Yep, I did 'leave him' for quite some years: 1996 (Emancipation) unto 2004 (right before Musicology). But looking back it probably started with 'Come' (1994) allready

And to be honest, I still don't think he has really gotten his 'mojo' back since 2004.

Musically, the first major dissapointment was the release of Emancipation, because of it's sugary tone and the predicatble arrangements/drumming programming. Gradually I just started to no longer expect these major works with every album and that's fine for me. Every album has good songs, craps songs and I take from it what I like.

Personally, I don't relate to his persona at all anymore; I'm an atheist and his pseudo-wisdom that he preaches here and there is just embarassing. He tries to portray himself as this wise, zen leader of the real intellectual musicians but then makes a sponsord book that looks like Cosmo in hardcover, and has fans pay 77$ for a lame site that hardly offers what it should.

So, he remains one of the people I keep an eye on musically but don't care much about on other levels. My taste has expanded so, he has a less exclusive spot now.

I leave Prince every time he brings out a new album, have done for the last ten yrs or so. Give it a few listens, realise he's really not much better than he was at NPS or Rave, then go back to listening to other folks, occasionally listening to Prince live bootlegs, which are ultimately far more interesting.

Until the next album, then it starts over again, but i don't ever eagerly anticipate his next release anymore sadly.
[Edited 11/11/09 9:53am]