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Paperboy Prince
American artist, activist and politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Paperboy Love Prince (born January 8, 1993)[1][2], also known as Paperboy Prince of the Suburbs,[3] is an American perennial candidate known for their eccentric personality and campaigns, as well for their rap career, and being an activist, Prince has run various campaigns for public office including for Mayor of New York City, the U.S. House of Representatives, and President of the United States.[3][4][5]
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Early life
Prince grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and Bowie, Maryland, one of the suburbs of Washington, D.C.[6] One of their grandfathers was a Pentecostal bishop, and both of their parents are devoutly religious.[7] As a child, they worked as a newspaper carrier delivering The Wall Street Journal.[8][9]
When Prince was 12, their mother won a contest that permitted her to bring them to have lunch with congressional representatives.[10] Following that experience, Prince participated in youth government programs and eventually had internships with the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Supreme Court. In college, Prince studied journalism and computer science at the University of Maryland, College Park while also creating art and hosting entertainment events.[10][11]
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Political activities
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Paperboy Love Prince started in politics by hosting concerts which provided voter registration for attendees.[10] Prince supports the redirection of police funding to other programs.[12] Prince hosts a community center called the Love Gallery on Myrtle Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn.[7] A volunteer-run mutual aid food network is operated here.[5]
Campaign for New York's 7th congressional district
In 2020, Prince was a candidate in the primary for New York's 7th congressional district competing against incumbent Nydia Velázquez.[10] Prince received 20% of the vote to their opponent's 80%.[13]
In Prince's campaign their political platform included advocacy for universal basic income, Medicare for all, and spreading love.[9] Some media[which?] portrayed Prince's campaign as a longshot.[14] In preparation for the election, Prince overcame a challenge to their bid to appear on the ballot.[15]
2021 New York City mayoral campaign
In December 2020, Prince registered as a candidate for Mayor of New York City in the 2021 Democratic primary.[16] If elected, Prince would have been the youngest mayor in the history of New York City.[1]
Prince's campaign manager was a 13-year-old student Theo Demel, who believes that homework is unconstitutional.[1] The campaign's goal was to raise $2 million. Part of the fundraising strategy included busking outside the Myrtle Avenue station in Bushwick, Brooklyn.[4] The campaign's major policy points included fighting poverty and providing more housing for New York City residents.[17] The campaign hosted weekly food distribution events, giving away food donated by churches to whoever happened to show up.[7]
In May 2021, Prince challenged their electoral competitor Andrew Yang in both a basketball game and rap battle at Tompkins Square Park.[18][19][20]
One of the criteria for joining the city's mayoral debates was fundraising a minimal amount of money.[21] Prince was among the candidates who met the criteria to appear on the ballot, but did not meet the criteria to join the debates.[21] While Prince was not inside the building to participate in mayoral debates, they were outside the venue on a bus known as the "Love Tank".[22][23] Prince's performance outside the debate included singing about affordable housing.[24]
A writer for Harvard Political Review said that Prince's campaign could shift discussion about what sorts of political policies are acceptable to discuss and also shift the perception of the electability of non-white candidates.[25] A writer for The Red Hook Star-Revue said that Prince was a candidate to take seriously.[26] That paper also endorsed Prince for mayor.[27] Trevor Noah of The Daily Show showcased Prince's idea that police should reward people for doing good as an alternative to spotting violations.[28] The City surveyed Prince on their political positions and published their responses.[29]
Prince received 0.4% of the vote and was not elected.[30]
2022 campaigns
Following the 2021 election, Prince announced intent to seek candidacy in the 2022 elections for 11 congressional districts and the New York governorship.[31] They again got on the ballot for congress in NY District 7.
2024 presidential campaign
Prince was a candidate for the 2024 Democratic nomination for president,[32] only appearing on the ballot in New Hampshire.
2025 New York City mayoral campaign
Paperboy Prince joined the campaign for mayor following their previous 2021 campaign for mayor.[33] They continued to advocate for health care, abolishing the police, and universal basic income for New Yorkers.[33] A key feature of their look for this campaign is clown makeup.[33] On 2 May when they announced being on the ballot, they released their song "Utopia Plan" which presented their vision for New York City.[33]
In late April, Brooklyn Democrats hosted a forum where they invited qualified candidates on the ballot to present, but they excluded Paperboy Prince from the invitation.[34] Prince crashed the event wearing clown makeup and denounced the process which left them out.[34] Some in the crowd asked for them to be ejected, and others advocated for them to be able to speak.[34]
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Music
By 2015, Paperboy the Prince was a rapper and a center of attention among the fans at games of the basketball team Washington Wizards.[6] They got recognition for their effort in organizing a music campaign to raise $20 million to bring DC-native basketball player Kevin Durant to the Wizards.[35]
At the 2016 South by Southwest, Prince spoke to reporters on behalf of street performers on the condition that Prince could talk out loud on microphone, and that they got a hug.[36]
Prince received death threats while performing music as Minister of Fun at an anti-Trump art production by LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner at the Museum of the Moving Image in the days after President Trump's inauguration.[3]
In 2017, musician Azealia Banks established the record label Chaos & Glory Recordings, with Prince as the first artist signed to produce music.[37]
Personal life
Prince is non-binary and prefers the pronouns they/them/their or the neopronouns god/goddess.[4][9][7]
They dress as "royalty" to draw attention to how politicians can hold power for longer than kings or queens.[10] In an interview with fashion magazine V, Prince explained how freedom in fashion encourages freedom in thinking and welcoming of diversity.[38] They often wear a Game Boy Advance SP or Game Boy Color around their neck.[8]
Prince's role models include Martin Luther King Jr. for his vision of racial justice.[10]
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Electoral history
2020
2021
2022
2024
No delegates were awarded from the January New Hampshire primary.
2025
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References
Further reading
External links
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