Timmy84 said:

Spinlight said:

From what I know, his vegetarianism began around 1996-1997 - it coincided with the Larry Graham union.

Interesting.

this might be true, I don't know, but there were hints to it earlier, particularly around 91 when Patti Labelle said he never eats or only eats bread, and on Gett Off where he frowns on ribs.

My guess if he stopped eating meat it only helped to hear some religious reasons to do it, and that he already thought it was gross before that

NDRU said:

Timmy84 said:

Interesting.

this might be true, I don't know, but there were hints to it earlier, particularly around 91 when Patti Labelle said he never eats or only eats bread, and on Gett Off where he frowns on ribs.

My guess if he stopped eating meat it only helped to hear some religious reasons to do it, and that he already thought it was gross before that

He even served meat food at his clubs and studio. He was never shy about eating meat, much less ribs. I even remember stories being told here about a rib joint he used to frequent in the late 80s. Not that he ate ribs there, but I don't think the lyric qualifies as him frowning on the food.

Spinlight said:

NDRU said:

this might be true, I don't know, but there were hints to it earlier, particularly around 91 when Patti Labelle said he never eats or only eats bread, and on Gett Off where he frowns on ribs.

My guess if he stopped eating meat it only helped to hear some religious reasons to do it, and that he already thought it was gross before that

He even served meat food at his clubs and studio. He was never shy about eating meat, much less ribs. I even remember stories being told here about a rib joint he used to frequent in the late 80s. Not that he ate ribs there, but I don't think the lyric qualifies as him frowning on the food.

"I don't serve ribs!" sounds kind of like frowning on them to me

I'm not saying he did not eat meat, I'm just saying vegetarianism might not have come entirely from larry graham but perhaps came from ideas that began forming years before.

But I am not presenting a scientific analysis here, just speculating. If you have a friend who served him tongue, fine

I'm thinking dude has been vegetarian for years. I hardly think Larry Graham or his JW conversion had anything to do with it...

And he looks for much healthier these days too. He has muscle tone in his arms and legs and looks like he's gained a little weight.

Timmy84 said:

I'm thinking dude has been vegetarian for years. I hardly think Larry Graham or his JW conversion had anything to do with it...

You're wrong, then. Look at the man's behavior, lyrics, life, interviews. It's not difficult to see that he picked up veganism/vegetarianism when he went through his life changes between 1997-2001.

Larry and Tina are both vegetarian/vegans as well. And he wasn't vegetarian prior to that. Brother was only vegan for a short time and he ain't even vegetarian right now. "I don't eat red meat" does not a vegetarian make. Even if his diet is MOSTLY vege. When you consume meat, you rub your name off the list of vegetarians.

Why don't you just ask people, if they are around here anymore, who went to the 96 and earlier shows at Paisley, Glam Slam(s), etc? They will back it up. Especially if you know anyone here who was there back in the day. There was a reason Prince pointedly discussed veganism in 1997+ and it wasn't because he merely came to it randomly or he was that way for years. If you recall, he also swore off booze at the time as well despite being a fair drinker in his day.

Timmy84 said:

I got a question: when did Prince turn vegetarian? Or was he vegetarian the whole time and it was only after a certain time he started talking about it?

i dug up the article from the Vegetarian Times (Oct 1997)... prince talks on how he came to be a vegetarian and so much more... here's the link (4pages):

http://findarticles.com/p...ntent;col1

Shorty said:

this may have already been said but...I'm too lazy to read all the replies right now. I even noticed he kinda shrugged his shoulders a bit and said "vegitarian, I ain't messin' with not red meat tho" (or something like that.) which to me...meant...he's eating white meat also (fish, and chicken)...not so much a vegitarian at all, more like the only thing I don't eat is red meat. (is there a name for that?)

exactly how i understood it, like he's half arsed vegetarian & tucks in2 chicken & fish & chips when it suits

[Edited 4/17/11 3:46am]

I was confused by his statement "I don't touch no red meat though."

It seemed to imply that he was ok eating meat--just not red meat.

SagsWay2low said:

I was confused by his statement "I don't touch no red meat though."

It seemed to imply that he was ok eating meat--just not red meat.

I think he's started eating chicken and fish after a few years of strict vegetarianism in the early 2000's. I remember at the last celebration talking to people working there. They were sneaking in taco bell (beef) to eat. No one was supposed to eat meat while in PaisleyPark at that time!

DoffieParker said:

I went vegan last year and I'm loving it. I may have cheese or ice cream again someday but it won't ever be something that's apart of my regular diet. Meat I don't miss at all. I think Prince said he stopped eating meat in the late 80s/early 90s and went vegan in early 96. I don't think Larry had anything to do with it. If I recall correctly an interview from the Emancipation era, he said he had stopped eating meat about 8 years ago.

piepie1976 said:

stickywebs said:

Timmy84 said:

I got a question: when did Prince turn vegetarian? Or was he vegetarian the whole time and it was only after a certain time he started talking about it?

i dug up the article from the Vegetarian Times (Oct 1997)... prince talks on how he came to be a vegetarian and so much more... here's the link (4pages):

http://findarticles.com/p...ntent;col1

Ah so Mayte encouraged him?

