Hey everybody,

On VH1, they started airing a four part series (Black To The Future) highlighting significant African-American people and events from various decades. Part 2 was about the 80s. Micheal Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, and New Edition were the featured entertainers. Why was Prince not mentioned? I don't know how one can discuss 80s music without mentioning Prince! Does VH1 have a bias towards Prince? Has anyone seen this show?

I saw it.
people magazine right now has some sort of 80's collector's edition with a bunch of musicians, celebs, etc. prince is not in it.

i don;t think his ommission is intentional on VH-1's part - just dumb. The Prince of Paisley Park was just on this weekend.

Well that's one less special to watch.

Maybe he wouldn't let them use his name and songs, you know how fussy he is lately. Black radio in my area won't even bother playing his records anymore.
[Edited 2/26/09 12:51pm]

Dayclear said:

Really? my stations blast his music all the time.
How wierd.

Dayclear said:

honestly that thought did come 2 me while watching it, cause it's not like he hasn't been mentioned in other vh1 specials

L4OATheOriginal said:

Didn't VH1-soul wear his videos out for, like, 72 hours TWICE last yeear?

I used to wonder why P was excluded from stuff, until I learned he prohibits his likeness, songs and name to be used for CERTAIN things.

GNS said:

Yep.

candy2277 said:

I always enjoy watching documentaries like this , whether Prince is in them or not.

Sorry I posted one as well. This show has been promoed as accomplishments during Black History Month. It makes no difference if there has been other shows or anything else. As an AA; it is an insult to my race and culture.

Prince's Sarah

WaterInYourBath said:

me 2

SomewhereHereOnEarth said:

me 107

candy2277 said:

Maybe! I heard his vid page on their website isn't working anymore.

That's because Prince is still relevent today. If Prince was a washed up has-been, then he would have been all over that shit. That's why MJ is up there because he's pretty much cooked out as an artist. It's a good thing Prince isn't on shows like this because it means that he's still funky and has something to offer as an artist.

ToraToraDreams said:

yes but that wasn't comedians and entertainment folk commenting about ur career which these type of specials do

joyinrepetition said:

1sexymf said:

Prince is actually in the magazine, but he shares a small part of a page with someone else. It's like he's in the crease of the page. I saw the mag in a store and picked it up specifically to look for Prince. I thought it was pathetic that he had such a small mention, when people like Boy George had a full spread. I also felt it was lazy jouralism because it basically just talked about Purple Rain and his Oscar afterparties today.

To the OP, I stopped watching the "Black to the Future" shows after they omitted Prince from the 1980s, (and because they were so poorly organized). I thought that was crazy. He was only mentioned when Hal Sparks made a reference to him when they talked about The Color Purple. They showed a pic of him then. What is weird is that several other VH1 lists have featured him with pics and video, so I am not sure about him not granting permission. Although, Ice-T and Sir Mixalot did use the "B" word every five seconds. Maybe that turned Prince off. I know it bothered me.

joyinrepetition said:

Well that's one way of looking at it.

Actually, during the 70s edition on Tuesday, they were talking about Stevie Wonder and said he was what Michael Jackson (a Stevie body with an MJ face picture came up) and Prince (a Stevie body with Prince's face pic came up as well) wanted to be, paraphrasing. So, he at least got that mention.

alexnvrmnd777 said:

thats not even true

if "peers" are commenting on his career, you can forget it. Prince won't allow it, remember a all time top 40 of prince that began recently with many celebs commenting on his career? it aired once and went away...MJs aired 2 times a day at one point.

oxBIGMAMAxo said:

I'd Love 2, I didn't feel like shopping for a headstone 2morrow. When do we leave?

There's Disco, Classical, Rock-n-Roll, Jazz, Country, Blues, and Prince.
That's why nobody knows where 2 put him in a conversation.

punkofthemonth said:

lol