It is so sad to see throughout the years the hate people have for a man

they don't even know on a personal level. Will Mr. Graham continue

to receive LOVE from his true friends, family and those that continue

to follow his career and enjoy his music.

"HEARTS of fire CREATES LOVE DESIRE

Take U high and higher to the world U belong

Hearts of fire create love desire

High and Higher to your place on the throne

We've come together on this special day

To sing our message LOUD and CLEAR

Looking back we've touched on sorrowful days

Future pass, they disappear

YOU WILL FIND PEACE OF MIND

IF YOU LOOK WAY DOWN IN YOUR HEART AND SOUL

DON'T HESITATE 'cause THE WORLD SEEMS COLD

STAY YOUNG AT HEART 'cause you're never (never never...}

old at heart

That's the way of the world

Plant your flower and you grow a Pearl

A child is born with a heart of gold

The way of the world makes his heart grow

COLD."

----------------EARTH WIND AND FIRE

[Edited 7/12/11 15:52pm]

^ It ain't that serious, don't worry about it. Larry's cool with me. I just hate when some folks think Prince is some little boy that gets told what to do when it comes to things like this.

^^^It is serious when people act like they want to harm the man, then that's when

it is crossing the line.

RosesRred said:

^^^It is serious when people act like they want to harm the man, then that's when

it is crossing the line.

If they did that speaks more about them than it does their perceived hatred of Larry Graham.

Timmy84 said:

^ It ain't that serious, don't worry about it. Larry's cool with me. I just hate when some folks think Prince is some little boy that gets told what to do when it comes to things like this.

Thank U

802 said:

jackson35 said:

for the last time, it was not larry that got prince into the jw, it was george benson.

I know that, some here just want to keep on attacking Larry.

Yup, it was George Benson. However, when he befriended LG is when he began to study on a regular basis. According to a JW who used to post here, his Moms was SDA...I wouldn't be surprised if she encouraged him to study though.

As far as I'm concerned, LG and P's friendship and their personal choices is their business and nothing for me to hate. Larry's a fine musician although I don't much care for him as a front-man.

It is not Larry Graham that was the catalyst for him becoming a JW, but it was the passing of his mother. His mother had been JW and after she passed away, Prince started to show an interest in this religion, and contacted Larry for that reason. Larry didn't come knocking on Prince's door, it was Prince who looked up Larry and then invited him and his family to come and live next door to him in MN.

I agree that Prince has gotten more boring and I get sick of him preaching about God (although that is maybe not a specific JW thing, but more an American thing - you don't EVER see European artists talking about God in public), but if he's happier, than good for him!

Heidi said:

It is not Larry Graham that was the catalyst for him becoming a JW, but it was the passing of his mother. His mother had been JW and after she passed away, Prince started to show an interest in this religion, and contacted Larry for that reason. Larry didn't come knocking on Prince's door, it was Prince who looked up Larry and then invited him and his family to come and live next door to him in MN.

I agree that Prince has gotten more boring and I get sick of him preaching about God (although that is maybe not a specific JW thing, but more an American thing - you don't EVER see European artists talking about God in public), but if he's happier, than good for him!

Actually, from what I've heard/been told, Prince had several discussions about the JW religion with his mother before she passed away, so apparently the interest was already there. Also, like others mentioned, he had discussions with George Benson about it as well, long before getting into discussions of it further, with Larry. Which is why it's strange that hate threads constantly pop up here targetting/blaming Larry for a grown man's decision to follow a religion, he personally chose to embrace. I think any individual's personal choice of religion is their own and should be respected, regardless of others' prejudices/beliefs towards religion. However, no one is forced to listen or embrace what another preaches, if they choose not to.

[Edited 7/13/11 6:52am]

I don't care what any artists faith is. It's the music that's important to me.

bobbyperu said:

What it comes down to is that some people are such big fans of the Prince of the 1980s that they cannot accept the fact that Prince is no longer the man he was 25 years ago. It cannot be Prince's fault! It HAS to be someone else's. It can't be MY Prince who said that stupid thing about burqas! And because Larry undeniably has had an influence on Prince, he became the perfect scapegoat. Let me end by saying that I always loved Prince AND Sly so P and Larry playing together is fine with me although I admit It has gotten a bit predictable throughout the years.

that's not what it is at all. if that was the case we'd be at the concerts as he plays nothing but 80s hits. we recognise the simple fact that prince's music of the 80s and early 90s is better. prince used to be about ripping up the rule book, breaking musical convention, a true visionary. larry just comes across as a leech and as i view jw as an odious, sectarian, homophobic religion, yes it makes it easier to dislike him.

