James Prince

J. Prince
Birth nameJames Andre Smith
Also known as
  • Lil J
Born (1965-10-31) October 31, 1965
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Record executive
  • talent manager
  • music promoter
Years active1986–present
Labels

James Prince (born James Andre Smith; October 31, 1965) is an American record executive, music promoter and talent 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. He and his son Jas have been credited as an early career mentors for Canadian rapper Drake.

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.