(swiped) From Rolling Stone.com



Main Points = "Arista" Rave, Nov 2

"Newfunk" Rave, Early 2000

Rolling Stone believes it will be a big deal!




Arista



(single pic: "The Artist and his producer "Prince")



Raves Un2 the Artist's Joy
The Artist to license forthcoming album to major label Arista



When the Artist drops his next album,
Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic this fall,
expect it to make some major noise. It was
announced this morning that the
notoriously independent artist has licensed
the album to Arista Records for release in
America (Arista's BMG will release the
album worldwide). The album, which is set
for release on Nov. 2, will still bear the
Artist's NPG Records logo and all masters,
naturally, will remain his own.



"I believe I had 2 get out of the recording
industry 4 a while so that I could reclaim my artistry and become
empowered by it again," the Artist said in a statement. "The
problems I had with so-called majors were regarding ownership
and long-term contracts. Both of these problems r non-existent in
my agreement with Arista. Things seem 2 work best when all
parties agree, and we do!"



After his much-publicized "freedom" from his Warner Bros.
contract in 1995, the Artist struck a one-time licensing deal with
EMI for his 1996 triple CD release, Emancipation. Last year's
Crystal Ball and New Power Soul were both released
independently on NPG. But according to the Artist's
spokesperson, Lois Najarian, the deal with Arista could possibly
extend beyond the Rave album.



"He has an agreement that he's really happy with it, and there's
no reason not to believe that they won't do another one
together," said Najarian. "Both parties would like to continue the
relationship, for sure." Regardless, she says the Artist will
continue to release albums independently through NPG. As
proof, 100,000 copies of Rave with different remixes will be
released via the Artist's 1-800-Newfunk.com early next year.



According to Najarian, the Artist is still working around the clock to
finish Rave. "Chuck D was at Paisley Park this week, and he just
finished up something with him. And he's doing some stuff with
[saxophonist] Maceo Parker." Other guests on the album include
No Doubt's Gwen Stefani, Ani DiFranco and Sheryl Crow, whom
the Artist joined on stage Sunday in Toronto for a Lilith Fair
performance of "Every Day Is a Winding Road." Rumor has it that
a version of that song with Crow may make the final cut for
Rave. A final track listing has yet to be decided on, but the first
single, "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold," has been scheduled
for late September.



Meanwhile, the revelation of the album's producer as none other
than one "Prince" suggests a decidedly purple tone. It's the first
time the Artist has alluded to his name on an album since legally
changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993.



"Where his mind is at right now is really in his very popular,
Princely days, with the multi-platinum records and everything that
comes along with being Prince," says Najarian.



RICHARD SKANSE

(August 25, 1999)