J. Prince

James Prince (born James Andre Smith; October 31, 1964) is an American record executive, music promoter and music manager. He founded the Houston-based Southern hip-hop record label Rap-A-Lot Records in 1986, which has discovered or signed artists including the groups Geto Boys, Do or Die, UGK, the respective solo careers of Scarface, Bun B and Pimp C, as well as rappers Devin the Dude, Z-Ro, and Trae tha Truth. Smith and his son Jas are also known for introducing Canadian rapper Drake to Lil Wayne and helping Drake sign to Young Money Entertainment in 2009, with both having been credited as early career mentors. Prince executively produced albums for the Geto Boys (Grip It! On That Other Level, We Can't Be Stopped, Till Death Do Us Part, The Resurrection), Scarface (Mr. Scarface Is Back, The World Is Yours, The Diary, The Untouchable, My Homies, The Last of a Dying Breed), Big Mike (Somethin' Serious), Do or Die (Picture This, Headz or Tailz), Yukmouth (Thugged Out: The Albulation), Bun B (Trill), Pimp C (Pimpalation), and Drake (Thank Me Later, Nothing Was the Same). Prince has also managed professional boxers such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Ward, and Shakur Stevenson.