Ward's father had passed away. Prince convinced him to continue his career. They separated in 2008 due to financial issues, and both filed lawsuits against each other.

Prince has also guided the careers of 15 other boxers. He helped some of them achieve their biggest wins. These boxers include Winky Wright, Jared Anderson, Roy Jones Jr., and Diego Corrales.

Other Ventures

James Prince has also been involved in other businesses. He had the idea for a company that would educate young people about HIV/AIDS prevention. This company mainly served the Houston area. It also hosted events to address the issue of AIDS in the Black community. Artists like Lil Wayne have supported this company.

For over 20 years, Prince has owned a large ranch. It is 1200 acres and is used for raising black angus cattle and hay. In 2020, he launched his own liquor and wine brand called Loyalty.

Philanthropy

In January 2007, the Mayor of Houston, Bill White, and the City Council honored James Prince. They recognized him for over 20 years of dedication to the city. They even named an official James Prince Day in Houston.

This recognition came after Prince built a recreation center in Houston’s 5th Ward. The center has been used for many community events. These include Christmas, Thanksgiving, and back-to-school events. In December 2007, Prince donated $100,000 to a program called Meals that Heal in Houston.

Legacy and Recognition

In June 2010, James Prince was honored at the VH1 7th annual Hip Hop Honors Awards. He was recognized for his creative work and his charity efforts. Other honored artists included Master P and Jermaine Dupri.

In 2011, Rap-A-Lot released a special DVD box set. It featured many rappers like Rick Ross and Young Jeezy. Music industry executives like Lyor Cohen and Russell Simmons also appeared, praising Prince.

In 2019, Prince received an honorary doctorate degree from Texas Southern University. This was partly because he gave guest lectures to students at the university. He also offered internships at Rap-A-Lot and provided scholarships to students who needed financial help.

Personal Life

James Prince has seven children, including three sons: J Prince Jr., Jas, and Jay "Baby Jay." His sons also work in the music and boxing industries. He has been married to his wife since the late 1980s.

James Prince Sr. is a Christian. He owns an island in Belize called Prince Island. When he was 23, he bought a house for his mother and a 30-acre ranch.

Discography

• J Prince Presents R.N.D.S. (1999)