Prince Mongo, the name used by Memphis businessman and nightclub owner Robert Hodges, a recurring candidate for mayor known for his flamboyant public persona, died Aug. 10, 2026, at 79, The Commercial Appeal reported.
Hodges entered the Memphis mayoral race in 1991. Willie Herenton defeated incumbent Dick Hackett by 142 votes. The Daily Memphian reported that Hodges’s candidacy may have affected the unusually close result.
In the 1990s, Hodges owned Ashlar Hall, a castle-like mansion in Midtown Memphis, and operated The Castle nightclub there. The venue made him a recognizable figure in Memphis nightlife as well as local politics.
Hodges campaigned for mayor again in 2009, wearing his distinctive costume and accessories during a televised debate. He discussed crime and education during the debate. Hodges returned to the ballot in 2019, nearly three decades after his first campaign, carrying the Prince Mongo persona from Memphis nightlife into formal politics.
