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Thread started 07/12/04 8:00am

namepeace

Africana.com Story: Prince's Bad Press

Interesting observations on the media perspectives of The Kid.

http://www.africana.com/c...prince.asp
Good night, sweet Prince | 7 June 1958 - 21 April 2016

Props will be withheld until the showing and proving has commenced. -- Aaron McGruder
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Reply #1 posted 07/12/04 8:05am

Handclapsfinga
snapz

Reading Between the Lines: Prince's Bad Press

A recent Prince concert led me to wonder why the press has always gotten him so wrong — and could that be why he never talks with them?

By Amy Alexander


Living in the Twin Cities, you get used to certain truths: Winters will be frighteningly cold. Local folk will be "nice" in an oddly passive-aggressive sort of way. And the popular music scene is periodically enlivened by Minneapolis's favorite son, Prince. In mid-June, I caught his hometown engagement in the Twin Cities. Supporting his latest album, Musicology, the concert I attended was the second of a three night, sold-out engagement at the Excel Arena in downtown St. Paul.
The newfound pseudo-Puritanism comes across as somewhat hypocritical, given that Prince once turned up at an awards show wearing brightly colored bell bottoms that showed the full half-moons of his butt-cheeks.
The tour, Prince's first large-scale outing in several years, is raking in the dough nationwide. In a summer concert season that generally looks pretty thin — the Lollapalooza Tour was cancelled last month — the Musicology tour is averaging more than $90,000 per show, according to a concert industry trade magazine. With the energy level in the 25,000 seat arena at a fever pitch, it was easy to overlook the incongruity of the scene: America's foremost funk-meister, heir to the throne of James Brown, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham, causing sheer pandemonium in a concert crowd that had to be among the whitest in America. But for the past 20 years, it has also been a Twin Cities pop music truism that raw talent and polished professionalism always wins the day, at least where Prince and a handful of other local musicians are concerned. In short (and since this isn't a concert review), a grand time was had by all, not the least of which by Prince himself. He has always been a shockingly expert musician and a big drama queen, but this current tour takes the cake.

At an age (45 years old, officially) when most of us fall asleep by eleven o'clock on weeknights, Prince pushes his wiry body to the outer limits of performing and back again. Aided by an air-tight band and a few well-placed costume breaks, his two-hour-plus show literally had concertgoers gasping for breath and slumped in their seats by the final curtain. An elegant, "unplugged" acoustic set placed in the middle of the concert — with Prince perched on a stool center-stage quietly strumming some of his biggest hits — only served to lull us into a false sense of restfulness. "Who knew," my companion asked later, "that 'Little Red Corvette' would turn out to be such a quiet little sing-along number?'" Unlike the days of yore, there was no humping of Marshall speakers, no grinding of hips against guitars, no lurid retellings of the adventures of Darling Nikki and her magical magazine. Still, the three-night stand in St. Paul will go down in concert history, if for no other reason than it marked the full-fledged vindication of a legendarily misunderstood pop musical genius.

So I was sad not to be able to read about how Prince himself felt about the concert. In years past, as a big fan of both Prince and pop music criticism, I would have happily gone through back issues of the local paper of whatever town I was living in to scare up juicy details in the Artist's own words. Alas, though, the local newspapers in Minneapolis and St. Paul were shut out of the publicity blitz surrounding this tour. I can't be sure of when, exactly, Prince decided to stop giving interviews to the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. But, I had to look elsewhere in the days after the knock-out show to get more insight on the performer's current state of mind. This time, I turned not to the daily papers in my current town, but to Rolling Stone, and surprisingly, to Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine, a monthly glossy based in the Twin Cities that usually concerns itself with stories about interior decorating, the latest in outdoorsy fashions, and restaurant reviews.

A dinosaur monthly periodical, Rolling Stone has slipped in recent years, thanks to the burgeoning maturity of hip hop-oriented music magazines like Vibe and The Source. Still, in the May 27 issue, Anthony DeCurtis published a cover story that had what I was looking for — a detailed look at Prince. Most interesting in the mid-sized story Prince's comments about our current pop culture: "This culture is in big trouble today," Prince told DeCurtis. "All you see on television are debased images. Whether you believe it or not, black people do not want to see pictures of people wearing bullet-proof vests. You saw the Super Bowl. I don't even need to say anything more about it. And who produced that? That should tell you something right there," Prince concluded, referring, obliquely, to MTV. As we learned during his acceptance speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony earlier this year — in which he said, "too much freedom can lead to the soul's decay" — Prince seems to have found peace, or at least to have come to terms with his formerly wild ways. (He no longer sings the curse words that were part of the lyrics of some his biggest hits, and doesn't perform some especially raunchy numbers any more.)

