BklynBabe said:

BlackAdder7 said:

We don't. People just make that assumption because they can't imagine someone acting like that without being on drugs. But as someone who knows coke (I have friends who had a friend who knew somebody who read an article about it once), he doesn't act like he's necessarily on it. He just looks like early 80's Prince with a case of really bad nerves.

Another forum member confirmed that Prince was on coke that night. He heard it from members of James Brown's band who were on stage that night. They shared some coke with him before the gig.

Mong said:

BS.

I read some of the comments left on the youtube page about this video and someone said that Prince didn't get as much of a response as MJ did on stage.
But this was Prince pre-Purple Rain wasn't it? 1983
How popular was Prince in the USA before Purple Rain really?

mistatee said:

He had cult status at that point. His true fans knew him but the rest of the world had to wait a few more months.

lezama said:

Well it's obvious that Prince was on another planet that night and the person who mentioned the story seemed to be credible. Maybe you're shocked by your demi-God getting fucked up once in a while - it doesn't make him any less a person.

I think Prince messed up that night, he idolised James Brown, but that night JB was lost for words and I think Prince was just trying to get Michael Jackson, because he picked him out of the audience, all he did was swing the mic around scream and hump a guitar, may have been on coke, but I don't think so. He was just arrogant, all he did was scream where as MJ got into it and sang and was respectful (Oh Michael, u r so nice and polite). If I had been James Brown I would have kicked Prince off the stage for that crap.
Chick piggybacking him was nothing new, he did that crap at a Rick James concert too apparently.

Huggiebear said:

Mong said:

No. I say its BS 1) because of all the people who have commented about Prince in that period, there have been only one or two unconfirmed rumors of experimenting with cocaine, no one's ever said he abused it heavily and was going out all high to public shows and stuff, and 2) because coke doesn't make you werid like Prince was acting, it just takes any a$$holish impulses in you and amplifies them a lot (and Prince has never really needed any help in that department). Getting really drunk might bring out Prince's behaviour in that vid however and he just doesn't look drunk to me.
[Edited 8/13/09 5:37am]

lezama said:

Suddenly, The control freak wasn't in control, and he was crap. How about that?

Marrk said:

Sure, that might be accurate, and his way of addressing it was to simply change the game by being crazy (which neither James or MJ could compete with him in). Rick James could probably out-crazy him but it'd all be drug induced.

I don't get why people don't like this video. It made Prince look like a badass, and not a vanilla pussy like MJ. The only thing he had to feel dumb about was the fall at the end. If Prince was not in the video, it really would not be worth watching.
[Edited 8/13/09 10:15am]

Funny you should say that because I ALWAYS thought "My Name is Prince" sounded a LOT like Michael Jackson's BAD. The bassline is similar and Prince even does that noisy Jame Brown exhale thru the throat like Michael does as they both try to imitate James brown.

Swa said:

If you wanna know Prince REAAAALLLLY listen to his Music. He tells on himself a lot if you listen closely. There is a ShoeLeg (cuz I'm scare to say the dreaded B-leg word on this site) audio of Prince rehearsing or warming. It's a song called 'Cold Coffee & Cocaine' Then in the song 17 days he sings "But all I got is 2 cigarettes and this lonely heart of mine"

Wasn't the Black Albumn release cancelled because Prince Tripped out on Xstasy?

lezama said:

1dell said:

17 Days was intended for Brenda from Vanity/Apollonia 6 to sing. She always had a butt in her mouth.

I remember that video all too well. In fact like most here I was horrified. Thrilled at the fact that mike, james and prince were on the stage together but embarrassed as all hell from what I saw.

People touting that mike had a great performance....Really? are you KIDDING ME??

First of all Mike walks to the stage looking like E.T. big head on a skinny stick neck. Needing his jheri curl touched up. Looked like he borrowed one of Mr. Potato head's noses and wore it that night. Of course the trademark sunglasses that cover most of his face even his cheeks.

