Here's my top favorite but not in order:
Sheila E-She is a beautiful woman and not to mention that she can throw down on those drumsets. But Miz. E isn't just some kickass drummer. She is also a talented singer and hell yes that girl can dance. Go see SOTT/Lovesexy and Arsenio Hall Show footage and Sex Cymbal video for more on her dance moves. I know Miz E was very modest and somewhat reluctant when she chose to do a solo career. But what would happened haven't she listened to Prince about being an artist? Well we would never hear those great songs that she made such as 'Glamorous Life, Hold Me, Sex Cymbal, Sister Fate, and The Belle of St.Mark. And also we would never saw the chemistry between her and Prince had while worked together especially when they did a duet on Love Bizarre and Erotic City. And finally when she did that transmissippi rap on It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night off of SOTT.
Morris Day-Now this a cool cat and dayum he is so fine. If anyone knows what's the meaning 'cool' then it is Morris. His voice and jive matched perfectly on his songs and yes he had a decent solo career and made some awesome songs like Fishnet and Oak Tree. And not to mention he can get very seductive on some slow jams like If the Kid That make you come and Gigolos Get Lonely Too. Morris doesn't just act cool, he is. And he even can pull some slapstick comedy as I watched him on 227, New Attitude, and recently Eve. Morris Day even stretched his skills of doing animated cartoon as he did a short lived show along with Jerome called Da Boom Crew in 2004 on Kids WB.
Jill Jones-Mia Bocca? This sista has an extraordinary voice. Okay at times when I listen to some of her songs from her solo albums, I have to lift my headphones off my ears a bit due to her wailing but still that doesn't take away from hearing the powerful voice and energy that she put on her songs or when she sung backup for Prince. It is a shame that her first and most anticipation album was overlook by the public due to lack of promotion from Paisley Park. Because of her complicated record contract, Jill was little seen in the 90s but yet she made a comeback a few years ago with her awesome second album called Two. My favorite songs are Station and Head Over Heels. I can't wait when and if Jill do her third album.
Lisa Coleman-Who was that 19 year old girl dancing and playing behind some keyboard wearing a purple trenchcoat in the Dirty Mind and Uptown videos? Yep you guess it Lisa. Lisa has some amazing keyboard playing skills and she often take her playing to a whole another unique level. She also have a lovely yet soft voice yet she can be modest when it comes to singing as she feels more comfortable doing background. Although I never follow Wendy and Lisa solo career, Ms Coleman is talented at her own right. Her role in film scoring industry cant be ignored. You guys remember the movie Soul Food right? Her piano contributions was all over in that movie and also when her scoring can be heard in the sad scenes of the movie, it made me cry.
Brownmark-This cat is so underrated yet so damn talented. Now can you think of another bass or guitar player who can not only play onbeat but also can able to dance at the same time other than Brownmark? I can't. Brownmark's voice wasn't so bad either and you can hear him especially on Purple Rain. What a shame that Prince didn't use his voice more but at least he gave Brownmark his props on his bass playing. Brownmark wasn't just some ole bass player. He was also a producer and done work on Marazari album. Brownmark even had his solo album but I can't give a critique since I haven't heard it yet.

Bonus-Jesse Johnson-Okay, this man can do some killer guitar solos. And also he had successful solo career. He made four great albums but my favorite are Jesse Johnson's Revue and Shockadelica. Jesse is a true musician and not just some guitar player for the TIme. His four albums illustrated his skills as a songwriter, producer, singer, and arranger. He absolutely made the right choice of choosing a solo career.

Now what is yours and why?

beautiful people, good friends
1. Denise
2. Sheila
3. Dez

songwriting and production skills
4. Jesse
5. Andre
6. Lisa Coleman
7. Wendy Melvoin
[Edited 4/17/06 23:36pm]

Wendy and Lisa
Sheila E
Susannah
The Time (original 7 not "part time")

Sheila
Rosie
JohnB
Maceo
Morris and the crew

I'm always changing my list. But I can easily be persuaded to agree with all of you. One question though. You really think BrownMark was all that? I'm just curious.

I was going to put Mayte on my list but I chose not to because
I noticed at the beginning of the Prince and Mayte era he
had deep respect for her then when time passed the more she started
to look and act like those women who act like whores in videos.
-- He should never degrade his wife on stage or in videos
like that and she should respected herself more. I know you can say
at least it was with his wife.
I don't care who he is. Respect yourself Women!!!
I really enjoyed her as a dancer but there was a lot of
emptiness surrounding them. It showed.

The Time
Sheila E.
Jesse Johnson
Wendy & Lisa
Brown Mark

The Time - They could've/would've/should've been bigger.

Vanity (6) - Sexy as all hell.

Wendy & Lisa - Just cuz.

Larry Grahamn - Jus' lookin' at him makes me laugh (don't know why).

Bat-Man - One time, when he was fighting the Swamp-Thing in an alley, a tin garbage-can cover went flying in the air & Bats did a kick that slammed into the cover & then into Swampy that was really cool.
Also, another time when, the Hulk threw a car at him, B.M. jumped thru the open car-windows in mid-flight. The dude's got skills.

brothaluv said:

Wendy & Lisa -- because they're as good as it gets
Sheila E. -- because she's Lovesexy
Apollonia 6 -- Purple Rain, i.e. nostalgia, Blue Limousine & A Million Miles
Vanity 6 -- Drive Me Wild, okay?
The Time -- u know.

Sheila E. - I someday wish to marry her!

The Time: Funk, funk, and more funk. I know Prince mainly ran things with this group but it included a combination of some of the most talented people Prince has worked with such as Jesse Johnson, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis. These guys' presence was definately needed around to pep Prince up for his own albums. Once they were gone, Prince was never the same again.

Andre Cymone: Very talented man. I love his combination of new wave and funk. He's damn near another Prince himself. Also, a great producer.

Jesse Johnson: Another very talented man who's into funk and rock. I also love that he continued the "Prince" sound and kept it alive even after Prince stopped being "Prince". His side groups were great too. Jesse was definately THE shit in the mid to late 1980s.

He also scores major points with me for switching gears and doing an all hard rock album and not doing an R&B album at a time when R&B had turned to complete bullshit.

Brown Mark: Very underrated man. His work with Mazarati and Lakeside proves that. Another one that continued the great "Prince" sound even after Prince had left it....even if he was still with Prince after he abandoned it.

Morris Day: Great front man and comedian. I wouldn't say he's the most talented of the protegees but I like his solo albums (except for the "Guaranteed" album) much more than the protegees that were still with Prince during the mid to late 1980s. Why....because Morris' sound was still "Prince" while Prince was out playing James Brown, The Beatles, or whoever he thought he was. Morris' albums helped fill the "Prince" void at the time.


In the late 1980s, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis would have been in my list but they lost major points with me in the 1990s when they sold out to the generic sound that everyone else was doing. That's why I'm kind of glad the other protegees haven't done anything for years. I'd rather see them retired than watch them lose their pride.
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[Edited 4/19/06 10:23am]

Apollonia-Omg she was like what I wanted to be as a little girl...sexy, feminine and beautiful. She's so eighties, campy and I loved her make up and clothes.

Vanity-She's bad ass and beautiful. Plus she went though alot in her life and is still alive and got her life together and cleaned up her act...I admire that alot!

Mayte-She's a great dancer and a beautiful, sweet woman.

Carmen Electra-Ok she's cheesy but she's beautiful and nice and a great dancer. Plus she was determined to reach her dreams despite her failure trying to make it big with Prince.

The time-Their music is the SHIT!