Nevertheless, the newfound pseudo-Puritanism comes across as somewhat hypocritical, especially considering the fact that Prince once turned up at a nationally-televised music awards show wearing brightly colored bell bottoms that showed the full half-moons of his butt-cheeks. DeCurtis dutifully (if gently) notes the contradiction, but mostly chalks it up to a natural part of a thinking man's maturing process. And when Prince goes off later in the piece on a mini-rant about how record labels used to regularly bilk black artists, you know for sure that he's still got the fire in his belly. "Maybe at one time they could get Little Richard for a new car and a bucket of chicken," he told DeCurtis, presumably with a straight face. "But we don't roll like that anymore."

Then there's the interview in the July issue of Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine. In it, we see again the combination of sharp wit and oddball sensibility that has long been as much a part of Prince's mystique as his expert musicianship. The short Q&A was conducted via email, and Prince took the opportunity to vent about the dearth of innovative music coming out of the Twin Cities: "Nothing is happening here at the moment because radio and television r not local anymore," he wrote, in his preferred combination of numbers and letters. "Playlists come from programmers who work 4 Clear Channel or one of the other national companies. We haven't had a top-ten record in Minneapolis in ten years because we have chosen the independent route instead of being owned by a 'major.' Give radio and television back 2 the people and let them decide what is popular instead of breast-feeding them and u will have a music scene again. Ah....feel so much better now," he concluded.

I did, too, after reading more from and about this singularly important black musician. I just find it disappointing that I couldn't get the goods from my local newspapers.
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Reply #2 posted 07/12/04 8:09am

Handclapsfinga
snapz

funny, really...this bit is repeated twice:

The newfound pseudo-Puritanism comes across as somewhat hypocritical, given that Prince once turned up at an awards show wearing brightly colored bell bottoms that showed the full half-moons of his butt-cheeks.


someone should pay more attention to what's goin down, and less attention to a brotha's backside. other n'that, okay article.
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Reply #3 posted 07/12/04 8:32am

deMatthijs

avatar

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

funny, really...this bit is repeated twice:

The newfound pseudo-Puritanism comes across as somewhat hypocritical, given that Prince once turned up at an awards show wearing brightly colored bell bottoms that showed the full half-moons of his butt-cheeks.


someone should pay more attention to what's goin down, and less attention to a brotha's backside. other n'that, okay article.


She probably liked that witty remark so much that she tried to place it in the best position, to enhance its impact.
Unluckily, she left two instances... and what about proofreading?
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Reply #4 posted 07/12/04 8:50am

acole

The article says that the tour is making about "$90,000" per show...I think someone forgot an extra zero. It's more like $900,000 per show.
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Reply #5 posted 07/12/04 8:54am

MsMisha319

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Pretty good article. Loved the statement about breastfeeding the people lol

Smooches;)
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Reply #6 posted 07/12/04 10:32am

Kissmequick

avatar

"Maybe at one time they could get Little Richard for a new car and a bucket of chicken," he told DeCurtis, presumably with a straight face. "But we don't roll like that anymore."

That is just way too funny to me lol !
pray God bless everyone. NO exceptions. pray
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Reply #7 posted 07/12/04 11:35am

muleFunk

avatar

If Bush and Company get reelected you may see less and less of Prince because of his message.The political powers in this country cannot have someone as outspoken as Prince is drawing tens of thousands of people every night.

Prince may be the most dangerous Black man in this country.
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Reply #8 posted 07/12/04 11:38am

Handclapsfinga
snapz

muleFunk said:

If Bush and Company get reelected you may see less and less of Prince because of his message.The political powers in this country cannot have someone as outspoken as Prince is drawing tens of thousands of people every night.

