Albany

Growing up in Catskill and later Albany, Prosper Muna was ambitious, but he never thought he would be watching himself on TV at the age of 25 on the cusp of fame.

"I love watching me. I love me," said Muna, who stars in the MTV dating show "Are You the One?" on Mondays at 10 p.m. "I've shot music videos and been exposed to cameras before the show, but I was excited to see what it would look like on this national stage."

To the passive observer, Muna, also known by his stage name P Muna, is another millennial trying to brand himself through social media and now reality television. Upon closer examination, Muna sets himself apart in his commitment to the people and institutions that shaped him. Part of a generation that is becoming notorious for its lack of loyalty, distrust of institutions, and a facade of overly curated social media profiles, Muna is a breath of fresh air.

He is a 2009 graduate of Albany Academy and the first in his family to graduate from high school or college. Muna had wanted to go to Academy ever since he saw the campus and the architecture of Marcus T. Reynolds as a fifth-grader playing in a basketball game for Catskill against the Cadets.

Muna, who initially attended Albany High School, was eager to apply to the Academy after seeing his friend Dion Lewis, now a running back for the New England Patriots, transfer to the school. At first, the "country club" feel of the school — where the student parking lot often looks like a luxury automobile dealership — agitated Muna to the point of playing a caricature of a street bully. Soon after transferring, however, he found solace in English classes.

"I really enjoyed all of my English teachers at Academy," he said. "Ms. Scapatici is literally like my second mom. She would help me out so much. ... I didn't really read growing up. I went to public school and threw my bag in the corner when I got home. She taught me how to really challenge myself."

Under the guidance of Alisa Scapatici and other teachers, Muna took his instincts for writing raps and combined them with what he calls his "artsy side." After abandoning the persona he took on in Albany High to fit in, Muna developed a serious interest in literature along with rap and hip hop music. By the time he was majoring in English at the University at Albany, Muna had a full-blown music career, opening for rappers like Two Chainz, Mac Miller and Snoop Dogg.

Perhaps Muna's biggest break came when he opened for a young Mac Miller in Pittsburgh, Miller's hometown, before he hit it big with songs like, "Donald Trump" and "Knock Knock." Opening for Miller several times, Muna gained a following that grew once he started opening for bigger acts.

The question now for Muna is what's next after the MTV show's season ends. Currently living in Riverdale in the Bronx working as a personal trainer when he's not honing his music career, Muna has launched a talent agency, LFBD Studios. He boasts nearly 47,000 followers between his Twitter and Instagram accounts, and his name is used in hashtags when "Are You the One?" airs.

"I want to be an international figure," he said when asked if he wanted to be famous.

P Muna will be performing at the Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg Jumpoff Party at the Saratoga City Tavern on Friday, Aug. 5.

jlahut@timesunion.com • 518-454-5414 • @JakeLahut