PRINCE

I’ve gathered myself enough to write about Prince. I’m still not all the way together, I’m still hurting a ton, but I felt the need to share how much Prince meant to me. So let’s talk about the great one, Prince.

Prince was so underrated, yet so legendary. You either loved him or you didn’t understand him. One of the sickest guitarist I have ever heard in my life, he could make a guitar do anything. One hell of a songwriter…I aspired to be just like he was. The way he could work metaphors, similes, song structure, and his creativity was mesmerizing. He was a hidden comedian in a sense because he could always make you laugh…such a great sense of humor. He was a game changer. Prince broke all the rules about sexuality, music, the English language, digital distribution and presumed roles for musicians. Prince re-wrote all those rules. You all followed. Prince is the king of shade aka the king of emoting! His facial expressions were classic. You would know if Prince was rocking with you or not. I mean yall remember this one?

CLASSIC!

Prince was a legendary genius. I really hate saying was in the past tense. PRINCE IS A LEGENDARY GENIUS. Prince is known by so many nicknames it is not even funny. Does your fav have nicknames ranging from “His Royal Badness”, to “The Purple Yoda”, to “The Artist Formerly Known As Prince” to A SIGN to “That Skinny MF with the high voice”? I didn’t think so. Most importantly, The music! Prince gave us so many classic albums from his self titled debut to Dirty Mind to Controversy to 1999 to Purple Rain to Sign O’ The Times to Diamonds And Pearls to The Love Symbol Album to The Gold Experience to Musicology” to so many more classic albums. The list goes on and on. Those are just a few! Who could forget what he did to the Batman Soundtrack?! Legendary. Who am I kidding? His entire Discography is legendary. Go get a tidal account or go record shopping and enlighten your music life. Prince gave us so much music and you know what’s crazy that’s not even all of it. He has a vault of unreleased stuff! A VAULT! HE HAS A FALLOUT VAULT FULL OF MUSIC! That is insane! There aren’t many musicians that can say they have a vault of music! Paisley Park…mannnn I just wonder gems he left in there.

Paisley Park is in our hearts!  IMPROMPTU JAM! I wonder if you know this one.

“The girl on the seesaw is laughing
4 love is the color
This place imparts (Paisley Park)
Admission is easy, just say U
Believe and come 2 this
Place in your heart
Paisley Park is in your heart”

Such a great song.

I love Prince. You how he said “love isn’t love till it’s past”. I really understand that now. I thought I got it then, but it really hits home now. You all just don’t know how much Prince impacted me in so many different points in my life. When I was alone, Prince and all of his music was there. When I was recovering from multiple surgeries, Prince along with so many other musicians kept me going. Whenever I felt down in the dumps, I’d throw on a Prince song and jam. It would break me out of my funk while getting down with the Funk. If you know what I mean. Prince….he did so much for me & so many other people. Some of us were fortunate to let him know directly. I wish I was one of those people to just tell him thank you. I wish I had personal interactions with Prince that I could share with you. I can share a little story about how much he impacted my life. I hope you enjoy it and helps, because I enjoyed reminiscing about how I felt.

PRINCE IS EVERYTHING.

Prince was my very first concert…..back in 2004 he was making his comeback, I was 15. I was a huge Michael Jackson fanatic. Yall remember the argument? Prince Or MJ? Back then I would pick MJ because I wasn’t as familiar with Prince. Of course, I knew of Purple Rain (obviously all of us did) plus the new record Musicology, but I wasn’t that deep in my Princedom yet. My aunt invited me out to see Prince at essence fest. I figured sure why not go! I could finally figure out why is Prince always being compared to MJ. Chris Rock was right & boy did I learn that night. Morris Day & The Time was opening up for Prince I believe. During the set, Prince was incognito playing a guitar solo and skating. It was hilarious, but of course none of us knew it was him. Once he came on, I feel like Prince let me knew personally why they compare him to MJ. HE tore the house down with his set. I wanted it to last forever. I saw magic. He blew us away. I was hooked. I converted. I still loved MJ, but it was Prince time now. Something changed. I was extremely happy to see him return to form. I told myself “the next time he comes to Louisiana, I’ll be ready”. I had a lot of listening to do.

