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James L. Smith, better known as James Prince or J. Prince, is a music executive and promoter based in the United States of America. Smith was born on October 31, 1964.
He serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the record label Rap-A-Lot, which is situated in Houston.
He is well recognized for being the individual who initially introduced Drake, a Canadian rapper, to Lil Wayne and assisted him in being signed to Young Money Entertainment in 2009.
Early Life
J. Prince, also known by his birth name of James L. Smith, came into the world on October 31, 1965. His mother, Sharon Johnson, was just sixteen years old when she gave birth to him; nevertheless, she was already a mother to Prince’s daughter Zenia, who was just one year old at the time.
The family had an apartment in what was colloquially referred to as “the Bloody Nickel” and was located in Houston’s Fifth Ward neighborhood. While attending Kashmere High School, Prince was on the football team. He also worked odd jobs, such as mowing lawns and working on welding trucks.
When Prince’s older sister Zenia was on her way home from junior high school one day, she was tragically struck and killed by a train. After graduating from Kashmere High School, Prince moved on to secure a position in the Fault Department of Colonial Savings and Loan as soon as possible.
Two years later, he lost his job and decided to turn to restore bucket vehicles into a full-time profession instead. After some time, he established his own firm, Smith Auto Sales, and entered the market for exotic automobiles. His primary clientele consisted of wealthy athletes.
He catered mostly to them. J. Prince had accumulated more than $100,000 in savings by the time he turned 21. By the time he was 23, he had already bought a home for his mother and a ranch that spanned 30 acres for himself.
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Career
When Prince’s older sister Zenia was on her way home from junior high school one day, she was tragically struck and killed by a train. After graduating from Kashmere High School, Prince moved on to secure a position in the Fault Department of Colonial Savings and Loan as soon as possible.
Two years later, he lost his job and decided to turn to restore bucket vehicles into a full-time profession instead. After some time, he established his own firm, Smith Auto Sales, and entered the market for exotic automobiles.
His primary clientele consisted of wealthy athletes. He catered mostly to them. J. Prince had accumulated more than $100,000 in savings by the time he turned 21.
By the time he was 23, he had already bought a home for his mother and a ranch that spanned 30 acres for himself.
At the conclusion of the song “What a Job,” which features Snoop Dogg, Devin the Dude, Snoop Dogg offers his congratulations to the record label by saying, “J. Prince, Jas Prince, Rap-a-Lot, still on top, 2007.
Southern Empire Entertainment is the name of J’s son Jay Prince’s record company, and Rap-a-Lot is the label’s distributor. Drake, a musical artist signed to Young Money/Ca$h Money/Universal Records, was found by Jas Prince, who is also responsible for discovering him.
Drake is now signed to a management deal with Rap-a-Lot. In early 2009, he was able to get Drake signed to the Young Money record label thanks to an introduction he made to the musician Lil Wayne. 2018 saw the release of “The Art & Science of Respect: A Memoir,” which was J. Prince’s autobiography.
J Prince’s Net Worth
J Prince is a prominent American entrepreneur who has accumulated a net worth of $35 million throughout the course of his career. As the Chief Executive Officer of Rap-a-Lot Records, which is situated in Houston, J Prince has contributed significantly to his personal wealth.
Philanthropy
After encouraging Houston’s rap culture and rap artists for the past 20 years, Prince is now focusing his efforts on boosting economically disadvantaged areas and communities.
He has just started construction of a community center in his old area in the 5th Ward, which will assist young children, teenagers, and adults in being more successful in their life.
On January 30, 2007, the Houston City Council and Mayor Bill White paid tribute to Prince and his body of work by declaring that day to be Prince Day.
In February of 2007, Prince began a campaign to raise awareness among young people about HIV/AIDS testing and prevention.
Personal Life
J. Prince is the father of seven children who has reached adulthood. He maintains ownership of his ranch in Houston, which is responsible for the generation of the annual revenue of $200,000 thanks to the Angus cattle he grows. Additionally, J. Prince is the owner of an island located off the coast of Belize.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does J Prince Own Drake?
According to The Jasmine Brand, Prince has reportedly reached a settlement with the record company for a sum that has not been released. In 2007, Prince signed Drake to Aspire Music Group, which was also partially controlled by Cortez Bryant, who was Lil Wayne’s manager.
What Is J Prince’s Real Name?
Joel Prince, popularly known as J Prince, was born in Trinidad and Tobago on November 3, 1986. He is a gospel Soca musician and electronic dance music (EDM) producer. He started J Lab Productions and serves as both the CEO and creator of the company. Additionally, he is a brand ambassador for Range Water.