Prince may be the most dangerous Black man in this country.

c'mon now....p ain't exactly the next huey newton.
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Reply #9 posted 07/12/04 12:06pm

XxAxX

avatar

prince IS a contradictory, sometimes hypocritical trip.

claims to be a righteous christian, but won't even apologize to the kid whose camera was illegally taken by his bodyguard at the airport. claims to be generous and suppofrtive of the black community but charges the highest fee ever for his appearance at the essence music festival.

things like this make me take anything prince says very, very cautiously these days.

and, when i hear him preach on about how tawdry the music industry is, when i hear him berate other musicians because they somehow don't live up to his standards involving 'real musicans and real music', why i just end up thinking less and less of the man .. .. .
[This message was edited Mon Jul 12 12:07:33 2004 by XxAxX]
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Reply #10 posted 07/12/04 12:20pm

Anxiety

muleFunk said:


Prince may be the most dangerous Black man in this country.


i think that title goes to rick james, actually. unless prince has started kidnapping people and burning 'em with crack pipes. eek
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Reply #11 posted 07/12/04 12:22pm

Handclapsfinga
snapz

Anxiety said:

muleFunk said:


Prince may be the most dangerous Black man in this country.


i think that title goes to rick james, actually. unless prince has started kidnapping people and burning 'em with crack pipes. eek

i'm prince nelson, heathen!!! :sizzle:
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Reply #12 posted 07/12/04 1:46pm

ELBOOGY

Prince is definitely the most important musician at this moment bcuz of the trends he's setting independintley! The article was very good at pointing out the flawed perceptions of P. There is no other artist at this time that the mainstream is more scared of than P!
U,ME,WE!....2FUNKY!
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Reply #13 posted 07/12/04 3:02pm

Reece

So...based on this one incident (which for all you know may not be entirely true) you're going to call the man a hipocrit? It sounds to me like you're the hipocrit. If all it takes is a new paper story (all you know about this ordeal is what you read) for you to make a make a whinny assed, weak assed coment like this...you never were a fan in the first place.

It's people like you who are the reason that the world is so fu...nevermind cool


informationXxAxX said:

prince IS a contradictory, sometimes hypocritical trip.

claims to be a righteous christian, but won't even apologize to the kid whose camera was illegally taken by his bodyguard at the airport. claims to be generous and suppofrtive of the black community but charges the highest fee ever for his appearance at the essence music festival.

things like this make me take anything prince says very, very cautiously these days.

and, when i hear him preach on about how tawdry the music industry is, when i hear him berate other musicians because they somehow don't live up to his standards involving 'real musicans and real music', why i just end up thinking less and less of the man .. .. .
[This message was edited Mon Jul 12 12:07:33 2004 by XxAxX]
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Reply #14 posted 07/12/04 3:27pm

muleFunk

avatar

Hand's baby,

COINTELPRO works in mysterious ways just ask Tupac & Biggie's moms or the family of Bob Marley.

Shit sounds crazy but it's for real.P needs to watch his back.

I am VERY SERIOUS about this !
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Reply #15 posted 07/12/04 3:59pm

XxAxX

avatar

actually i think the facts speak for themselves.

only a 'fam' could overlook them.


Reece said:

So...based on this one incident (which for all you know may not be entirely true) you're going to call the man a hipocrit? It sounds to me like you're the hipocrit. If all it takes is a new paper story (all you know about this ordeal is what you read) for you to make a make a whinny assed, weak assed coment like this...you never were a fan in the first place.

It's people like you who are the reason that the world is so fu...nevermind cool


informationXxAxX said:

prince IS a contradictory, sometimes hypocritical trip.

claims to be a righteous christian, but won't even apologize to the kid whose camera was illegally taken by his bodyguard at the airport. claims to be generous and suppofrtive of the black community but charges the highest fee ever for his appearance at the essence music festival.

things like this make me take anything prince says very, very cautiously these days.

and, when i hear him preach on about how tawdry the music industry is, when i hear him berate other musicians because they somehow don't live up to his standards involving 'real musicans and real music', why i just end up thinking less and less of the man .. .. .
[This message was edited Mon Jul 12 12:07:33 2004 by XxAxX]
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Reply #16 posted 07/12/04 4:16pm

Handclapsfinga
snapz

muleFunk said:

Hand's baby,

COINTELPRO works in mysterious ways just ask Tupac & Biggie's moms or the family of Bob Marley.

