Simple question. Is Prince a major contributor to Funk, like James Brown, Sly Stone or George Clinton was to it? Did he really add anything that was groundbreaking? Look past the fact of being diehard fans, and at it from a musical standpoint.....by the way don't get upset at the question..Its just a question.

PAISLEYREFUGEE said:

yes, hes a major contributor of Funk

controversy will go down as one of the top funk songs of funk history

hes the last of a dying breed of funky legends

i cant think of anyone after him, its kinda sad

I would say yes. Simply for making drum machines funky.

Prince I think perfected funks synthesis with pop and rock. He gave a strong sense of song structure and arrangement to funk (one which he has mostly abandoned of late). The fusion of rock and funk had already been done but it was more psychedelic Prince made funk a structural element of pop and rock.

There's probably earlier examples but Prince is both a musical and cultural glue to these two worlds.

I'd say he was a leader in funk at a terrible time for funk music. But his style of synth & drum machine & guitar funk rock was definitely a big part of 80's funk, along with select others such as Rick James

But I always think of Prince as more of a pop star in terms of style, and as an all around musician in terms of artistry.

do the head-bob

Funk - no.
Pop - without question.

skoolteecher said:

prince would slap you if he heard you say he wasnt funky enough

Yes. No question.

Funky is all Prince has ever strived to be. Ofcourse he's done alot to the premise of funk. He is funk whatever the funk funk is

PAISLEYREFUGEE said:

I believe so. I think the history books will show him that way.

But I think primarily he will go down in history as a great songwriter. He's more than funk... less about genres more about songs...

I would say YES but, PRINCE is a major contributor to music in general.

I honestly believe that his contribution will be in full fruition and notoriety long after is gone. I believe he will be the one single major influence that was not only a trendsetter, an innovator and leader in music but also in how he controlled his own destiny in making sure he created and delivered the music he wanted and the way he wanted to release it. And his music, especially the era criticized the most during the mid 90's to the present will be looked at as groundbreaking and stellar in popular music.

I also think PRINCE will be looked at along with a few major stand outs including The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, possibly Elvis and Michael Jackson, maybe...maybe Madonna as the recognized brilliance in 20th century music. There will be others that will stand out but PRINCE and the ones I've mentioned will be the artists that will be studied and taught.

I think Prince showed that Funk can be very emotional... it's not just about a groove and dancing... the music can make you just as sad, angry, or happy as other styles of music...

Exactly.

I understand what U guys R saying, he has done some real funky works like, Kiss, Sexy Dancer, D.M.S.R., Lady Cab Driver, Uptown, Head, Sexy M.F., Scarlet Pussy, The Black Album and a lot of other stuff thats on b-sides and bootlegs and elswhere. But I think that Prince's interest as far a funk took a backseat back in 1984 when Purple Rain came out and was a huge success , being a pop/rock piece that it was. To me Dirty Mind was his funkiest,followed by 1999.But since Purple Rain and he had that taste of the success that Pop can bring, his attention wasn't really on funk. Actually his funkiest stuff was with The Time.....the thing that made me the Musician/Drummer I am today, is his diversity. Don't get it twisted, he's one of the funkiest guitarist that ever lived(which it's a damn shame he does'nt get that respect from a lot his peers). But he's not like James Brown or George Clinton, and others in that respect, that everything they did was about Funk. Put it like this,if U asked someone to name a J.B song or George Clinton cut, they'll probally say "Mother Popcorn or Cold Sweat or Flashlight or Not Just Knee Deep. But I just thought of something. Did Prince ever say he's was a funk artist or did just say he's Funky ?

^^^
You're right about him shying away from the funk after 84, but here's the thing...he had already established himself as the Last of the Mohicans by this time and while his album tracks seemed to move away from the funk, in concert, then and now, there is no one funkier and very few as funky.

His contribution is the replacement of the horns JB, Parliament, and virtually every other soul performer of the era used. As we all know, the horns were replaced with synthesizers and snare to the fore, creating that Minneapolis Sound we're still hearing from todays artists.

Then, when everyone else folowed his lead, he brought back the horns.
[Edited 5/20/10 21:09pm]

PAISLEYREFUGEE said:

your right, i think hes a funky individual but he did shy away from funk in the later years and compared to JB and GC or even RJ he didnt contribute as much as them, but to me prince was not all the way funk but not all the pop either . he seriously was a perfect mix of both

so no he wasnt a PURE FUNK artist but he did contribute to Funk because he was funky!! (if that makes a lick of sense )

PAISLEYREFUGEE said:

but yet in '84 he released his (arguably) best funk song Erotic City

PicklesMcMillan said:

Yes

Listen to Funk from the mid 80s

To even ask this question exposes unfunkiness, and the lack of funk in those that even bother with answering anything but d'uh! "Tis nobody funkier", my lawd!

3 words

the black album.

THE definition of a funk album. I love sly, JB and funkadelic as much as the next funk loving person but the black album just shreads them to pieces. The only other one I think is equal is funkadelics' funkadelic album. I mean, what we are comparing is a ham hock in your cornflakes with a bucket filled with squirel meat. Ok so it was more than 3 words.

PAISLEYREFUGEE said:

Prince never labeled himself as any type of artist in terms of musical genre. I hear what you are saying about the shifting of gear around '84. However, Prince onstage has always been about the FUNK. Even in the midst of Purple Rain mania...the tour had some purely JB inspired funk moments. Some of these moments went on for 20 minute stretches. Hell, the Parade tour was damn near an old JB soul revue.

No - he was a great user of funk.

In my opinion he has been huge in the evolution of funk. His influences were pretty obvious in the beginning and when you look at live footage from Purple Rain tour he's really looking like a cross between James Brown and Sly Stone. He's really absorbed their work and taken it to the next level many times over, and their influence are still visible today when he performs live. Only, he's all Prince when does that.

Of course, musically he's done a lot. Controversy, Let's Work, Head, Automatic, Pop Life, Kiss, New Position, Days of Wild (Experience video version)... The list goes on and on.

Lovesexy album is all about funk and the sound is totally unique. Newpower Soul is all funk too but more mainstream. Still, you can always tell it is Prince with his funk sound.

That alone is an accomplishment: Creating your own sound and people recognize it's you. And when talking of other artists, "he's got a "Prince-ly" sound to this song", that's an accomplishment too. The most unlikely artists today are singing in falsetto. Now, who do you think that came from? Certainly not Bono from U2.

Also, his contribution to other funky artists is remarkable. "Come 2 my house album by Chaka Khan is just brilliant. Remember The Time in the 80's with Jungle Love? That's all Prince, who was involved in developing the whole Minneapolis sound.
[Edited 5/21/10 7:58am]

Prince has most deffinately contributed 2 the FUNK but his versatility & mixture of music will always come in the way of some funk listners.
If George Clinton & Miles Davis can say he is funk then who are those critics.
I am a funk fiend & I feel the funk in my Blood.

No.

I brought this up awhile ago and the debate lasted WEEKS.

777-9311.

Now