Prince Ea Interview

Rapper, poet, or motivational speaker: it doesn’t matter what you call him as long as you know his name. Prince Ea [Richard Williams] has been dropping inspiring and thought-provoking messages and videos on Youtube and Facebook for years now, sharing his uplifting thoughts to those in need and shedding light on important issues and controversies. He has captured the attention of millions and is truly making SMART cool. Read on for Prince Ea’s insight on his mission, the importance of understanding those around you, and self-reflection.
Cliché: So, who is Prince Ea and is he separate from Richard Williams?
Prince Ea: They’re one in the same. You know, I don’t have alter egos; I don’t have different people at different times. They’re all one. People see me as these things—rapper, poet, motivational speaker—but you know I always tell people “when you define yourself, you confine yourself.” I don’t know what I do, I just do things. I create content that galvanises people and whatever delivery system that takes, I’m going to pursue it and create.
What is your mission with your videos and Facebook updates?
My ultimate mission is just to galvanize people to look within themselves and realize the untapped potential that they have within. I don’t think anybody on the outside is going to give you the strength, the courage, or the power that you already have inside. There are people that can catalyze it, that can point you the way, but I want to show people that they create this world that they live in and that it’s up to them whether they want to believe their thoughts, whether they want to live positively or negatively, optimistically, or pessimistically. I want to show people that it is up to them at the end of the day.
Who inspires you?
I was first inspired by a lot of hip hop artists like the conscious artists, like Immortal Technique and Canibus and Ras Kass—even Jay-Z was an inspiration for me. As I moved into the spiritual realm, I immersed myself into those types of texts and traditions. So some of the greatest gurus and “saviors” kind of inspired me: Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, all of the great people that started these wonderful traditions that preach love, peace, and compassion. They all say the same thing, so they inspire me. On the other side, innovative people inspire me, too. People who have the courage to do something new, especially young people. I’m inspired by the people who have the courage to create. Hearing those stories are a total inspiration.
What brought along the “Make SMART Cool” tagline?
In Make SMART Cool, SMART is an acronym for “Sophisticating Millions And Revolutionizing Thought.” It came about from an observation on society—how I believe that we value things in society that are upside down and backwards, almost like The Twilight Zone. Money and material things are prioritized over intelligence, and I think it’s okay to be smart. It’s okay to be yourself. My success is a direct result of me being myself, me being unique and not being afraid to be smart. I wanted to make smart cool; I wanted to popularize the notion of intelligence.
What are three of the most important lessons you’ve learned in life so far?
Simply put: patience, passion, and simplicity.
What is something you want to better about yourself?
My interpersonal relationships, my communication, and my ability to perceive and understand people is something that I’m constantly working on because how can you love somebody if you don’t really understand them? People have different upbringings, different conditions, different environments, and sometimes we can be really person-centric and believe that our way of believing and thinking is the right way or a more important or valuable way of thinking, and it’s not. So understanding in my interpersonal relationships is something I want to do better. As for communication, the ability to get my point across, is an art and a very tactful skill that I’m constantly refining.
You posed a question on Facebook about a month ago: “What’s your definition of true love?” How would you answer this question?
True love is total acceptance, total freedom, and understanding. Like I said, you can’t love if you don’t understand. So it’s 100% acceptance of the present moment and that person in the present moment.
Where is your favorite place to create or think?
My bedroom in my house, where I’m constantly thinking and creating.
Which video that you’ve released thus far are you the most proud of?
I really like “Why I Think This World Should End.” It captured everything that I want to say and the message I want to leave to people.
If you had to give one piece of advice to someone who is trying to find happiness in his or her life, what would it be?
It would be to master your mind. It doesn’t matter what external circumstances you attain. If you don’t master your mind, you will always be in suffering. They say the mind is a terrific servant, but a horrible master. Don’t allow your mind to master you.
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Prince Ea Interview: Photograph courtesy of BNP Photography