IF he wasn't a jw he wouldn't have gotten Prince to convert and Prince would still be nasty.

guarinigirl2000 said:

IF he wasn't a jw he wouldn't have gotten Prince to convert and Prince would still be nasty.

Respectfully, I disagree. This seems like an obvious conclusion and one I've made too. But really - can we be 100 percent any change in his music is due only, and directly, to his religious faith. Perhaps if he wasn't a Witness (assuming he's still one), he's have embraced another denomination or belief system that would have shaped his music equally. Or, possibly, the changes you see - are not due to his faith but the man himself. It's hard to pinpoint one facet of his life and say it is soley responsibly for his musical creations. imo.

vivacelife said:

guarinigirl2000 said:

IF he wasn't a jw he wouldn't have gotten Prince to convert and Prince would still be nasty.

Respectfully, I disagree. This seems like an obvious conclusion and one I've made too. But really - can we be 100 percent any change in his music is due only, and directly, to his religious faith. Perhaps if he wasn't a Witness (assuming he's still one), he's have embraced another denomination or belief system that would have shaped his music equally. Or, possibly, the changes you see - are not due to his faith but the man himself. It's hard to pinpoint one facet of his life and say it is soley responsibly for his musical creations. imo.

i agree. it's too simplistic to blame prince embracing jw for the restraints in his music. the decline started after lovesexy in my opinion, which was years before he met larry.

I don't hate Larry at all. In fact, I think he's a great musician.

Having said that, I'm an atheist and I don't want to hear all the religious babble and changing of lyrics to appease one's God. Prince's songs should be sung and played as they were meant to be and how they were originally written. Seeing Prince change his lyrics seems so fake and un-natural to me. He doesn't do it well and most of the changes sound ridiculous.

luv4u said:

I don't care what any artists faith is. It's the music that's important to me.

it's the music that's important to me too. and i totally blame graham for hearing thank you for letting me be myself and everyday people at most gigs. enough already.

[Edited 7/15/11 10:36am]

The only thing I hold against Larry is that big porno mustache.

21nights said:

I have no problem with Prince being a JW. I think that after his child died of Pfeiffer syndrome, and Mayte divorced him, I think he was very spiritually unstable. Larry was there 4 him, and Prince converted to JW. But, here's were Prince got out of line. After becoming a JW, during Rave Un2 The Year 2000, changing the lyrics of "Gett Off" from 23 positions in a one night stand, to 23 scriptures in a one night stand, is a little ridiculous. Thats what everyone does during a one night stand, they read scriptures I get it that he doesn't cuss anymore, but also, he doesn't sing any of his sexually explicit songs, (which are really if you think about it, they are the songs that made him so popular back in the early 80's). Does anyone think it's necessary 4 him 2 not sing ANY of his sexually explicit songs?

The statement about the death of Gregory also including both of his parents dying 6 months apart had 2 put Prince in a deep depression, that only Larry could soothe.

Larry didn't convert Prince 2 JW. It was his mothers dying wish 4 Prince 2 b a JW....

Also if U really think about it the majority of Prince songs r not about sex. Its just the ones that people gravitate more 2. His biggest hits were not about sex.

[img:$uid]http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2084/9118410/23710928/395436822.jpg[/img:$uid]

[Edited 7/20/11 17:53pm]

XxAxX said:

luv4u said:

I don't care what any artists faith is. It's the music that's important to me.

it's the music that's important to me too. and i totally blame graham for hearing thank you for letting me be myself and everyday people at most gigs. enough already.

[Edited 7/15/11 10:36am]

U will 4ever hear those tracks at his concerts . Because Larry gets paid royalties everytime Prince plays them 4 his "Big Brother"....

802 said:

RosesRred said:

^^^It is serious when people act like they want to harm the man, then that's when

it is crossing the line.