All mike does is Sing the words "I love youuuu" "I love youuu, yeah babe" "oohhha aaaiiiyyeee" etc etc. On the 4th I love you the music speeds up.
* Mike goes "whoo hoo"
* Jumps up and down
* Spins
* does some piss poor James brown good foot dancing with his back facing the audience where everyone can see his faded ass pockets on his black jeans that looked like he's had them on for 3 days straight
* Strikes a Michael Jackson pose with his ass poked out (back still to the audience)
* Throws face then turns face back (realy quickly) very thriller-esque then proceeds to do a VERY sloppy moonwalk (ass still poked out)
* Moon Walk ends near where james is standing. He stops pulls up sleeve and pumps foot.
* raises his arms and shrugs his shoulders then hug james as if to say "I aint got jack left in my tank"
* Then for the next what seems like 5 minutes (it's not) he's yelling in james's ear that Prince is out in the audience.

I tell you what, I think mike called Prince up there to take the spotlight off himself. Mike didnt wanna come up, wasn't prepared and his performance was sloppy. After the moonwalk his tank was on E. He knew the crowd wanted more and expect more but he had nothing left to give thats why he went over to James and told him to call Prince up. Mike had his back to the audience most of his dancing portion of the performance. I also think he was very self conscious about the way he looked too. Never shoulda came out the house if ya jheri curl wasn't on point.

Funny thing though is mike was in front of the stage. Prince was waaayyy off to the side. Took Prince like forever to get there getting a piggy back ride from Chick

oh cool. Well as creative as prince is, he should have changed those lyrics. Especially since that song could very well portray him as doing something he professes not to do. I would love to see Prince with a square 'tween his lips one time. I bet he'd look cool toking on a smoke

squirrelgrease said:

I figured this had to be prior to Purple Rain. Prince still had that raw, underdeveloped way about him here. It's interesting that Michael had that much knowledge or respect for him to request for James to call him up on stage, as Prince had not hit the mainstream in a big way yet. They do seem like two sides of a coin here, though. Michael bores me with his tried and true spins and trusty moonwalk, and Prince just looks deranged and like he's acting the part of the "brotha from another planet" or something...he's cutting up! LOL!

If I had to guess by looking at this clip, I would've guessed that Prince would've been the one to meet an early demise (from drugs or falling off the stage or something).

It's Princes turn.

James calls him up there like 5 times. Then when James see him off to his right in the audience James lets out one of those Cornbread and Chitterling laffs and points. By now that james brown music that the band is playing as if on auto is getting on my nerves. And I'm thinkin how the hell he expect Prince to get his Jam-on to this shiggidy.

and can now see Prince is getting a piggy back ride on Big Chick's back. And as Chick is about to drop him off Prince bites off one of his gloves and throws it back into the air behind him. I guess he was getting rid of his gloves as not to be compared to the "gloved one". At 2:16 into the video you see the glove come flying back from the audience and it actually hits a security guard inthe face. Don't believe me check it out. The security guard ducks too late.

Prince walks up on the stage degloving his other hand with his teeth as he walks towards james with that typical Prince swagger in heels and throws that glove to the audience. This one doesn't return.

James seeks to hug Prince but Prince looks like he's about to walk over where Mike is or take his place in the band, but James wrap a arm around him and gives him a hug. DAYUM!!! Prince and Jame are the same height! I didn't see that one coming. Good thing he wore those 4 inch pumps instead of them 3 inchers.

