J. Prince is an American who runs a business and makes hip-hop.
Prince has made most of his money as the CEO of Rap-a-Lot Records in Houston. He’s been promoting Houston’s rap scene for 20 years, and now rap artists are working to promote poor neighborhoods and communities.
Early Life of J. Prince
James L. Smith, who is also known as J. Prince, was born on October 31, 1965. His mother, Sharon Johnson, was only 16 when she had him, and she already had Prince’s 1-year-old daughter Zenia. The family lived in the Coke Apartments, also called “the Bloody Nickel,” in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Prince went to Kashmere High School and played football. He also did odd jobs like cutting grass and welding trucks.
One day, Prince’s older sister Zenia was walking home from junior high school when she was hit and killed by a train. Prince went on to graduate from Kasmere High School and quickly got a job in the Fault Department at Colonial Savings and Loan. Two years later, he lost his job and started restoring and selling bucket cars as a way to make a living. He eventually started his own business, Smith Auto Sales, and started selling luxury cars. His main customers were athletes who had a lot of money. When J. Prince was 21, he had saved more than $100,000. By the time he was 23, he had bought himself a 30-acre ranch and bought a house for his mother.
Net Worth of J. Prince
J Prince is an American businessman and has a net worth of $35 million. J Prince has made his money as the CEO of Rap-a-Lot Records in Houston.
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Career Life of J. Prince
In 1986, Prince opened the hip-hop record label Rap-a-Lot in Houston. At first, he ran the business out of the second floor of his auto shop. He started the record label so that his little brother would have something to do and not get into trouble on the streets. Smoke-a-Lot Records is another name for the same company. In 1988, he moved the label to New York City and began to watch his famous friends, Def Jam executives Russel Simmons and Lyor Cohen, perform. The Geto Boys, the most well-known group from Rap-a-lot, put the South on the hip-hop map.
He found Scarface and Willie D, two rappers. In 1989, the company released “Grip It! On That Other Level.” In the same year, the federal government looked into Rap-a-Lot. When there was no evidence of wrongdoing, the case was dropped. Since then, it has kept its popularity and focused on gangsta and southern rap. It was sold by EMI’s Priority Records and Virgin Records from 1991 to 1994. (1994–2000). During the 2000s, it was sold by Asylum Records, which is part of WEA. The Notorious B.I.G. made a reference to it in his song “Flava in Ya Ear (remix)” when he said, “I’m not from Houston, but I Rap-a-Lot.”
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At the end of the Devin the Dude song “What a Job” featuring Snoop Dogg, Snoop congratulates the record company by saying, “J. Prince, Jas Prince, Rap-a-Lot, still on top, 2007.” J’s son Jay Prince has a label distributed by Rap-a-Lot called Southern Empire Entertainment. Jas Prince also was responsible for discovering Young Money/Ca$h Money/Universal Records recording artist Drake and holds the artist in a Rap-a-Lot management contract. He introduced Drake to rapper Lil Wayne which paved the way to get him signed to Young Money in early 2009. J. Prince published his memoir in 2018, “The Art & Science of Respect: A Memoir.”
Personal Life of J. Prince
J. Prince has seven children who are all grown up. He still owns his ranch in Houston, where he raises Angus cattle that bring in $200,000 a year. J. Prince is also the owner of an island near Belize.
Philanthropy Works of J. Prince
Prince has spent the last 20 years promoting the rap scene and rap artists in Houston. He is now working to encourage poor neighborhoods and communities. He just started building a community center in his old neighborhood in the 5th Ward that will help kids, teens, and adults do better in life. On Jan. 30, 2007, a day was named in honor of Prince and his work by the Houston City Council and Mayor Bill White. In February 2007, Prince started a campaign to teach young people about HIV/AIDS testing and how to avoid getting it.
Final Words
J Prince was born on October 31, 1965, in Houston, Texas. He is the CEO of Rap-a-Lot Records and has a net worth of $35 million. His older sister Zenia was killed by a train when she was walking home from school one day. He found Scarface and Willie D, two rappers. The Notorious B.I.G. made a reference to it in his song “Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)”. In 2007, a day was named in honor of Prince.