No one should want to hurt the poor man! He seems like a very genuine, nice man.

If Prince was still singing his dirty songs, no fan would say a peep about Larry, .

802 said:

For me, I don't hate him JW or not.

I don't 'hate on' LG at all. I've met the brotha and he was cool, I've met Prince too. Prince has always been the type of person, or so it seemed to be searching as he said he was searching for the ladder and the ladder is GOD and or religion. He was bound to follow some faith and the JW faith is not too far off from the SDA faith as someone mentioned in the thread earlier.

Bottom-line, the output of music has felt the same but, there are religious over-tones in the music now, when it wasn't there before (prior to The Rainbow Children (album)).

PurpleLove7 said:

2elijah said:

PurpleLove7 said:

I don't 'hate on' LG at all. I've met the brotha and he was cool, I've met Prince too. Prince has always been the type of person, or so it seemed to be searching as he said he was searching for the ladder and the ladder is GOD and or religion. He was bound to follow some faith and the JW faith is not too far off from the SDA faith as someone mentioned in the thread earlier.

Bottom-line, the output of music has felt the same but, there are religious over-tones in the music now, when it wasn't there before (prior to The Rainbow Children (album)).

Are you sure about religious overtones or some form of spiritual reference not being in his music prior to rainbow children? What abour "The Cross" and "Anastesia?" Just to name a few. Even in one of his movies there was a scene where he had "God" written on a wall. What about 'IWD4U?' Some state that track had some spiritual/religious tone or reference. [Edited 7/20/11 18:15pm]

U right but I think PurpleLove7 is misquoting himself but means well.....

2elijah said:

PurpleLove7 said:

I don't 'hate on' LG at all. I've met the brotha and he was cool, I've met Prince too. Prince has always been the type of person, or so it seemed to be searching as he said he was searching for the ladder and the ladder is GOD and or religion. He was bound to follow some faith and the JW faith is not too far off from the SDA faith as someone mentioned in the thread earlier.

Bottom-line, the output of music has felt the same but, there are religious over-tones in the music now, when it wasn't there before (prior to The Rainbow Children (album)).

Are you sure about religious overtones or some form of spiritual reference not being in his music prior to rainbow children? What abour "The Cross" and "Anastesia?" Just to name a few. Even in one of his movies there was a scene where he had "God" written on a wall. What about 'IWD4U?' Some state that track had some spiritual/religious tone or reference. [Edited 7/20/11 18:15pm]

You're right about a lot of that. My meaning was Prince always had a Christian 'vibe' to some of the lyrics but, a denomination wasn't brought to the fore-front until The Rainbow Children surfaced where he was singing about a particular bible he reads or lives by, so to speak. Thanks for correction.

robertgeorgeakabob said:

there are many more profound reasons to hate larry than his religion. that fucking white suit and hat for a start off!

That is EXACTLY what I wanted to say. I hate that Cap'n Larry outfit.

PurpleLove7 said:

2elijah said:

Are you sure about religious overtones or some form of spiritual reference not being in his music prior to rainbow children? What abour "The Cross" and "Anastesia?" Just to name a few. Even in one of his movies there was a scene where he had "God" written on a wall. What about 'IWD4U?' Some state that track had some spiritual/religious tone or reference. [Edited 7/20/11 18:15pm]

You're right about a lot of that. My meaning was Prince always had a Christian 'vibe' to some of the lyrics but, a denomination wasn't brought to the fore-front until The Rainbow Children surfaced where he was singing about a particular bible he reads or lives by, so to speak. Thanks for correction.

No problem. This is why I'm surprised that some of his fans act like he never referenced anything spiritual or mentioned God, in his music, prior to becoming a JW. How did some miss that along the way, not to mention the fact that some have this obsession with blaming Larry for Prince's current, spiritual/religious interests, even though most fans, don't know the facts as to why he made that personal choice. What’s even crazier, are the fans that constantly throw out nasty insults towards him about his choice of religion, as well as those who accuse him of being controlling, yet at the same time, many of those same fans, act like Prince is suppose to seek their permission before making any personal choices in his life.

[Edited 7/22/11 10:59am]

To be honest I always thought Prince was religious...much the same way his peers were (Marvin, Sam, MJ, Al, etc).