daPrettyman said:

crazydoctor said:

So we're paying Prince the biggest compliment here by saying he's not any of these genres. He created his own genre.

In my house, I have all of my Prince music separated from everyone. He's his own genre to me.

When I go to a music store, I've seen Prince's music in the pop/rock and r&b sections. Does Chaos and Disorder really belong in the r&b section? does MPLSOUND belong in the pop section?

ernestsewell said:

daPrettyman said:

In my house, I have all of my Prince music separated from everyone. He's his own genre to me.

When I go to a music store, I've seen Prince's music in the pop/rock and r&b sections. Does Chaos and Disorder really belong in the r&b section? does MPLSOUND belong in the pop section?

Yes it does. "No More Candy 4 U" is right up there with "Jack U Off", etc. It's a new wave meets rockabilly pop song.

I never thought of Prince as his own genre, but rather just unique in a lot of his music. I never separated him in my records and CD, but there's no doubt he takes up a huge section that stands out in the midst of all of it.

skywalker said:

skywalker said:

ernestsewell said:

TrevorAyer said:

Graycap23 said:

ButterscotchPimp said:

Good lord.
Prince can be "funky" when he wants to be.
Those times have been few and far between in the last 20 years or so.
George and Bootsy could fart something funkier that Prince has ever done.
Which is my problem with this particular topic.
Normally I try to be a little more even handed where this topic is concerned, but this shit is getting out of hand.

Prince DIDN'T TAKE FUNK "TO ANOTHER LEVEL" because PRINCE ISN'T FUNK.

Prince TOOK ELEMENTS OF FUNK AND ADDED IT TO HIS OWN PERSONAL STYLE OF MUSIC.

Prince CAN BE FUNKY.

Prince IS NOT AND NEVER WILL BE "FUNK".

The "MINNEAPOLIS SOUND" IS NOT "FUNK", AN OFFSHOOT OF FUNK, OR EVEN FUNK RELATED.

Claiming anything on 3121 or Planet Earth was "funk" is INSANE. PERIOD.

If you think that "KISS" is a "funk tune", YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT FUNK IS.

If you think that "BOB GEORGE" is a "funk song, YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT FUNK IS.

If you think the "BLACK ALBUM" is a funk masterpiece, YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT FUNK IS.

STOP DROPPING THE WORD "FUNK" IN REFERENCE TO PRINCE LIKE HE OWNS THE GENRE.

SEXUALCHOCOLATE said:

violetblues said:

ernestsewell said:

ButterscotchPimp said:

violetblues said:

ButterscotchPimp said:

But that's a typical FAM response to the slightest criticism of Prince. Pick out two words and then attack in defense of your purple liege. Whatever.

That's the first time anyone has ever accused me of being a fam.

I have always been termed a hater. anyway that's besides the point and i wont go into a pissing contest other that to say that besides alternative and jazz, the only music i have ever bought was Parliament, Funkadelic, Confunkshun, JB, The Barkays, The Gap Band The Time etc. I own no pop records and no post 80's Prince records.
And no i dont own any Cameo either, The Dazz Band or Roger, they were too cartoony and corny for my tastes.
Anyway, i think you are chasing your tail here.

I'll start with your food analogy.
Even though Nacho's and Taco's are for all intents and purposes "Mexican Food" many people will rightly argue that just like pizza and french rolls and such, are just American food with a cute name. Likewise I know a lot of chefs here that can outdo any category of food regardless of name.
We are not talking about mathematics or genetic that can be proven or irrefutable here, we are just talking about labels. Labels that like it or not, have firmly stuck.
When i here words like "ignorance" angrily thrown around in matter of taste it comes off like cultists that can not or will not listen to any other view point. It goes back to my earlier comment about proving pickles are, or or not delicious. You come off as "They are delicious you ignorant fool! I know this!"

Anyway one last thing.
Early in his career, Willie Nelson got a lot of grief and was not completely embraced by the country music community because he played his own brand of country music marked by rock and roll, jazz, western swing, and folk influences, but regardless of that his name is almost synonymous with country. So it was kind of interesting to listen to Willie do an interview lately in which he too complained that what was playing on country music stations nowadays was not really country music, likewise, Prince himself got a lot of grief for basically the same thing employing synthesizers and drum machines, and now complains that what is on the radio not being "real" music by real musicians.