I spent an entire day catching up with all of Prince’s music. I made an effort to find every little thing I could about this man. Any record or song, I found it. I gotta pat myself on the back for that one because I was determined hear every single album he put out leading up to Musicology. I wish I could put into words how I felt when I heard Sign O’ The Times  for the first time. It was a magical moment. I still feel like that is one of his greatest albums of all time. I didn’t get to experience 1987 (I’m 26 what do you want me to do), but I felt even then people were still comparing this to Purple Rain because it was so huge. Diamonds & Pearls along with The Love Symbol Album had me grabbing my head like “HOW DID THIS MAN MAKE THIS FIREEEEEEEEEEE!” I have so many favorite Prince songs it’s not even funny. “If I Was Your Girlfriend” is so experimental yet awesome. I mean who else could make a song like that?! “Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)” is lovely. “YOU think you’re special well so do I” love that line. “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad” is so damn good. I feel like that song is underrated. It was slamming man. “Live 4 Love” was epic! Simply epic! The band was cutting up on that song. “Gold” was just too much to handle. It felt like the ending to trio of epics. I felt like it was the finale to  “3 Chains O’ Gold” which was the sequel to “Purple Rain”. I absolutely loved it. “The One” is one of those songs you play for your lady to let her know you aren’t anything like those guys she has dealt with before. You gotta let her know some times. “Reflection” is simply beautiful. Just go and listen to it! It is just a beautiful song. “Sometimes It Snows In April” brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it. I wish I didn’t have a new reason for that song 2 bring a tear to my eye. I guess it really snows in April. Sorry, I got on a tangent. The point is there are so many freaking Prince songs that I enjoy so much! If I listed them all we would never get to the end of my little story.

Okay back to the story! Fast forward 10 years later, I’m 25 and prepared. I finally get to see him perform again after 10 long years. This time I’m having the time of my life! I’m singing every single song that he would play. I knew all the words. I was surrounded by people who felt the exact same way I did. I felt like I was an fifteen year old again except this time a fifteen year old Prince fanatic. It was beautiful. It was magic. I wanted it to last forever. Essence fest 2004 & 2014 were simply amazing for me. I’ll never forget those concerts. To quote what everyone says about a fun time now a days, those concerts were lit. I remember once the concert ended I said “So another 10 years till we meet again? I’m up for it! OR I’ll come see you!”. I really had plans to see Prince because he was on tour…I had plans.

Plans change. Life throws punches you just can’t avoid.

2 years later, I’m writing this. Prince went into the afterworld. Electric Word Life you can call it. Prince is at peace. He is probably flipping heaven on its head. The biggest concert is going down up there (or wherever heaven is) right now. Those angels are about to be jamming forever. I never thought I would be writing this so soon to be honest. The moment I got the news I figured it was one of those silly internet hoaxes that kill celebrities all the time. Unfortunately, It wasn’t. It was horrifyingly true. I got scared last week when the news was reporting Prince was brought to the hospital. They were reporting he wasn’t feeling well & had the flu. Once he said “Don’t waste your prayers on me just yet”, I was fine knowing he was fine. He just got a brand new gorgeous guitar too….It is a shame we won’t be able to hear him shred on that instrument.

To me, Prince (physically) was going to live forever just like David Bowie. Those two were too strange for death. NOW they are gonna live forever. No one likes writing about their favorite musicians or people passing away. The truth is it is going to happen to all of our favorite people one day. The best takeaway is all the memories and experiences I had through Prince. Some people didn’t even get the chance to see him live. I did twice! His music will forever be iconic. Prince was iconic in so many different ways. I can go on and on about it, but the fact is Prince influenced everything and everyone around him. Many of us wanted to be like Prince. I know I do. What I would give to just have his aura and mystique or a voice like his! He was magic. You know what they say about magic? Magic doesn’t die. Magic lives forever, but I guarantee that NOTHING WILL EVER COMPARE TO PRINCE’S MAGIC!

The intro to “Let’s Go Crazy” is so fitting right now.

“Dearly beloved We are gathered here today

To get through this thing called life

Electric word “life”

It means forever and that’s a mighty long time

But I’m here to tell you, there’s something else

The Afterworld

A world of never-ending happiness

You can always see the sun

Day or night

So when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills

You know the one, Dr. Everything’ll-Be-Alright

Instead of asking him how much of your time is left

Ask him how much of your mind, baby

‘Cause in this life

Things are much harder than in the afterworld

In this life, you’re on your own

And if de-elevator tries to bring you down

Go crazy, punch a higher floor!”

You punched a higher floor! Enjoy paradise Prince.

Prince I love you. Thank you for all the memories I’m grateful for every single one of those. Live 4 Love. Rest In Paradise, Power &Funk. You are free now. Godspeed Prince.