OldPro
Member since Dec 10th 2002
20170 posts Mon May-11-09 07:47 PM



"I think it's time some of you openly address your Prince obsession"




It's just not healthy the way some of y'all are carrying on. But I'm not here to name names... I make this post out of brotherly love. I understand, I really do. Let me tell you a little story.

Flash back to 1980. The black man with the Farrah hair is a B level star. Now I couldn't front on I Wanna Be Your Lover and Sexy Dancer but I still wasn't sold on this weird little dude with the big Speed Racer eyes and the solid gold dancer pants. Yeah he had some cuts but I just wasn't comfortable with how soft this cat looked. Dude looked like a bottom bitch if I've ever seen one. So any way, me and my boy head over to his brother's apartment Halloween night 1980. His brother Eddie was the dude that taught me to mix and we'd go over there to make tapes all the time. So this night we promised to hand out candy in exchange for a couple hours on his system. I start flipping through his albums pulling out shit I want to tape ... Cameo Feel Me, cool.. George Duke, right on ... Bar-Kays, yep ... wait ... what in theeeee fuck is this shit? *turns to my boy and holds up Dirty Mind* He had obviously seen it before, he shakes his head and mutters "fag". I had no idea Prince even had a new album out ... I wasn't hearing anything on the radio. As pulled the inside sleeve out my boy says "that fag be talkin about fuckin his sister man" The irony of that statement was buried by the horror of what I just heard... and saw... Prince laying on a bed with his legs up looking like he's ready to be fucked ... or even worse .. Fuck you! I looked almost hypnotically as the image .. still not believing what I was seeing..."He's singing about fuckin his sister? Are you serious"? I was pulling the record out as I said this and my eyes went right to the song... there is was "Sister" Like a driver passing a car wreck, I just had to hear this and hear it now. So I try and drop the needle on "Sister" but the way they run together I get the last 8-9 seconds of "Head" ... In those few seconds my senses went into overload. Now keep in mind Eddie had a tight ass system. Those synths and popping bass coming out so crisp and clean through his reverb messaged my brain in a way I had never experienced before. Just like that it ends abruptly and the frantic beat of "Sister" starts. "I'm only 16 but I guess that's no excuse" what is this bullshit? ... wait dude this dude just said some shit his sister's "juice"? Ohhh hell no! *record continues to play* "Incest is everything it's said to be" *Looks over at my boy making a face like he just smelt the nastiest fart of all time* "Yeah fuck this dude" I said as I lifted the needle off the record. But for the rest of the night I couldn't help but think about those 10 seconds of "Head" I heard. I wanted to hear the rest but I couldn't play this with my boy there... Can't have him thinking I'm a "fag".

That night I knew what my mission was the next day (Saturday)... Get on my bike and make the 30 minute trip to Tower. I wake up and of course it's raining ... HARD. I don't have enough money for both the bus and the record so I have no choice ... I put the rain gear on and set off on. Thankfully it lets up a little about 10 minutes in but I'm still soaked by the time I get there. I go straight for the new release rack... it's not there. WTF? I started thinking what if they don't carry this here. I mean dude is a homo that's talking about fuckin his Sister. Are there gay record shops I don't know about where you have to go for this? One of those dirty book stores maybe? I go to the artist section and look under Prince... For a split second I'm relieved it's there but then the second leg of my quest hits me like a ton of bricks ... how the hell am I going to take this shit up to the counter? My heart races as I play my options through my head. I don't have enough money to buy another album to help provide cover so the only hope it to make a quick end run while no one is in line. I pace around for a good 20 minutes drying off and waiting until the window opened ... I make my move. I set the record down and avoid eye contact with the grimy rock chick behind the counter. She rings it up and I give her the money ... I'm actually shocked it went this smoothly... don't ask me what I thought would happen lol ... the closest thing I can compare this experience to was the first time I bought porn a few years later.

Any way I get the record home and go straight to my room. Head phones on (no way this can be played out loud) and away I went. The lyrics, sounds and images all created a world I wasn't sure I belonged in but was fascinated by all the same. I was really feeling this shit but it was coming with a heavy dose of shame. I was being sonically stimulated by a sister fucking "fag" in black stockings and a speedo... No way can this shit be healthy... but I couldn't stop. What is happening to me? A few days pass and I come home from school one day to find moms in my room thumbing though my records... she's in the same stack as you know what! I immediately picture her coming across Dirty Mind, rushing over and laying hands on me to cast out the homosexual demons. "Do you have that song "One In a Million" she asks. Yes ... she's hasn't seen it yet! I make a quick move over to the stack and pick them all up... "I don't think it's in here but I have it somewhere" She turns and walks away "Thanks baby, tape it for me ok" Bullet dodged but we can't run this risk again... the album must be destroyed. I take the vinyl out and slip in into Gap III (where it remains to this day) Then out the door over to granny's house where granddad is almost certain to have a fire going on this cold November day. As luck would have it he was out back and granny was in the kitchen where she always was. I tossed the album and inner sleeve into the blaze ... there was something creepy as hell about watching the flames consume everything before Prince's face. Seeing those big ass eyes peering at me in the fire freaked me the fuck out for real. This only added to the occult feeling that was building in me in regards to P.

