Prince

Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016), known professionally as Prince, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, actor, and filmmaker. He was associated with the development of the Minneapolis sound, a style that combined elements of funk, rock, pop, R&B, and new wave. Throughout his career, he was noted for his musical versatility, prolific output, and influence on popular music. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince was raised in a musical family. His father, John Lewis Nelson, was a pianist and songwriter, and his mother, Mattie Della Shaw, was a jazz singer. He began writing music at an early age and composed his first song, "Funk Machine", when he was seven years old. Following his parents' divorce, he lived with various family members and friends and developed a close friendship with André Cymone, who later became one of his collaborators. Prince attended Bryant Junior High School and Central High School in Minneapolis, where he participated in sports and studied dance through the Minnesota Dance Theatre. During his teenage years, he recorded demos that attracted the attention of music industry professionals. In 1977, he signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records that granted him significant creative control and ownership of his publishing rights. His debut album, "For You", was released in 1978. Prince wrote, arranged, produced, and performed most of the music on the album. His second album, "Prince" (1979), achieved greater commercial success and included the singles "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?". During the early 1980s, Prince released the albums "Dirty Mind" (1980), "Controversy" (1981), and "1999" (1982). These recordings established his reputation for combining diverse musical styles and addressing themes related to sexuality, politics, and social issues. The album "1999" produced several successful singles, including "1999", "Little Red Corvette", and "Delirious", and expanded his international audience. In 1984, Prince achieved major commercial success with the film "Purple Rain" and its accompanying soundtrack album of the same name. The album produced the hit singles "When Doves Cry", "Let's Go Crazy", and "Purple Rain". During this period, he became the first recording artist to simultaneously have the number-one film, album, and single in the United States. "Purple Rain" received the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and became one of the most successful albums of the decade. Prince's backing band during much of this period was known as the Revolution. With the group, he released albums including "Around the World in a Day" (1985) and "Parade" (1986), the latter featuring the number-one single "Kiss". Following the Parade Tour, the Revolution was disbanded. In 1987, Prince released the double album "Sign o' the Times", which incorporated material from several unreleased projects. The album received critical acclaim and included the singles "Sign o' the Times", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "U Got the Look", and "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man". He followed it with "Lovesexy" (1988) after shelving the planned release of "The Black Album", which was later officially issued in 1994. Prince contributed music to the 1989 film "Batman", releasing a soundtrack album that included the number-one single "Batdance". He continued to release albums throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, including "Graffiti Bridge" (1990), "Diamonds and Pearls" (1991), and "Love Symbol" (1992). During this period, he introduced the New Power Generation as his primary backing band. In 1993, amid disputes with Warner Bros. Records regarding the pace and ownership of his releases, Prince adopted an unpronounceable symbol, commonly known as the "Love Symbol", as his stage name. During this period, he was frequently referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince" or simply "The Artist". He appeared publicly with the word "slave" written on his face as part of his protest against his contractual situation. After fulfilling his contractual obligations to Warner Bros., Prince released music through his own NPG Records label and other partnerships. Notable releases from this era included "Emancipation" (1996), "Crystal Ball" (1998), and "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic" (1999). In 2000, following the expiration of key contractual agreements, he resumed using the name Prince. During the 2000s, Prince increasingly experimented with online distribution and fan subscription services. Albums from this period included "The Rainbow Children" (2001), "Musicology" (2004), and "3121" (2006). "Musicology" was a commercial and critical success and helped re-establish him as a major touring artist. In 2004, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and participated in a tribute performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Prince's performance during the halftime show of Super Bowl XLI in 2007 received widespread attention and is frequently cited among the most notable Super Bowl halftime performances. That same year, he released the album "Planet Earth" and conducted a residency at London's O2 Arena. Subsequent releases included the albums "Lotusflow3r", "MPLSoUND", "20Ten", "Hit n Run Phase One", and "Hit n Run Phase Two". He continued touring extensively and remained active as a performer until shortly before his death. His final tour, "Piano & A Microphone", featured stripped-down performances consisting primarily of Prince and a piano. On April 21, 2016, Prince was found unresponsive at his Paisley Park home and recording complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was pronounced dead at the age of 57. An autopsy determined that he died from an accidental fentanyl overdose. Investigations concluded without criminal charges being filed. Over the course of his career, Prince released 39 studio albums and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. He received numerous awards, including multiple Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, the Grammy President's Merit Award, the American Music Award of Merit, and the Billboard Icon Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2024, and the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022. Prince was known for his multi-instrumental abilities, often performing most or all of the instruments on his recordings. He also wrote and produced music for other artists, including the Time, Sheila E., and the Bangles. His work influenced musicians across numerous genres, and his recordings, performances, and approach to artistic independence have continued to be the subject of critical and scholarly attention. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician) Studio albums For You (1978) Prince (1979) Dirty Mind (1980) Controversy (1981) 1999 (1982) Purple Rain (1984) Around the World in a Day (1985) Parade (1986) Sign o' the Times (1987) Lovesexy (1988) Batman (1989) Graffiti Bridge (1990) Diamonds and Pearls (1991) Love Symbol (1992) Come (1994) The Black Album (1994) The Gold Experience (1995) Chaos and Disorder (1996) Emancipation (1996) Crystal Ball (1998) The Truth (1998) The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale (1999) Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999) The Rainbow Children (2001) One Nite Alone... (2002) Xpectation (2003) N·E·W·S (2003) Musicology (2004) The Chocolate Invasion (2004) The Slaughterhouse (2004) 3121 (2006) Planet Earth (2007) Lotusflow3r (2009) MPLSound (2009) 20Ten (2010) Plectrumelectrum (2014) Art Official Age (2014) HITnRUN Phase One (2015) HITnRUN Phase Two (2015) Welcome 2 America (2021) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.