Shit sounds crazy but it's for real.P needs to watch his back.

I am VERY SERIOUS about this !

when i see 'im start up a weather underground-styled movement on his website, that is when i'll take you seriously. neutral
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Reply #17 posted 07/12/04 4:21pm

strawberrydrea
ms

avatar

XxAxX said:

prince IS a contradictory, sometimes hypocritical trip.

claims to be a righteous christian, but won't even apologize to the kid whose camera was illegally taken by his bodyguard at the airport. claims to be generous and suppofrtive of the black community but charges the highest fee ever for his appearance at the essence music festival.

things like this make me take anything prince says very, very cautiously these days.

and, when i hear him preach on about how tawdry the music industry is, when i hear him berate other musicians because they somehow don't live up to his standards involving 'real musicans and real music', why i just end up thinking less and less of the man .. .. .
[This message was edited Mon Jul 12 12:07:33 2004 by XxAxX]


nod I totally agree with you.
"Love God"
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Reply #18 posted 07/12/04 4:48pm

XxAxX

avatar

strawberrydreams said:

XxAxX said:

prince IS a contradictory, sometimes hypocritical trip.

claims to be a righteous christian, but won't even apologize to the kid whose camera was illegally taken by his bodyguard at the airport. claims to be generous and suppofrtive of the black community but charges the highest fee ever for his appearance at the essence music festival.

things like this make me take anything prince says very, very cautiously these days.

and, when i hear him preach on about how tawdry the music industry is, when i hear him berate other musicians because they somehow don't live up to his standards involving 'real musicans and real music', why i just end up thinking less and less of the man .. .. .
[This message was edited Mon Jul 12 12:07:33 2004 by XxAxX]


nod I totally agree with you.


actually, you know, i re-read the post and acknowledge it IS a tad harsh as posts go, from a fan. and i'm sorry i feel this way. it's ironic that i'm becoming less of a fan even now; as prince waxes, i wane. ?! dunno why?

maybe because he bugs me sometimes. like, when he played at the mill city festival (local, minneapolis party over labor day weekend) some (four?) years or so ago they retained prince but he charged waaay more money than they could afford, demanded payment up front, and basically bankrupted the endeavor. other musicians who performed at the festival didn't even get paid, i later heard. so flash forward to the year 2004 when reformed prince is having a multi-million dollar run but he still charges the highest fee ever at the essence show complete with special terms and conditions?? i mean what's up with that?

and why is he so petty that he'd go to court with some fan who got in his face a bit. as someone joked in here a while back 'prince thinks it's ok to go knocking on doors, preaching his version of the word, but calls it intrusion on privacy when a fans tries to take his pic in a public place? huh? sscuse me but HEllo. NO expectation of privacy in a public place, TOTAL expectation of privacy in your home. .. .. ???/ where's he coming from? i truly don't understand. and, i'm wondering if he's actually changed or if i just never took note of his actions before.

and, his words regarding 'real music' don't feel true to me, coming from someone who enjoys being his own one man band. i agree the music industry is as corrupt as any other, and lip-synching sux, but shucks there's plenty of folks like beyonce who can only sing. .. why'd he feel the need to point out that he 'sat her down at the piano and taught her some scales'?? in that article?
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Reply #19 posted 07/12/04 5:11pm

muleFunk

avatar

lol

Seriously

Just watch .
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Reply #20 posted 07/12/04 8:39pm

pluvv2002

XxAxX said:

strawberrydreams said:



nod I totally agree with you.


actually, you know, i re-read the post and acknowledge it IS a tad harsh as posts go, from a fan. and i'm sorry i feel this way. it's ironic that i'm becoming less of a fan even now; as prince waxes, i wane. ?! dunno why?

maybe because he bugs me sometimes. like, when he played at the mill city festival (local, minneapolis party over labor day weekend) some (four?) years or so ago they retained prince but he charged waaay more money than they could afford, demanded payment up front, and basically bankrupted the endeavor. other musicians who performed at the festival didn't even get paid, i later heard. so flash forward to the year 2004 when reformed prince is having a multi-million dollar run but he still charges the highest fee ever at the essence show complete with special terms and conditions?? i mean what's up with that?

