The Journey of a Loctician: From 8x8 Cell to Eastside Salon

Da Twist Mastr is more than a loctician—she’s a lifestyle coach rooted in transformation. From styling crowns at Wyld Chydz Hair Studio to building confidence as a certified F45 fitness instructor, she’s helping folks glow up from the inside out. As a Rondo Double Dutch coach, she’s also reclaiming joy and movement for the next generation, teaching kids rhythm, unity, and self-love—one jump, one twist, one story at a time.

Have you ever met somebody who is a total vibe? That’s Jelahn Prentiss, better known around Saint Paul as Da Twist Mastr. She’s a loctician, community builder, entrepreneur, motivator, mama, and a grandma. 

“I'm a hustler. I’m a real life hustler,” said Jelahn. Her business journey didn’t start in a salon. It started in 2008 in an 8x8 cell.

“Da Twist Mastr was born inside a federal prison in West Virginia,” explained Jelahn. “I went in with locs, because I didn't know what hair services would entail, and I needed to know I could take care of myself when no one else could. I started servicing myself—and before you know it, I was serving the whole compound.”

Da Twist Mastr said she was holding it down for incarcerated women who were forgotten, overlooked, and trying to keep a piece of themselves while behind bars. “I kept my fees affordable. Some girls never had it and I didn’t worry about that, because I still wanted to be of help,” she said. 

Hustle, Vision and a Kitchen

Da Twist Mastr spent 40 months locked up – a total of 120 months between prison, pre-trial incarceration, and probation. When she came home, she didn’t have access to capital nor credit. What did she have was hustle, vision and a kitchen.

“I was renting a studio apartment– maybe 400 square feet– but coming from a 8x8, it worked,” she said. “I moved the kitchen furniture, put in a salon chair, got a lamp from the thrift store and my kitchen became my shop.”

Still, Jelahn doubted herself and was carrying the weight of guilt, shame and rejection. “I was counting myself out before I could even count myself in,” said Jelahn. Her business partner, Antonio, though, fully believed. 

“He was like, ‘You know you could get a spot,’ and I was like, ‘No I can’t. I’m a felon. Nobody’s gonna rent to me.’” Antonio found a spot, got the application, and soon, they were approved.

“I was like, ‘What? They don’t know I’m this bad woman?’ But they didn’t care. They wanted their money, and I had their money … in nickels, pennies, and quarters, but I had it.”

Keeping it cute, clean and comfortable

In January of 2012, Da Twist Mastr moved from her kitchen into a 600 square foot space at 880 Payne Avenue.

“I saved my money again, remodeled that space and put some flooring down because again, nobody wanted to give me a dollar,” said Jelahn.”I didn't have a credit card. I didn't have anything but myself and my savings, and I figured it out.”

Soon, she opened the doors to Wyld Chyldz Hair Studio, inspired by the type of atmosphere she would look for as a client.

“I keep it cute, clean and comfortable,” said Jelahn. "Real queens and kings deserve nothing less."

Moving into new spaces

Wyld Chyldz Hair Studio has moved two doors down to the corner of Panye Avenue and Wells Street.

Recently, Jelahn moved Wyld Chyldz Hair Studio into a larger space at 872 Payne Ave. The vibes, of course, are immaculate. "The energy is always authentic, because let’s be real, clients feel your spirit before they feel your hands," she said. "Wyld Chyldz is not just a place of business, we are within a community, so I want to give clients an outlet if they need to talk. I'm something like a therapist – unofficially – because we talk about things, we share things we learn and grow from each other.”

And while Jelahn is Da Twist Mastr at work, she’s in community doing much more than locs. She’s got her own line of hair products which she formulated herself, bottled up, and sells straight off her site. And she’s Coach Twist while teaching fitness and mentoring youth through Rondo Double Dutch. 

No matter what space she’s in, she leads with love. “I’m a service provider, and acts of service is one of my love languages,” she says. “But in order to speak the love language, you gotta be able to receive it too.”

Jelahn aka Da Twist Mastr aka Coach Twist is proof that you can come back from anything, that your past doesn’t define your future, and that even if nobody gives you a dollar, you can still build a business and lead a life full of love.