Like 1999, 3121 is clearly, and ironically maybe sadly, talking about the future. But where 1999 talks about the party before The End (the toddlers won't remember it, but the world was a pretty sad place when we really feared the first trigger happy lunatic cowboy in the white house threatened using the US's WMDs); 3121 is about the party after The End. It's safely placed so far into the 3rd millenium that surely, almost scientifically, the earth's drinkable water, fossil fuels, ozone, etc. will have expired. But Prince doen't resort to menacing fire and brimstone durges; he's looking at the bright side.

What next? Heaven (for the purple people). The real party.
"Through the gates [of heaven ... or hell, for the others]. You can come if you want to, but y'all can't never leave. (Not ever.)".

And why are folks getting their shorts all tied in knots now over the Prince's post JW coversion remarks on spiritual/religous themes. Purple Rain opened with a sick/slick church organ and P speaking directly from the pulput like he has since never done with more gusto:

"We are gathered here today
2 get through this thing called life
Electric word life
It means forever and that's a mighty long time
But I'm here 2 tell u
There's something else
The afterworld ...."

First.