and why is he so petty that he'd go to court with some fan who got in his face a bit. as someone joked in here a while back 'prince thinks it's ok to go knocking on doors, preaching his version of the word, but calls it intrusion on privacy when a fans tries to take his pic in a public place? huh? sscuse me but HEllo. NO expectation of privacy in a public place, TOTAL expectation of privacy in your home. .. .. ???/ where's he coming from? i truly don't understand. and, i'm wondering if he's actually changed or if i just never took note of his actions before.

and, his words regarding 'real music' don't feel true to me, coming from someone who enjoys being his own one man band. i agree the music industry is as corrupt as any other, and lip-synching sux, but shucks there's plenty of folks like beyonce who can only sing. .. why'd he feel the need to point out that he 'sat her down at the piano and taught her some scales'?? in that article?






If you dont like the guy anymore, dont listen to him no mo!!! Prince saying some hypocritical statements is childs play compared to what some artists do. MJ on trial every other year, any rapper that comes out these days is an ex-con or drug dealer, and most of the popular music these days is a bunch of junk. Im talkin about the crap they play on the radio, dont get me wrong i love rock music and some hip hop/r&b, but most of the new stuff is junk. I personally could give a crap what prince does or says, i love his music, and i dont think its right what hes doing to the kid with the camera, but at least he didnt put a gun in his face!! lol
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Reply #21 posted 07/13/04 1:06am

Heiress

XxAxX said:

and why is he so petty that he'd go to court with some fan who got in his face a bit. as someone joked in here a while back 'prince thinks it's ok to go knocking on doors, preaching his version of the word, but calls it intrusion on privacy when a fans tries to take his pic in a public place? huh? sscuse me but HEllo. NO expectation of privacy in a public place, TOTAL expectation of privacy in your home. .. .. ???/ where's he coming from? i truly don't understand. and, i'm wondering if he's actually changed or if i just never took note of his actions before.

and, his words regarding 'real music' don't feel true to me, coming from someone who enjoys being his own one man band. i agree the music industry is as corrupt as any other, and lip-synching sux, but shucks there's plenty of folks like beyonce who can only sing. .. why'd he feel the need to point out that he 'sat her down at the piano and taught her some scales'?? in that article?


you are really down on the door-to-door preaching work. which i somehow doubt that prince actually engages in.

i swear, every post of yours in every forum i've seen for the past month or so has to say something about how much you hate it!

just thank, well, yourself that you are so very spiritually enlightened. you've obviously got one up on prince, anyway. confused

anyway, if buddha has taught you the way to "engripenment"... nah, that's not what i've been seeing in the buddhist verses i've read lately!
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Reply #22 posted 07/13/04 3:28am

Serious

avatar

XxAxX said:

strawberrydreams said:



nod I totally agree with you.


actually, you know, i re-read the post and acknowledge it IS a tad harsh as posts go, from a fan. and i'm sorry i feel this way. it's ironic that i'm becoming less of a fan even now; as prince waxes, i wane. ?! dunno why?

maybe because he bugs me sometimes. like, when he played at the mill city festival (local, minneapolis party over labor day weekend) some (four?) years or so ago they retained prince but he charged waaay more money than they could afford, demanded payment up front, and basically bankrupted the endeavor. other musicians who performed at the festival didn't even get paid, i later heard. so flash forward to the year 2004 when reformed prince is having a multi-million dollar run but he still charges the highest fee ever at the essence show complete with special terms and conditions?? i mean what's up with that?

and why is he so petty that he'd go to court with some fan who got in his face a bit. as someone joked in here a while back 'prince thinks it's ok to go knocking on doors, preaching his version of the word, but calls it intrusion on privacy when a fans tries to take his pic in a public place? huh? sscuse me but HEllo. NO expectation of privacy in a public place, TOTAL expectation of privacy in your home. .. .. ???/ where's he coming from? i truly don't understand. and, i'm wondering if he's actually changed or if i just never took note of his actions before.

and, his words regarding 'real music' don't feel true to me, coming from someone who enjoys being his own one man band. i agree the music industry is as corrupt as any other, and lip-synching sux, but shucks there's plenty of folks like beyonce who can only sing. .. why'd he feel the need to point out that he 'sat her down at the piano and taught her some scales'?? in that article?