I remember it was right before Christmas when I heard these two girls in art class talking about Dirty Mind. It was the first time since that Halloween night I heard anyone else opening talk about it. The thing I remember most was them saying Prince was "fine"... I can't tell you how relieved this made me feel.. just the fact a girl was attracted to his new looked was enough to lessened the "gay factor" considerably. Make no mistake, I still felt something wasn't clean in his milk but it might be a little easier to "come out of the closet" and ride for some of these songs. I don't remember me or my boys ever openingly riding anything but "Head" & "Do It All Night" & "Party Up" though.

By the time Controversy rolled out my love/hate relationship with P was fully developed. He had so much potential ... why did he have to be so weird, so gay and at times ... so white? Why couldn't dude just be "normal" When the Time's first album dropped we all latched onto them as an example of what Prince should sound like... not realizing at the time the joke was on us.

1999 was when i finally gave in. The album still had it's share of "white" sounds but there was just too much there to deny this cat. So after finally winning me over what does he do... drops his whitest album to date with Purple Rain. I remember actually being pissed off people liked this shit. Like how can you dig this bullshit? It's not funky... it's not what he's "supposed" to be doing. Y'all only like it because it's Prince I argued. Yeah the B Sides are dope but the album sucks... as a matter of fact I argued it wasn't even supposed to be good. All the songs in the movie were supposed to suck up until his last set... The best song (Doves) was never performed on stage but was played music video style with him on his bike. Of course I missed the whole point that it was us that was the problem but you couldn't tell me nothing.

When ATWIAD dropped I was even convinced Prince was just fucking with people. Trying to see what he could record and still sell just because it was from Prince... dude was coughing on records for god's sake. Around this time my Prince hate was a full on blaze. I remember reading accounts of how poorly the movie UTCM was shaping up and quietly rejoicing... actually there wasn't anything quiet about it. Kiss dropped and I just knew it was a trap... the rest of the album is gonna suck I cautioned everyone. When it hit I felt vindicated.

It was shortly after this time (87) when a lot of my friends were starting to jump off the P bandwagon. The new single was "Sign O The Times" and wasn't really something the fellas wanted to jam. So I won right? Prince is exposed and falling off. But a funny thing happened for me... I had just become a father for the first time and was starting to process things differently. I gave a lot of thought to the health and happiness of my child. One of the things I pondered was how would I feel if she turned out to be gay? Would I like someone directing the word "fag" at her? In an indirect way these question raised more questions in me as to how I processed and perceived things. I loved the songs Uptown and Dirty Mind back in 1980... so why couldn't I admit it at the time? It started to hit me and hit me hard ... Prince was going to dress the way he wanted to dress, look the way he wanted to look and sing the shit he wanted to sing and he didn't give a fuck what we thought. My own insecurities were being attacked by this brass young cat from Minneapolis who was simply unflappable. It was now clear to me that a lot of my hate was envy... envy that this mutha fucker was going to do whatever the hell he wanted and we could take it or leave it... he simply didn't give a fuck.

The Prince we have now has changed a lot no doubt... but at his core he hasn't changed at all. He makes decisions based on what he wants to do and not what you think he should do. He's going to dress the way he wants to dress, talk the way he wants to talk and sing or NOT sing lyrics of his choosing... and if you don't like it tough shit... some of y'all just can't deal with that... but you can't seem to ignore it either. I think it's time to face up to the reasons why.

http://board.okayplayer.c...ype=search

Wow...

therat said:

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”The Prince we have now has changed a lot no doubt... but at his core he hasn't changed at all. He makes decisions based on what he wants to do and not what you think he should do. He's going to dress the way he wants to dress, talk the way he wants to talk and sing or NOT sing lyrics of his choosing... and if you don't like it tough shit... some of y'all just can't deal with that... but you can't seem to ignore it either. I think it's time to face up to the reasons why.”

So on point and true. So many people hate that P is free.

how cool is that!!!!! great

laurarichardson said:

That my friend.....says it ALL.

This is me right now after readin this -->

fuccin A!

great read hes got great points

laurarichardson said:

Right on. 93% of the Org would do well 2 consider that.
[Edited 6/3/09 14:53pm]

therat said:

Wow, thanks for posting this. I would write something similiar if I wasnt so lazy. I think it speaks for many people.

Sounds very familiar! Eye was 19 when eye 1st heard "Dirty Mind"
Thanks 4 the post!

Giovanni777 said:

What a great post.

I got into Prince music during the 1999 album era (1982), and really became a die hard when When Doves Cry hit the radio and MTV (1984). I almost have a reverse experiance as the original post. Prince was WAAAYYY cool when I became a fan, and slowly dropped off, and was seen to be more and more eccentric, weird and "gay" as time went on.

