CP #016 From Ecstasy Pills to Million-Dollar Catalogs | Crime Pays

At 13 years old, Rico aged out of foster care and walked straight into survival mode.Years later, he tracked down his mother in Chicago looking for help — and instead heard words that changed his life forever:“This check already gone… unless you got drugs.”That moment didn’t just push him into the streets.It erased the idea of safety.From flooding Chicago with ecstasy pills…to getting set up by someone he trusted…to sitting in a cell with no blueprint and no guidance…Rico’s story could’ve ended exactly how the system designed it to.But it didn’t.After prison. After loss. After burying his brother.He pivoted — not to motivation, but to ownership.Today, Mercer “Rico” Prince is one of the youngest dealmakers brokering multi-million-dollar music catalog deals, helping artists, producers, and creators reclaim control of their work — and their future.This episode isn’t about hustling.It’s about replacing survival instincts with strategy.In this conversation, Rico breaks down:Why foster care taught him independence — not protectionHow ecstasy became more profitable than crack in Chicago nightlifeThe setup that led to two Class X feloniesWhy he took 4 years even though he could’ve beaten the caseThe loss that forced him to leave the streets for goodHow he made his first $250,000 legally — and never looked backWhy streaming platforms are robbing creators blindAnd how ownership is the real freedom play after incarcerationIf you’re coming home with felonies, grief, or no direction — this episode is proof that belief plus education still beats the odds.Tap in. This one hits different.⏱️ Chapters & Timestamps00:00 – “Unless you got drugs…”01:06 – From foster care to the streets04:35 – Realizing the system wasn’t family08:51 – The moment his mother activated survival mode11:00 – Why pills beat crack financially14:57 – School vs money: the early choice18:38 – The setup that changed everything22:00 – Facing Class X felonies24:48 – Why he took the plea deal28:03 – Prison mindset: no plan, no guidance29:55 – Losing his brother & forced reinvention33:19 – Enter the music business36:01 – The catalog game explained40:01 – Why artists sell their catalogs43:02 – Ownership vs exploitation46:21 – IHQ Network vision50:07 – Breaking culture cycles51:50 – Advice for people coming home53:05 – Belief, faith & self-education54:25 – Where to find Rico