Well sort of...It's Prince being Prince (LOL).....

By Tamara Conniff

Billboard

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Prince quietly sits at a corner table during Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Doug Morris' February 8 post-Grammy Award party.
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Universal Republic president Monte Lipman joins him to talk about his March 21 release, "3121," Prince's debut for the label under a one-album pact. The album features guest appearances by new Prince protege Tamar as well as legendary saxophonist Maceo Parker.

Since Prince's self-described "slavery" tenure at Warner Bros. Records ended in 1995, he has agreed to only one-album deals and has had similar arrangements between his Web-centric NPG Music Club and EMI, Arista and Columbia. Prince has said he does not understand why all the labels cannot distribute his albums at the same time. One music executive responded, "Well, it sounds like a good idea, but think about it, we all supply the same retailers. They can only stock so many records!"

A Billboard reporter approaches Prince's table to schedule an interview. Prince smiles and says, "When the time is right, we will talk." Prince does not like to talk much. He prefers to make music and perform, and if it is very, very important, he will correspond via e-mail, which is how Billboard received this exclusive.

The likely reason for Prince's desire to write instead of talk might be so he can use his signature Prince-isms: "2" is "to," "b" is "be," "c" is "see," "eye" is "I" and "nrg" is "energy." Appreciative of a platform to speak his mind, he signs his e-mail: "Thanx 4 granting us this forum 2 holla from. Peace."

Q: Why is making one-album deals a good business model for you?

A: This was the first agreement that was designed by us without the clause/claws of the standard recording deal. The best business model is one that is free-flowing, just like the music.

Q: What do your fans not know about you?

A: There's a lot that fans don't know about me. People tend 2 project on2 U whatever they want 2 c.

Q: What are your thoughts on the music business with the advent of mobile and digital?

A: Music is a sound nrg wave that is best xperienced LIVE. Because eye play music, eye have a different perspective on how it should b delivered. That said, eye (am) not so sure a musician would have come up with the idea 2 sell music in the digital realm.

Q: Do you see yourself as an innovator?

A: Innovator? It's not a word eye use, but we do try 2 introduce new ideas or methods 2 business that more resemble the common-sense principles taught in the Bible.

Q: What inspires you?

A: 2 c someone breaking free from the limitations of the world.

Q: Who are you listening to right now?

A: Musically, eye am listening 2 Tamar right now. She is a brilliant writer and a kind soul. Her 1st album is coming out in May of this year.

Reuters/Billboard
[Edited 3/17/06 20:55pm]

That aint no interview. Thats a bunch of mumbo jumbo...I mean "kurap"

DiamondGirl said:

LOL....

he's officially lost his fuckin mind
i aint even gunna comment on each of his answers
i think i've embarrassed the guy enough

enjoy ur twilite years Prince

sacredwarrior said:

Dude lost his mind back in 1985...It ain't that serious...(LOL)

murph said:

yeah i guess i was naively hoping it wouldnt get any werse

1) e-mailing interviews, eh? gotta wonder what his wpm count is, then...
2) he said "holla".

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I laughed at that, too. Next he'll be saying "hella".

This interview was rather cringeworthy.

He'd probably up his wpm if he'd spell "I", instead of taking the extra two strokes it takes to type "eye". But then, I suppose it all evens out in the end,
when he uses '2' and 'b' instead of typing "two/to/too" or "be".
[Edited 3/17/06 22:34pm]

'The likely reason for Prince's desire to write instead of talk might be so he can use his signature Prince-isms: "2" is "to," "b" is "be," "c" is "see," "eye" is "I" and "nrg" is "energy."

what is Tamara Conniff talkin about? aint she never heard of mobile txtin?

Dude needs to push his album and not Tamar's!! I swear he seems more concerned bout his latest "it" girl than he is about himself.
[Edited 3/18/06 1:04am]

What's he saying about the music? No need to sell it because it will draw people to buy tickets for the live experience which is Prince's preferred form of "energetic" delivery?

tamar n genes=IS had twins 2
fate or coincidence

If "eye" is "I",
What is "eye"?

"Eye c with my I?"
Would that be correct Princetext?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Dammit Claps, you made me read it just to find that

At least P didn't 'correct' the interviewer and say something like:

Eye do not use fan 4 it means fanatic. My brothers and sisters r family which is why they refer 2 themselves as fams.

sacredwarrior said:

You embarassed Prince? You ain't embarassing nobody but your damn self.

lazycrockett said:

i could b guilty for my honesty
alrite

Romera said:

right?!!

i get the feeling tamar is gonna be pretty ropey. Lets hope iam wrong.

thesexofit said:

she's good but not great
depends on ur standards

sacredwarrior said:

Is Prince trying to cash in on a beyonce/kiesha cole type of thing.

Romera said:

I don't get his logic for being against digitally distributed music. Music is best experienced live is his reasoning. Well wouldn't that mean that CD's and Tapes pose the same limitations as digitally delivered music? He certaintly isn't against studio recordings v. live recordings. Maybe he's talkin about music being delivered as one song rather than a whole; or maybe he's got 3 things he wants to preach (Tamar, the Bible, and Musicianship) and will work them into any answer - regardless of bad they fit.

Romera said:

I don't see what's so wrong with this interview. Other than it's just too short and without much substance. And, Prince always says that whoever he's currently working with is the best. He's been asked who his favorite this and that are and he's always responded with the names of his current band members. I think it's pretty cool.

I must admit, I've been waiting to hear something from Prince himself on 3121. This wasn't enough. They didn't even ask anything about it!

murph said:

Prince loony? NAW.....


All part of charm, I guess. Though it would be nice if he'd give a straight answer at least once in a while.

JugHead said:

yeah other then that it's quite stellar!

anon said:

No. It would be " c with my eye "

the more interviews he gives, the more "eye" realize why he stays so quiet. at least the interviews back in the day were fun. these "interviews" are so much less than lame.

He did a similar email interview in 2004.

Pretty standard Prince interview too me. Nothing surprising about it.
[Edited 3/18/06 23:26pm]
[Edited 3/19/06 16:25pm]

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[Edited 3/18/06 23:27pm]