So true sigh sigh
With a very special thank you to Tina: Is hammer already absolute, how much some people verändern...ICH hope is never so I will be! And if, then I hope that I would then have wen in my environment who joins me in the A....
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Reply #23 posted 07/13/04 4:45am

XxAxX

avatar

Heiress said:[quote]

XxAxX said:

and why is he so petty that he'd go to court with some fan who got in his face a bit. as someone joked in here a while back 'prince thinks it's ok to go knocking on doors, preaching his version of the word, but calls it intrusion on privacy when a fans tries to take his pic in a public place? huh? sscuse me but HEllo. NO expectation of privacy in a public place, TOTAL expectation of privacy in your home. .. .. ???/ where's he coming from? i truly don't understand. and, i'm wondering if he's actually changed or if i just never took note of his actions before.

and, his words regarding 'real music' don't feel true to me, coming from someone who enjoys being his own one man band. i agree the music industry is as corrupt as any other, and lip-synching sux, but shucks there's plenty of folks like beyonce who can only sing. .. why'd he feel the need to point out that he 'sat her down at the piano and taught her some scales'?? in that article?


you are really down on the door-to-door preaching work. which i somehow doubt that prince actually engages in.

i swear, every post of yours in every forum i've seen for the past month or so has to say something about how much you hate it!

just thank, well, yourself that you are so very spiritually enlightened. you've obviously got one up on prince, anyway. confused

anyway, if buddha has taught you the way to "engripenment"... nah, that's not what i've been seeing in the buddhist verses i've read lately![/
quote]


EVERY post of mine? lol and you've decided i'm buddhist? and that i'm 'griping' by actually stating facts and my reactions to them? thanks christian lady! your reaction speaks well of your faith, personality and character nod
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Reply #24 posted 07/13/04 7:29am

soul41

XxAxX said:

strawberrydreams said:



nod I totally agree with you.


actually, you know, i re-read the post and acknowledge it IS a tad harsh as posts go, from a fan. and i'm sorry i feel this way. it's ironic that i'm becoming less of a fan even now; as prince waxes, i wane. ?! dunno why?

maybe because he bugs me sometimes. like, when he played at the mill city festival (local, minneapolis party over labor day weekend) some (four?) years or so ago they retained prince but he charged waaay more money than they could afford, demanded payment up front, and basically bankrupted the endeavor. other musicians who performed at the festival didn't even get paid, i later heard. so flash forward to the year 2004 when reformed prince is having a multi-million dollar run but he still charges the highest fee ever at the essence show complete with special terms and conditions?? i mean what's up with that?

and why is he so petty that he'd go to court with some fan who got in his face a bit. as someone joked in here a while back 'prince thinks it's ok to go knocking on doors, preaching his version of the word, but calls it intrusion on privacy when a fans tries to take his pic in a public place? huh? sscuse me but HEllo. NO expectation of privacy in a public place, TOTAL expectation of privacy in your home. .. .. ???/ where's he coming from? i truly don't understand. and, i'm wondering if he's actually changed or if i just never took note of his actions before.

and, his words regarding 'real music' don't feel true to me, coming from someone who enjoys being his own one man band. i agree the music industry is as corrupt as any other, and lip-synching sux, but shucks there's plenty of folks like beyonce who can only sing. .. why'd he feel the need to point out that he 'sat her down at the piano and taught her some scales'?? in that article?



*****
I just read the above statement about how he charges the highest fees for the essence festival and how he did not apologize to the young student whose camera was taken and how he wants privacy in a public place. To the idiot that wrote this statement. (YES I SAID IDIOT) know the facts b4 u WRITE or SPEAK. The essence festival was a expensive event to begin with I know,a friend of mine complained about the price of the whole event from beginging to end. Besides how do u know the other artist were not asking for the same. (YOU DON'T) As far as the knocking door to door preaching. He would have violated that family's privacy if the woman said "No you cannot come in." and he came in anyway. THe lady INVITED HIM IN and once he was INVITED IN that is no longer considered a right to privacy.
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Reply #25 posted 07/13/04 7:51am

Heidi

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I just read the above statement about how he charges the highest fees for the essence festival and how he did not apologize to the young student whose camera was taken and how he wants privacy in a public place. To the idiot that wrote this statement. (YES I SAID IDIOT) know the facts b4 u WRITE or SPEAK. The essence festival was a expensive event to begin with I know,a friend of mine complained about the price of the whole event from beginging to end. Besides how do u know the other artist were not asking for the same. (YOU DON'T) As far as the knocking door to door preaching. He would have violated that family's privacy if the woman said "No you cannot come in." and he came in anyway. THe lady INVITED HIM IN and once he was INVITED IN that is no longer considered a right to privacy.