My point being, that you could argue that nachos are not really Mexican food, that pizza is not really Italian food, that Carrie Underwood is not country music and that Prince is not really funk, that today's music is not "real" music by "real" musicians, and while we are at it, let's throw in "kids get off of my lawn". But why. really why, are we that old and wretched? just enjoy them.

Like it or not, the terms Prince and funk are joined at the hip, its already written in stone and you can wave your pom poms and throw tantrums all you want to say otherwise, but really i dont care, its not about me, its about Simon & Schuster, Wikipedia, The encyclopedia Britannica, Time Magazine, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, MTV, Itunes,.....all these other people organizations and more, will tell you otherwise,
But like I said, its cool with me, you row your boat,
.....gather a petition,.... I will even sign it for for you!






ok one more thing, on serious note.

It is a living, breathing genre of music that has a community that has been involved with it and has supported it for YEARS. There are musicians that have spent THEIR ENTIRE ADULT LIVES honing and crafting their "funk skills"

Prince has spent his entire adult life supporting and honoring his love and admiration of JB and George Clinton. Its obviously a genre of music he loves and respects.
Peace.
[Edited 5/25/10 18:18pm]

You know, I have a thought, I have seen many of us find Prince to be not so funky, and many of us find Graffiti Bridge to be a poor album, but GB is one of his funkiest collections for sure. Could it be, that when Prince is truly funky, many of us simply don't dig real funk?

Prince can definitely be funky when he wants to be. No doubt, no question about that in my book ....period. He opened for one of the best Funk artist in the business. However, he has chosen to do more music that will cross over and go mainstream. I can't imagine Prince having as many fans as he does if he only stuck to doing FUNK music. Because some people were just not into real funk.

I think Prince can get funky...but I don't think that he's necessarily the "face of funk". Perhaps funk is too restrictive for him. I don't feel that it is in his comfort zone when he does it. He's better at making other artists funky such as "The Time", and Vanity 6 (That Nasty Girl beat was the funkiest).

Reel said:

Prince can definitely be funky when he wants to be. No doubt, no question about that in my book ....period. He opened for one of the best Funk artist in the business. However, he has chosen to do more music that will cross over and go mainstream. I can't imagine Prince having as many fans as he does if he only stuck to doing FUNK music. Because some people were just not into real funk.

I think Prince can get funky...but I don't think that he's necessarily the "face of funk". Perhaps funk is too restrictive for him. I don't feel that it is in his comfort zone when he does it. He's better at making other artists funky such as "The Time", and Vanity 6 (That Nasty Girl beat was the funkiest).

I completely agree with that, but in the light of present day... who is the face of funk. We can't fall back on dead artist, their day has come and gone. We have to stop comparing Prince to who was FUNKIER back in the day, and ask who is FUNK now?

I would say in the moment, Prince may not be the funkiest artist ever, or even the staple of true funk, but in a field where there is no funk, Prince may very well earn the title by default.

hollywooddove said:

Reel said:

Prince can definitely be funky when he wants to be. No doubt, no question about that in my book ....period. He opened for one of the best Funk artist in the business. However, he has chosen to do more music that will cross over and go mainstream. I can't imagine Prince having as many fans as he does if he only stuck to doing FUNK music. Because some people were just not into real funk.

I think Prince can get funky...but I don't think that he's necessarily the "face of funk". Perhaps funk is too restrictive for him. I don't feel that it is in his comfort zone when he does it. He's better at making other artists funky such as "The Time", and Vanity 6 (That Nasty Girl beat was the funkiest).

I completely agree with that, but in the light of present day... who is the face of funk. We can't fall back on dead artist, their day has come and gone. We have to stop comparing Prince to who was FUNKIER back in the day, and ask who is FUNK now?

I would say in the moment, Prince may not be the funkiest artist ever, or even the staple of true funk, but in a field where there is no funk, Prince may very well earn the title by default.

In short, my answer would be no one then, not even Prince. Asking "who is the face of funk?" is like asking "who is the face of disco?". Funk has evolved just as disco has. We hear R&B cuts with funky beats, but no real mainstream present day artist is "the face of funk" . Not even Prince.