View source for Prince Ea

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{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = Prince Ea
| Img = PrinceEa.jpg
| Img_capt = Prince Ea performing at the CTRL-ALT-DEFINE concert in [[St. Louis, Missouri]] on February 9, 2009
| Background = solo_singer
| Birth_name = Richard Williams
| Born = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1988|9|16}}
| Origin = [[St Louis, Missouri]]
| Genre = [[Hip hop music|Hip Hop]] <br /> [[Political Rap]]
| Occupation = [[Rapper]]
| Years_active = 2005–present
|Associated_acts = [[Make 'SMART' Cool]]<br /> [[Yousef Taleb]] <br /> [[Black Thought]]<br /> [[Wax]]<br /> [[Immortal Technique]]<br /> [[Canibus]]<br /> [[Sha Stimuli]]<br /> [[Dumbfoundead]]<br /> [[Adil Omar]]  <br />[[D. Scorch'd]]
| URL = [http://www.princeea.com Official website]
}}
'''Richard Williams''', better known by his stage name '''Prince Ea''', is an [[African-American]] [[rapper]] and [[activist]].

==Early life==
Prince Ea was born in [[St. Louis, Missouri]], the youngest of three children, and has resided there his whole life. '''The alias Prince Ea is derived from Sumerian culture (The Prince of Earth was the one who engineered or spawned man)'''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cox|first=Calvin|title=Prince Ea draws the notice of VIBE magazine for his unique take on history and relationships|url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2009-06-17/music/prince-ea-draws-notice-of-vibe-magazine-for-his-unique-take-on-history-and-relationships/|publisher=RIVERFRONT TIMES|accessdate=5 May 2011}}</ref> He was influenced by the songs and style of hip-hop artists such as [[Rakim]], [[2Pac]], [[The Notorious B.I.G.]] [[Chuck D]], [[Canibus]], [[Immortal Technique]], and [[Eminem]]. Prince Ea graduated from high school with honors and earned a full scholarship in [[Anthropology]] at the [[University of Missouri]], where he has a 4.0 GPA.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCdbwbrH6Rw&NR=1</ref>

==Music career==
In late 2008 Prince Ea released the mix tape [http://smartiscool.wordpress.com/downloads/mixtapes/ "The Adolescence"] on the internet for free download.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://smartiscool.wordpress.com/downloads/mixtapes/ |title=Mixtapes " MAKE "SMART" COOL |publisher=Smartiscool.wordpress.com |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref> Widely advertised on websites such as [[Myspace]] and [[Youtube]], it gained attention from numerous underground people of interest. Days after the release, Prince Ea recorded an amateur video of himself rapping and entered it into a [[Vibe (magazine)|VIBE Magazine]] contest dubbed "VIBE Verses".<ref>{{cite web|author=&ldquo;&rdquo; |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAjTAimsXhA |title=Prince Ea Spits Live On Camera For Vibe!!! |publisher=YouTube |date=2008-12-15 |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref> A few months later, Ea was declared the VIBE Verses grand champion and was awarded $5000 in music recording equipment along with a full page article in the ''VIBE Magazine'', which held a total value of $50,000.<ref>{{cite web|author=&ldquo;&rdquo; |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka3p1t8w8Ag |title=Prince Ea WINS VIBE MAGAZINE CONTEST!!! Thankyou to everyone who voted!! |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://smartiscool.wordpress.com/prince-ea/ |title=Prince Ea " Make "Smart" Cool |publisher=Smartiscool.wordpress.com |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=&ldquo;&rdquo; |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do_0xURzNlg |title=Prince Ea speaks on his Career and Anthropology |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref><ref name="riverfronttimes1">{{cite web|author=Calvin Cox |url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2009-06-17/music/prince-ea-draws-notice-of-vibe-magazine-for-his-unique-take-on-history-and-relationships/ |title=Prince Ea draws the notice of VIBE magazine for his unique take on history and relationships - Page 1 - Music - St. Louis |publisher=Riverfront Times |date=2009-06-17 |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>

In 2009 he won a [[Funkvolume]] competition with the help of his 6000 subscribers on youtube.<ref>{{cite web|author=&ldquo;&rdquo; |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-leqJzxw8s |title=Funkvolume Win! and Spidermonkeys |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>  His Youtube videos have received over 12 million views,<ref>{{cite web|author=&ldquo;&rdquo; |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wxpOGpiuJg |title=Prince Ea - Bars From Sumer |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>  

Ea has been praised for his unique style which focuses on usually uncommon or avoided lyrical subjects such as scientific theory, government conspiracies and religious institutions. It is rumored that in 2009 he had won a competition for [[BET]]'s "BET Cypher" but the promoters had feared a violent altercation would have occurred if Ea had attended, so they decided to choose the runner-up Crown Royyal as the grand prize winner.