Oh come on, Prince has always used a double standard for everything. Just look at his music: he complains about other artists selling out but there are plenty of people on this forum who would agree that Prince has totally sold out with Musicology. (Just think of how he gets the sales-numbers of Musicology so high). Or the whole JW thing, when he was preaching about how sacred marriage is and how important it is to stay a virgin until you marry, and at the same time he was married to Mayte and messing around with Mani. and so on and so on wall

...
I love the guy his music, but I agree totally with Xxaxx
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Reply #26 posted 07/13/04 9:54am

jamiestarrsgir
l

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

muleFunk said:

If Bush and Company get reelected you may see less and less of Prince because of his message.The political powers in this country cannot have someone as outspoken as Prince is drawing tens of thousands of people every night.

Prince may be the most dangerous Black man in this country.

c'mon now....p ain't exactly the next huey newton.



MuleFunk is right about the oppressive censoring right wing bull of BUSH and company in the US. Anyone with an opinion that differs from what "GOD" told him is censored,quieted, and even destroyed and prevented from making a living in the US. and many musicians and entertainers are on the front lines.

However, Handclapsfingasnapz is also on point here. Whatever Prince has to say about such matters doesn't make him "dangerous", and I can think of a few other black enertainers who are more "dangerous" to Bush's "status-quo than Prince.

Also, It is admirable of Prince that he struggled all through the '90's for his "Emancipation" and release from this crooked system anyway. But to keep it real, Prince at times (like now with the Musicology" tour and album release), must rely on the system to get his records and tours promoted and sold out.

All in all a good article, I just had to comment. Peace!!!
*White, Black, Puerto Rican..Everybody just a-freakin'...-Prince(1980)*
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Reply #27 posted 07/13/04 11:02am

mltijchr

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XxAxX :

MAJOR props to you for your well thought-out, on-point commentary in this thread.
I am in TOTAL AGREEMENT with everything you have said here, & I commend you for having the "courage" to say it. you have mentioned inconsistencies in his actions & ironies in his behavior ; simply mentioning them does not make you a "hater" nor does it mean you should stop listening to his music, as someone incredulously proposed..
further, I give you respect for having "critical objectivity" - something a lot of people on the .org greatly lack.


a BIG part of what's wrong with prince - aka "little purple man" (my latest "pet name" for him) - is that he has been able to surround himself with fawning yes-men & people who think he can do no wrong.

this "I can do no wrong" attitude of course often manifests itself in the interviews he does. the way he doesn't allow certain questions to be asked. this is ultimately, I suppose, his prerogative, but you know that a reporter usually wants to ask or know certain things, things that come under the heading of "tough questions" or "touchy subjects" or "delicate issues". also, look at how the interviewer cannot record the interview, etc. ; then, he has a lot of attitude in the way he answers certain questions, e.g. the "sitting Beyoncé down at the piano" comment.

he wants to make the interview process - on those off occasions he has to "put himself through that - to be like the rest of his life - something over which he has full control & influence. as such, he has a lot of "control" over how he comes across in the interviews. so, if someone thinks prince has "bad press".. where can we suppose is the main contributing factor - if not "the source" - for this "bad press" ???


littlepurpleman must also believe in the hype (or the power?) of his own words. why else would he say some of the things he says?
(the "I pushed the envelope off the table" comment, for example)
it's easy to get the impression that he simply says a lot of things - at least, in the context of an "interview" - just for the effect &/or "shock value (relatively speaking.) throughout his career, prince has been criticized for showing a "lack of depth" in terms of examining or revealing himself through his music. if this is true -
& yes, I believe it to be -
then during the course of an interview, it's much more likely that prince will say something stupid than reveal some small "truth" about himself, his music or his world.
(oh yes, that's right - prince likes "mystery" sometimes..)


the reality is, for someone like prince there is no such thing as "bad press" ;
only opportunities for him to manipulate the journalist in question, while propagating whatever 'ideology du jour' or 'princespeak' he feels like imparting on the world.


those of you who believe prince can do no wrong - more power to you ; enjoy it while it lasts. at some point he will say or do something to disappoint you, but don't fret that too much. you'll get over it.

