Thread by @roywoodjr

In Houston in 2006, I tried to prank call J. Prince, CEO of Rap-A-Lot Records. We had a conversation that made me not only leave the studio but also the city of Houston. A thread....

Those of you that know my history know I used to do prank calls HEAVY. And in those days comedy and hip-hop were far more symbiotic. As a result, my pranks were getting a lot of love on down south mixtapes. A gang of DJs, Chamillionaire and even a few unauthorized Pimp C projects

From this “heat” I got a call from Houston based BCD Records. They wanted to do a prank call album with me. but instead of pranking regular people, they'd give me access to their rolodex and we'd solely be prank calling black celebs.

We ironed out the contracts & I flew to Houston to start production on the album. I went straight to the studio from the airport. The targets for Day one we were Bun-B, Lil Jon, Matthew Knowles, Vince Young, Tommy Ford from ‘Martin’ & J Prince.

First up was J Prince. The premise of the prank call was gonna be me posing as the owner of a Mom & Pop record store criticizing Rap-A-Lot records not cranking out as many hits as they used to as a result my profits were suffering. I demanded J. Prince pay my rent.

Most prank calls follow a basic template:

1. Present a problem
2. Demand impossible solution
3. Argue
4. Reveal prank
5. Laugh together

J. Prince answered the phone and I laid into him. Instead of arguing with me, J Prince simply took a breath and calmly said “Where you at”

A chill came over my body.

I tried to keep the prank going, J Prince cuts me off again.. "I need to see u face to face. Where you at?”

I was so shook I broke character and told J I was a comedian and it was just a prank call. He still didn’t laugh. My audio engineer stopped laughing. Shit just got real.
It was so awkward at this point my producer jumped on the phone to try and save me.

My producer said “Hey J it’s Lucas (name changed). I’m in here with Roy we were just trying to have a laugh.”

J PRINCE: (5 seconds of silence) Ohhhhhhh, you with Lucas? I see. I know EXACTLY where y’all at. (to driver) Aye man turn the car around.

*J. Prince hangs up*

I’m now shitting bricks. The audio producer is damn near in tears he's so scared.
My producers beg me to call J Prince again. I simply replied….“I’m going home”. One attempted prank call and I was done. I told them to tear up the contracts.

My album deal was so shitty there wasn't much BCD could do to make me prank call the rest of the people on the list. I didn't care if they sued me. I drove back to the airport and headed back to Birmingham.

I was in Houston, TX a total of 4 hours.

Even in the sky I didn’t feel safe. I felt like J Prince was going to slide out an overhead bin like “Yeahhhh Ngga. Where you at?" Even now 12 years later, I'm still convinced J. Prince will run up on me at Rite Aid "Yeah Nggga. I see you getting them pills, where you at?"

I’m willing to bet in his entire life, J. Prince has only laughed a total of 5 times. And four of them were Bernie Mac related. He's bout his businsss.

J Prince could look at lava & say “Aye ngga, why you keep burning everything?”

The lava would crawl back inside the volcano.

J. Prince Prank Call Template:

1. Present a problem
2. Demand impossible solution
3. Apologize Profusely
4. Leave Town
5. Pray he confused you w/ Roy Jones Jr

J is respected at every level of the game from janitors to A&Rs to CEOs. He's always made moves that made hip-hop better. His intervening is no diff. Say what you want about Drake not clapping back at Pusha but If J. Prince says beef is dead,It's dead. no one will cross that line

My relationship with BCD Music was never the same after me walking out the studio. So, to this day I don't know if J. Prince actually showed up to the studio to whoop my ass. END

His memoir drops June 22. Go ahead and preorder that joint.

UPDATE: s/o to the homie @RealSway for letting me clear the air w/ @JPrinceRespect

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