We recently connected with Prince Mapp and have shared our conversation below.
Prince, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
When I was a kid my father overdosed on heroin. He was my hero. No matter where he went; shooting galleries, abandoned houses, etc., I always wanted to be around him. When he died, a part of me died. As I grew, I had become this angry kid who was always hurting. I sought attention, eventually beginning to get into tons of trouble. As a young teen I was wrongfully charged for a crime I did not commit. At 16 I was shot, at 19 I was shot again, At 21 I was facing life in prison for murder, It wasn’t until I went to prison where I realized that my recovery process (resiliency) had to begin.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I started a brand – BLK SQUARES. This brand’s meaning was simple; As Square is the opposite of a Gangster. I wanted to make it cool to be a Square and prove that you didn’t have to be shot or go to prison to be “Lit” (relevant). I opened BLK SQUARES car wash in South Jamaica Queens, where I hired youth who had the potential of shooting someone or being shot. They came to work everyday and were mentored by my staff that consisted of ex-felons. They wore T-shirts that displayed “we shoot water not guns”. We had gained a ton of notoriety, and the Community began to love those that they had once negatively looked upon. This winter I launched my Beanie line called “Ripped Up” which was a distressed look beanie that displayed a black square on the front. The beanie that Jermaine Smith wore in your article. Again, the “Ripped” up beanie had a simple meaning “we don’t look like what we’ve been through”. I wanted the rips in the hat to display how we’ve dealt with our struggles. We were ripped, not torn. My next Project is a podcast called “4pm Locked In” where I have an actual replica of the same prison cell that I have spent almost two decades in. This is where I will interview my guests.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back and reflecting on my past, I realize that it was something that I had to not only go through, but to grow through. I grew up in a household with 8 other siblings and none of them went to prison. we all shared the same conditions however, I chose to turn my pain into punishment and they turned their pain into promise. I learned love in Prison. I hadn’t realized how much I loved my children until they were no longer in my life. I learned the difference between regret and remorse and was able to teach the difference to others. It wasn’t until I went to solitary confinement when I realized that I had a talent to write novels. I published my first novel during the Covid pandemic “Silk Tears”. Ultimately what changed my life was attending college while in Prison and receiving my Bachelor’s degree. When I went to college I began to see the world from an entirely different lens. I learned to see things for what they were and take accountability for what I’ve done. I had finally grown up and I felt I could be a productive person in society.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
My number one challenge I face is mental health. I have severe anxiety. I am reluctant to embrace success though I have seen glimpses of it, it doesn’t seem real. I was released from Prison 8 years ago. One of my biggest fears is being alone, being abandoned, being homeless, being hungry, and most of all failing my children again. Therefore I hustle everyday to continue to maintain the things I’ve accomplished. Being colored in corporate (another book idea lol) is probably where I have my most anxieties, having that fear of always thinking I am not good enough to be there.
I’m overcoming these challenges by openly discussing them on my platform and recognizing their presence. Through my future podcast and Instagram lives, I connect with countless others who experience similar struggles, making these platforms invaluable outlets for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.blksquares.com
- Instagram: Prince_Mapp_
- Facebook: Prince Mapp
- Linkedin: Dennis Prince Mapp
- Twitter: PrinceMapp1
- Youtube: Prince Mapp
Image Credits
“We are not the same hoodie” By BLK SQUARES CLOTHING