I still loved ALL the music, associated artists and all, but felt more and more insecure about people knowing about it. Lets face it, in the "mainstream" Prince is thought of as a crazy, gay, cross-dressing weirdo. I dont agree with that, and I dont see it that way, but I'm aware that that is how he is portrayed in the media. I'm a 38 year old, clean-cut, straight white guy. For some people that just doesnt fit.

I guess even now, I feel a tiny little bit of embarasment when I buy a Prince cd, because I know that chances are, the person behind the counter likely has a skewed perception of what Prince is all about. Does it bother me much? maybe a tiny little bit.

Great read! Excellent points. What was it that P said. Something about his music being a mirror, you see yourself in it.

Nice read.

Entertaining stuff.

That was an awesome post! I have never cared about what people thought about my love of Prince's talent. I just laugh them off and turn it up!! What's funny is, while the vast majority of people will cling to the issues they have with P, ( his clothes, sexuality, other stuff they think they heard...) they are yet willing put up with far worse from much less talented people. Never ceases to amaze me.

Great post!!
Ironic how your Mom was looking for the song "One in a Million".
And the fact that no one has picked up on that yet is hilarious.

Giovanni777 said:

While the other 7% would do well to admit...no matter how free they "think" he is...he ain't that damn free!

That was a great read. It made me and

Muziqmkr said:

i think most people picked up on it because it was probably put there for just that reason

great post though

reminds me of high school when i felt like i had to keep my prince admiration in the closet

but that kind of behavior just made me realize how silly people could be and i think it is prince's attitude that helped me not care what anybody else thought

now, i think prince is free and cares about his fans but since there is no contract and he does not really like the internet - he does not really feel the need to cater to our every wish and demand which is how he has always been

yay!

but, uhhm, da fuck i gotta do beyond being a fan to be spit on less??
[Edited 6/4/09 6:44am]

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

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If he is free from dealing with people like you then he is doing okay

That was truly a entertaining and nostalgic post. Alot of those points you made rang so true for me back then. Thanks for taking the time to type and share all of that.

This thread reminds me of when I was young teenager just seriously getting into prince. I had just arrived home from a game in which I pitched 5 innings. I did what I normally did after a baseball game, put on some prince, rub my arm and legs down with ben-gay and relax. My younger cousin comes into my room while I'm bumpin' Do Me Baby and laying back on the bed chillin'. He picks up the ben-gay, looks at the tape cover with prince on it,looks at me with tears in his eyes and says "Cuz?!" "You been gay?" I said "hell no!" "Do you think that if I was gay, I could just put some cream up my ass and I wouldn't be gay anymore?" "Man get out of here!" We still laugh about that to this day.

There was also a time when I was 15 and on my way to see my dad in Louisiana. I hadn't seen him 9 years and the album Purple Rain had just dropped and the buzz about the movie was almost everwhere. Not knowing what to expect from the radio stations and familiy in Louisiana, I brought all of my tapes of local rap artist from around richmond and oakland california, mix tapes and of course Purple Rain. Once I arrived in Louisiana and all the hype of meeting everyone again and getting familiar with everyone was over I started playing all of my music. Back then Louisiana was always far behind California, hell all the clubs/shacks I walked into were playing "Shackles on my Feet." How Ironic I'm in the South and the hottest song going is "Shackles on my Feet." I pulled out my tape player and started jamming Purple Rain. As the music played all of the young people within earshot turned and looked in my direction as if I had pulled out some type of alien technology! Just as I was about to change the music they all excitedly ran up and and couldn't believe what they were hearing. They all wanted to know who and which album it was.

While I was there for the summer THE MOVIE came out and all my new friends and young family wanted to go see it. I didn't have any money so I asked pops if he could give me the money to go. Now my dad was considered a ladies man and was always thought of by other women as very manly and handsom. He hunted game, fished, broke wild horses and all that tuff stuff. So when I asked to go see Prince, that blew his afro back! I can still remember his response. "Why would I wanna give you my hard earned money to let you go pollute your mind watching some purple robed freak in heals running around screaming like woman!" He then said "What you need to do is hurry up and get some of all that pussy these girls are throwing at you before the newness wears off." All the while I was thinking "I knew I shouldn't have come to this slow ass mutha fucka!" "I should have seen the movie first and then came out here" Talk about having your priorities screwed up. He eventually gave me the money but was upset that his oldest son who he hadn't seen in 9 years was going to spend his money on Prince.Lol

I think a lot of people picked up on the One In A Million thing...no big deal.

That was a fun read. From what I've seen, it seems that a lot of males had far more problems with Prince's persona than us ladies did. I never went through that kind of heart wrenching drama just because I love Prince. I got some snickers and strange looks and still do but I really couldn't care less.

Great article.

I had the same experence when I bought Lovesexy.

Hahahaha. This dude writes like an Orger I know...


and I had a similar experience buying Lovesexy, too. And, my dad was with me!

ThreadBare said:

muleFunk said:

Those teenage years of mine really stretched my relationship with my dad. I think he understood, though, that it was all about the music for me.