On March 13, 2009, Prince Ea's associate Yousef Taleb stated that his latest mixtape "The Mic In The Shoebox" is currently scheduled for a summer release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://smartiscool.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/the-mixtape/ |title=The Mixtape " MAKE "SMART" COOL |publisher=Smartiscool.wordpress.com |date=2010-03-14 |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>

Prince Ea is the first hip-hop artist to ever have a feature in [[Discover Magazine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://discovermagazine.com/2010/dec/29-hot-science-geek-look-back-at-2010/?searchterm=Prince%20Ea |title=Hot Science: A Geek's Look Back at 2010 |publisher=www.discovermagazine.com |date=2010-12-29 |accessdate=2011-05-02}}</ref>

===The "Make 'SMART' Cool" movement===
In late 2009 Prince Ea, upset at the present state of the music industry, and along with  his long-time friend and teenage entrepreneur Yousef Taleb and newest associate Ericka Henderson.,<ref name="wordpress1">{{cite web|url=http://youngtunna.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/prince-ea-q-a/ |title=Prince Ea Q & A " -Young Tunna |publisher=Youngtunna.wordpress.com |date=2010-02-11 |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref> decided to form a [[Social movement|movement]] named "Make 'SMART' Cool".<ref>{{cite web|author=&ldquo;&rdquo; |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFlX2gZPeio |title=Prince Ea "I Make Smart Cool" Official Brand/Promo Video |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-11-29 |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>  The "Make 'SMART' Cool" movement (SMART is an [[backronym]] for "Sophisticating Minds And Revolutionizing Thought") attempts to "promote intelligence to everyone, everywhere and integrate it with hip-hop. To create and nurture, without discrimination or preference, a community of free-thinking individuals under the singular purpose of promoting the ideals of education, intelligence, unity and creativity throughout the world at large."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://smartiscool.wordpress.com/bio/ |title=Mission " MAKE "SMART" COOL |publisher=Smartiscool.wordpress.com |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>

A successful underground clothing line for the movement, which includes t-shirts and sweaters, was released and has gained support from artists such as newly signed [[So So Def]] producer [[Mike Kalombo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=11499336&id=810585004 |title=Niet compatibele browser |publisher=Facebook |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>

In early 2010 the movement received sponsorship from hip-hop artist [[Dr Dre]]'s brand of head-phones, "[[Beats By Dr. Dre]]".{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}  Other artists to support the movement include [[Black Thought]], [[Immortal Technique]], [[Sha Stimuli]], [[August Rigo]], and [[Klassic]].<ref name="riverfronttimes1"/><ref name="wordpress1"/>

On March 29, 2010, Prince Ea mentioned in a Youtube update video that a few well-known and major artists have contacted him in support of the Make 'SMART' Cool movement, but he has not released any of their names or further details so far.<ref>{{cite web|author=&ldquo;&rdquo; |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey50XatLkvc |title=Prince Ea- Make "SMART" Cool PSA!! Must Watch!! |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2010-07-01}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{Main|Prince Ea discography}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Official Mixtapes
*2008: ''The Adolescence'' (available for [http://smartiscool.wordpress.com/downloads/mixtapes/ free download])
*2010: ''The Mic In The Shoebox'' (Set for a summer release)

;Official Singles
*2010: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0ERakmI5d0 “The Brain”]
*2010: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJKWkp-wWTI “The Game”] - Featuring [[Sha Stimuli]]
{{col-end}}


;Youtube releases
*2011: "Different Girl"
*2011: "Effortless"
*2010: "The Game"
*2010: “That Ain’t My Baby!”
*2010: “I Made It Remix”
*2010: “Hollow Cost”- Featuring Conspiracy of Mind and [[Adil Omar]]
*2010: “Forever Remix”
*2009: “2009 Flashback”
*2009: “Make [SMART] Cool Freestyle”
*2009: “Couple Bars Freestyle”
*2009: “Angry Bars Freestyle”
*2009: “The Future” Featuring. WydeFrame and G8Abak
*2009: “Paranoid Chillin’” Ft [[Canibus]], Sick Since, Presto
*2009: “Hot 16 Freestyle”

*2009: “Get Busy” Featuring Wax
*2009: “Death of Autotune Freestyle”
*2009: “One Hell of A Season”
*2009: “Seth Petruzelli”
*2009: “Does It Again Freestyle”
*2009: “Nike Boots Freestyle”
*2009: “Suicide Bomber Freestyle”
*2009: "MC Showcase Freestyle”
*2008: “Vibe Verses Freestyle”
*2008: “The Truth”
*2008: “Renegade Freestyle”
*2008: “Mr. Me Too Freestyle”

*2008: “Bars From Sumer”
*2008: “The Lyrical Grassman”
*2008: “4, 3, 2, 1 Freestyle”
*2008: “Nightlight Freestyle”
*2008: “Flavor in Your Ear”
*2008: “The Last Days”
*2008: “Why Remix”
*2008: “Political Science”
*2008: “Code of Honor”
*2008: “Jurassic Park”
*2008: “Einstein”
*2007: “The Red Pill”
{{col-end}}

==Awards/Nominations==
*Vibe Magazine
**2008, Vibe Verses Contest (won).
*[[Funkvolume]]
**2009, Funkvolume Contest (won).
*[[Discover Magazine]]
**2010, Discover Magazine Feature

==References==
<!--- See [[Wikipedia:Footnotes]] on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags which will then appear here automatically -->
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.princeea.com Official website]
*[http://www.youtube.com/user/thamagicsho2003 Prince Ea on YouTube]
*[http://www.twitter.com/PrinceEa Prince Ea on Twitter]
*[http://www.facebook.com/PrinceEaHipHop Prince Ea on Facebook]

[[Category:1988 births]]
[[Category:American rappers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Missouri]]