I did.
I'll see you tonight..
in ALL MY DREAMS..
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Reply #28 posted 07/13/04 11:54am

XxAxX

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soul41 said:

XxAxX said:



actually, you know, i re-read the post and acknowledge it IS a tad harsh as posts go, from a fan. and i'm sorry i feel this way. it's ironic that i'm becoming less of a fan even now; as prince waxes, i wane. ?! dunno why?

maybe because he bugs me sometimes. like, when he played at the mill city festival (local, minneapolis party over labor day weekend) some (four?) years or so ago they retained prince but he charged waaay more money than they could afford, demanded payment up front, and basically bankrupted the endeavor. other musicians who performed at the festival didn't even get paid, i later heard. so flash forward to the year 2004 when reformed prince is having a multi-million dollar run but he still charges the highest fee ever at the essence show complete with special terms and conditions?? i mean what's up with that?

and why is he so petty that he'd go to court with some fan who got in his face a bit. as someone joked in here a while back 'prince thinks it's ok to go knocking on doors, preaching his version of the word, but calls it intrusion on privacy when a fans tries to take his pic in a public place? huh? sscuse me but HEllo. NO expectation of privacy in a public place, TOTAL expectation of privacy in your home. .. .. ???/ where's he coming from? i truly don't understand. and, i'm wondering if he's actually changed or if i just never took note of his actions before.

and, his words regarding 'real music' don't feel true to me, coming from someone who enjoys being his own one man band. i agree the music industry is as corrupt as any other, and lip-synching sux, but shucks there's plenty of folks like beyonce who can only sing. .. why'd he feel the need to point out that he 'sat her down at the piano and taught her some scales'?? in that article?



*****
I just read the above statement about how he charges the highest fees for the essence festival and how he did not apologize to the young student whose camera was taken and how he wants privacy in a public place. To the idiot that wrote this statement. (YES I SAID IDIOT) know the facts b4 u WRITE or SPEAK. The essence festival was a expensive event to begin with I know,a friend of mine complained about the price of the whole event from beginging to end. Besides how do u know the other artist were not asking for the same. (YOU DON'T) As far as the knocking door to door preaching. He would have violated that family's privacy if the woman said "No you cannot come in." and he came in anyway. THe lady INVITED HIM IN and once he was INVITED IN that is no longer considered a right to privacy.



i think you're the one who needs to check the facts before speaking.
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Reply #29 posted 07/13/04 12:07pm

muleFunk

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jamiestarrsgirl said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:


c'mon now....p ain't exactly the next huey newton.



MuleFunk is right about the oppressive censoring right wing bull of BUSH and company in the US. Anyone with an opinion that differs from what "GOD" told him is censored,quieted, and even destroyed and prevented from making a living in the US. and many musicians and entertainers are on the front lines.

However, Handclapsfingasnapz is also on point here. Whatever Prince has to say about such matters doesn't make him "dangerous", and I can think of a few other black enertainers who are more "dangerous" to Bush's "status-quo than Prince.

Also, It is admirable of Prince that he struggled all through the '90's for his "Emancipation" and release from this crooked system anyway. But to keep it real, Prince at times (like now with the Musicology" tour and album release), must rely on the system to get his records and tours promoted and sold out.

All in all a good article, I just had to comment. Peace!!!



Thanks!

I wanted to clarify a couple of my statements regarding Prince becoming "dangerous".

"So began the MASS ILLUSION
War on Terror alibi....."

DAMN ! Then .....

"Don't cry ,don't shed no tears
One lie won't make us fear."

This is what I am talking about.

Prince is the biggest star to make a statement like that since the Dixie Chicks and the media backlash from that was very intense.

The establishment in control right now would shit if that song was played on the radio or MTV.
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