KING PRINCE REIGNS OVER JACKSON SQUARE
NEW ORLEANS – Under a blue umbrella in Jackson Square, aspiring musician King Prince performs a blend of contemporary covers, ranging from pop to his most beloved genre: reggae.
Originally from Baltimore, King Prince moved first to Atlanta before taking root in New Orleans. Now, the performer takes to the French Quarter’s sidewalks every day to share his music and let the good times roll.
“My brother, Maurice the Music, brought me down here to play for Mardi Gras so I could take some money back to Atlanta to pay my rent,” King Prince said. “What happened was, we made so much money, I never left. I just stayed here.”
BEHIND THE MUSIC: Musician King Prince performs in Jackson Square on July 13, 2022. “Some people are passionate about things because they were taught; [music] was just kind of in me,” King Prince said. “I grew up singing, I sung in the church, my mom used to have parties and used to make me sing for all her girlfriends when they were drinking.” Photo by N. Foster
“One of my biggest inspirations is my little brother … he was on American Idol [and has] been begging me to come move [to New Orleans] with him for a while … it was the best thing that I’ve ever done in my whole life.”
Sometimes, King Prince said, the two perform together as a duo.
“If you go on Instagram and type in ‘Bourbon Street’ or ‘Café du Monde,’ you’re going to see a big red truck (his name is Rusty). We be on top of the truck.”
Encountering thousands of strangers each day, King Prince absorbs the attention, using the energy to share his craft and fulfill his love of connecting with others.
“By me being a Leo, I like attention, I like the sun, I like being in front of things and I like to make people smile, and I feel like music is one of those things–especially reggae music–that brings out the best in people,” King Prince said, “Singing Bob Marley puts smiles on people’s faces … The music has really allowed me to connect with people I didn’t know. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
SOCIAL BUTTERFLY: Musician King Prince performs in Jackson Square on July 13, 2022. “I have original music on my website [Traffkn.com.], and I have original music on Tidal, Spotify, Apple, all the streaming platforms,” King Prince said. “‘Everything moving’–that’s the tag. I sell music, songs, guitar loops, clothes, sea moss; whatever I can sell on that website, I will sell.” Photo by N. Foster
“I had a guy when I was on Royal Street,” King Prince said. “He actually painted me on a pizza box … it looked just like me, and it was dark, and I was playing a guitar, and I still have it, I put it in my studio.”
A MILE IN HIS SHOES: Musician King Prince performs in Jackson Square on July 13, 2022. “I start at Jackson Square in the morning, and then I wind up on Bourbon Street,” King Prince said. “Later on, after everybody’s drinking, they start tipping a little better.” Photo by N. Foster
Should new tourists expect this energy? King Prince says yes, plus more.
“It’s music out all day. It’s people out here tap-dancing, break-dancing. All kind of culture happens here in New Orleans,” King Prince said. “For a tourist that’s never been here, I would just say be prepared to see some of the most shocking things you ever saw in a city. New Orleans is the only city where you can find live music, tap-dancing, magicians, kids beating on buckets, you name it.”
JACK OF ALL TRADES: Musician King Prince poses near his umbrella in Jackson Square on July 13, 2022. “I’ve been performing for probably about 10 years with shooting film and stuff like that, too,” King Prince said. “I actually started with film to fund my music, and then when I got good at filming, I started hiring other people to use my equipment and push my brand, my LLC, because I’m really a musician at heart.” Photo by N. Foster
Imparting a final word, King Prince offers a piece of advice.
“I just want to say that, if you follow your passion, and you do what you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life. I’m not working; I’m having fun and get paid to do it.”