*James tells Prince he gotta do something but Prince is too busy guitar shopping, looking for which band member's guitar to take off of them.
* Finally!!! someone gives Prince a guitar. And I know ALL the while Prince is thinking to himself "da hell am I gonna play to this ish"
* Prince put the guitar on and inspects it, took the man's guitar pick off the bottom and threw it on the floor (doing cocky ish like that was the first sign that he was nervous)
* Aw shucks prince is ready, turned around and looked at the Band. He's about to Put some stank on it!!!
* no not yet another band member comes up and gives prince another guitar pic and now he's talkin to another band member
* Ok this band member is actually showing Prince what key they are in and helping him get his rhythm down
* Ok Prince got it, he's settled now we finna hear some of the best chicken scratching this side south of MinneApple.
* Aw shucks Prince has got it together and crank out a few notes intune. Impressive. it's obvious by now that this guitar it too big for him and is sitting too low on his body and makes it difficult for him to play
* Uh oh! No wait! I just heard some bad notes. prince decides not to solo instead he resorts to chicken scratching
* James brown is sniggling and grinnin in the background flashing that collard green and yams trademark smile.
* Back to prince he done found him a nice little rhythm on the Guitar where he can stand out in the pocket. Oh noo wait!! That wasn't the right note! Keep it simple Prince Keep it simple. Don't try to get too creative when you haven't rehearsed.
* AW hell, He's now playing a different rhythm, this time he's too fast with it and it's not in synch with the band. Let the embarrassment begin. Up to this point things have been copastetic but it's all goign down hill from here
* Prince stops the chicken scratch while he's pumping his right thigh then slaps his right hand up against his head with one of those trademark 1980s prince bewildered looks on his face with eyes all wide.
* He goes back to chicken scratching and it sounds worst than before. Abort Prince, it's not working, there is no recovering from this. Maybe if we hit the eject button on that guitar strap and get rid of that thing we can do work with a lil body english and footwork to salvage our attempts to impress our idol.
* aw lawd!!! Prince stops playing the guitar, walks over to the edge of the stage and does that pos from the end of purple rain where purple foam juice flies out of the guitar. But this time, no purple juice, just another man's guitar between prince's groin as he kneels. eww. I wonder how much that'll go for on ebay.
* He sits there for a minute looking off to the side doing some kinda grinding motion with his right hand next to his ear or something. I wonder if he's just buying time trying to find his mojo.
* Ok the guitar humping is taking too long and it's not working lets ditch that and go to something else
* ok one more time Prince strikes another note while he's bending over and wiping his nose.
* Good move, he's taking the guitar off and unbuttoning his jacket now. Thats right let those abominal abs loose to at least try to get a few screams from this dead crowd
* IT WORKED!!!!
* James comes and helps Prince take of his jacket. Prince then looks back at the audience like "say what? they cheering for a brutha?" Aw shucks. By this time Mike aint even on the stage no mo'
* Instead of watching Prince james is trying to find a place to put Princes jacket.
* ok i can tell by the way Prince approaches James mic that we are gonna win this thang on the floor.
* He approaches the mic very James brown-esque dayum good impersonation by the way. But dammit! james is missing it!!! Prince looks over and sees james back. he proceeds with the mic stand kick/retrieve. And impressively kicks both legs over it one at a time. DAMMIT james missed that too!
* Then he dips with mic in hand, hand behind head and shimmy his way back to a stand up position. Ok James is coming this way.
* Prince out of ideas then legs out one of those famous Inhale screams. I guess he couldn't think of anything to say
* Now his has his hand off to the side snapping his fingers to the beat and rocking his hips. All the while his mind is racing trying to figure out what to do next. just buying time
* Aww shucks he just did some stand still dance move that looked like something from "i would die 4 u"
* Now his face is in his own armpit hand behind head pumping his hips to the beat.
* he walks away from the mic, now it's time to direct the band.
* he holds 2 fingers up then claps his hands in the air above his head. Daggit! The band missed their cue
* 2nd time, the band missed it again. All I hear is Prince hand meat slapping together
* ok 3rd time's a charm, They finally got what he was doing. AS this time he bring his hand up to almost clap and the drummer was on cue. He didn't do a complete clap that time though. I guess that was to play it off incase they didn't get the hint the 3rd time
* And he does that like a few more times looking a lil feminine all the while.
* then takes a bow.
* wraps his arm around the lamp post on the stage and as Prince is assuming his place back on Big Chick's back the lamp post is falling in unison.

Knowing prince this was on purpose, cuz he manages to hit some people with it. And i BETCHA he hit that very same person who threw the glove back at him.

So in all Prince had his mistakes and he had his moments. I was embarrassed for both of them really

bettybop said:

At that time there was nothing tired and trusty about MJ's moves, though looking back at it now they do seem "classic".

Swa

TheKing662 said:

i love the bit at the end when prince goes to walk off stage and pulls that lampost down haha