Boston George and J Prince Jr. at The Address Bar & Grill on January 27, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
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James Prince, better known as J Prince, has long been one of the Godfathers of Southern rap, founding Rap-A-Lot Records, putting on groups like The Geto Boys and UGK. Prince has also been involved in the careers of modern stars such as Drake, offering the Canadian artist the resources and backing of Houston’s hip-hop apparatus to help support his early career. With his hands in the career of superstars for decades now, he has also gained the reputation as one of hip hop’s biggest s–t stirrers.
The idea of having to “check in” with J Prince has become something of an internet meme, but it does represent the power his name still holds in the city. If you are a rapper who raps about being in the streets and you plan on traveling to Houston, better check in with J Prince. He has acted as a mediator, settling disagreements for the likes of the late Pimp C, and even reuniting Drake and Kanye West after their beef.
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J Prince and Brad “Scarface” Jordan backstage during Scarface’s Birthday Bash and Concert at Bayou Music Center on November 14, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
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His sons, for better and worse, have followed in his footsteps, venturing off and doing their own form of what their father made his name doing. But one thing remains certain: there will always be some type of drama. One violent incident in Houston and the fallout from it is now bringing to mind all the Princes and their past beefs.
Last week, rapper NBA Ben10 was shot in a Houston restaurant during an altercation that left the rapper and another victim in critical condition. Reportedly, two men allegedly attempted to take another man’s jewelry, which led to a brawl. The man protecting his jewelry was said to have eventually drawn a firearm and fired several rounds.
Viewers of the incident, which was captured on video, saw that J Prince Jr., son of Rap-A-Lot Records founder and Godfather of Houston rap James Prince, was on the scene as footage started to circulate along with the news. This gave rise to speculation that Prince Jr. was somehow connected to the event that saw NBA Ben10, a close friend of popular rapper NBA Youngboy, shot.
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The fires of speculation on Prince Jr.’s involvement were flamed by Detroit rapper Allstar JR, who has claimed involvement in the shooting, alleging that he shot NBA Ben 10 while defending his jewelry. He continues to taunt J Prince Jr. online, even using the incident to promote a new single, which is a diss track aimed at Prince JR and NBA Ben 10.
“Thought he was mob ties, till I shot his ass a few times,” AllStar JR raps on “Mob United.”
J. Prince Jr. founded the Mob Ties record label in 2017, following in his father’s and Rap-A-Lot Records’ footsteps. Mob Ties inked a distribution contract with Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo’s Bread Gang Entertainment and Atlantic Records in 2022.
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Prince Jr. has denied any allegations of involvement in the incident that led to the shooting, claiming on Instagram that he was at the restaurant celebrating his close friend’s birthday with no knowledge that the Detroit rapper was there as well.
The shooting incident and the ensuing online back-and-forth are just another string of rap-related drama in a long line surrounding J Prince Jr. The back and forth between Prince Jr. and a growing number of opposition from Detroit rap fans rallying behind Allstar JR, is just another log on the controversy fire for the Prince clan.
In January 2026, rapper Finesse2Tymes openly requested a release from his Mob Ties recording contract, calling it the “worst” contract he had ever signed. According to what has been reported about the deal, Finesse would receive 35 percent of the revenue from music, the label headed by Prince jr. would receive 35 percent, and J Prince Sr. would receive 30 percent.
“Aye, Junior, I want out my contract too,” Finesse2Tymes said on Instagram. “I don’t want to be Mob Ties no more. I want my own s–t. Let me go, Junior.”
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In March, Prince Jr. called out Finnese2tymes for repeatedly stating he wants out of his record contract, trolling the rapper over his physical appearance, and insinuating he had plastic surgery.
When Migos rapper Takeoff was shot and killed in Houston on Nov. 1, 2022, during an incident outside of a bowling and billiards venue in Houston, the Prince family and their Mob Ties associates came under fire for their roles. It was alleged that an associate of the Prince’s was the shooter. Patrick Clark was arrested in December 2022 and charged in connection with the murder.
The Prince family denied any connection to the shooting, sending their condolences to the family of Takeoff and fellow Migos members Offset and Quavo. What followed was the Prince family stirring up drama in various interviews on podcasts over the next two years, resulting in beef with the remaining Migos over Takeoff’s death.
Rap-A-Lot Records founder J Prince Sr. had publicly addressed Takeoff’s death on multiple occasions, angering Offset, who was generally reluctant to talk in depth about the incident. At one point, Prince Sr. insinuated that Offset and Takeoff’s relationship was damaged prior to the shooting and that he wasn’t there for his family when it occurred, causing the Migos rapper to address the Houston rap kingpin directly.
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“When in reality, the truth of the matter is, [Offset] wasn’t really there with Takeoff when he was alive. So for you to take the positions that you taking,” Prince Sr. said on the Million Dollarz Worth of Game Podcast. “I’ma just say this to you: Don’t ever put me in no position where I have to defend myself. That wouldn’t be healthy for you. I have to say that, but it’s a million dollars worth of game.”
Jas Prince and Drake attend the Summer Sixteen concert after Party at The Mansion Elan on August 27, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Prince Williams/WireImage
In 2023, after Baton Rouge rapper NBA Youngboy made a diss track targeting a Texas resident and “son” to J Prince, the Rap-A-Lot Records. Jas Prince, son of J Prince, discovered Drake on Myspace at the very beginning of Drake’s music career. Jas is the person who put Drake on Lil Wayne’s radar. Since those relationships were forged, Drake and the Prince family have been inextricable, with the Princes going to bat for the Canadian rapper at any sign of trouble.
“As I said to you privately, I say to you publicly that Drake is my son, he roll with me” Prince Sr. wrote in an Instagram post addressing NBA Youngboy. “Therefore, I think it’s a good idea to take him off your enemy list.”
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J Prince has had beef with a who’s who of rap figures, including 50 Cent, Mase and Cam’Ron, the now-incarcerated Sean “Diddy” Combs, Pusha T, and more. Between Sr. and his sons, that number is sure to keep growing.