Interesting he says "vegan" in the interview too.

catpark said:

piepie1976 said:

I went vegan last year and I'm loving it. I may have cheese or ice cream again someday but it won't ever be something that's apart of my regular diet. Meat I don't miss at all. I think Prince said he stopped eating meat in the late 80s/early 90s and went vegan in early 96. I don't think Larry had anything to do with it. If I recall correctly an interview from the Emancipation era, he said he had stopped eating meat about 8 years ago.

But when he came to London in the late 80s didn't he go into Macdonlds and buy everyone burgers?? Can't remember what year it was.

He landed in Heathrow and took a bunch of fans to McDonalds at the start of the UK Lovesexy tour. (or so I think)

Should b a category called, "Vegetabletarian" to emphasize veggies as the main course in the meal. Veggies

and fruit go well with all aspects of the meal, including the dessert.

funkyrake said:

Should b a category called, "Vegetabletarian" to emphasize veggies as the main course in the meal. Veggies

and fruit go well with all aspects of the meal, including the dessert.

That's what the word "vegetarian" is. The prefix is just shortened to "vege."

PurpleLove7 said:

He's been eating vegetarian for awhile and you can actually see in his build when he changed his diet. Back in his 20's he was very muscular and was b-ballin' like crazy and home-slice was cut up all over his stomach and torso area. I've been seeing pictures floating around and he's not as ripped but, there's some muscle there and being vegetarin kept him that way. I was just tellin' wifey today that he's got like my 8 soon to be 9yr old with how he's all over the place. I wanna know where he draws all that energy from and I dont' think it's 'drugs', perhaps just b-12 shots, the rumor like I heard ...

Anyone here a vegetarian or vegan?

no im not but i dont eat alot of meat.. i get B-12 shots and they dont give you energy... i wish i had his energy.. manuela said something on facebook about how she hopes he doesnt go into a charlie sheen rage??? everyone is wondering if he is taking something? i know he is against drugs but i would love to know where he gets his energy. he only ate a small organic salad with walnuts and apples before one of his shows.. and he played for 3 hours!

I've been vegan for over a year and a half now (and was vegetarian for five years prior to that), and it's quite literally changed my life. it's simply a healthier lifestyle if you do it right, and with a clean conscience to boot.

I have more energy, I get sick significantly less, I'm at my optimal BMI (Body Mass Index, basically what you should weigh in relation to how tall you are), I have more stamina (very important for a touring musician like myself), I require less sleep, I have better skin than I used to....the list goes on. Of course I am also at far less of a risk of cancer and heart disease.

Having a balanced diet is important no matter what your dietary choices are, but it's particularly important if you're becoming vegan after being accustomed to another kind of diet for a long period of time. It's not something you can just jump into without education and a proper understanding of what your body needs.

The point I want to stress the most is that it's much easier to be vegan than it might first seem. Of course this is dependent on where you live. Where I live in the UK, it's slightly more difficult than where I'm moving to in the US in a few months time (Portland, which has been called 'vegan mecca' LOL). But it's still not tough by any stretch of the imagination.

It's a discipline, and the reason many people try and then go back to vegetarianism or even meat-eating in some cases is because you need a strong will and you need to have a thorough and passionate understanding of it being the right thing to do. There have been times where it's become a "trend" or a "fad" and so you get people going for it without preparation, without the required understanding. I understand that Oprah did a vegan themed episode of her show recently. I can only hope she approached the topic with due diligence (I don't watch her show), otherwise there may be a fresh batch of new converts who aren't doing it for the right reasons and ultimately won't have the will to maintain it.

Spinlight said:

Timmy84 said:

I'm thinking dude has been vegetarian for years. I hardly think Larry Graham or his JW conversion had anything to do with it...

You're wrong, then. Look at the man's behavior, lyrics, life, interviews. It's not difficult to see that he picked up veganism/vegetarianism when he went through his life changes between 1997-2001.

Larry and Tina are both vegetarian/vegans as well. And he wasn't vegetarian prior to that. Brother was only vegan for a short time and he ain't even vegetarian right now. "I don't eat red meat" does not a vegetarian make. Even if his diet is MOSTLY vege. When you consume meat, you rub your name off the list of vegetarians.

Why don't you just ask people, if they are around here anymore, who went to the 96 and earlier shows at Paisley, Glam Slam(s), etc? They will back it up. Especially if you know anyone here who was there back in the day. There was a reason Prince pointedly discussed veganism in 1997+ and it wasn't because he merely came to it randomly or he was that way for years. If you recall, he also swore off booze at the time as well despite being a fair drinker in his day.

Yes, and your right because you spoke to Prince and he told you the day and time he became a vegtarian. His sister (Tyka) mentioned in an interview that when they were growing up they sometimes went to Seventh Day Adventist Church as their dad was a SDA. Well SDAs are vegetarians and JWs are a split off from SDA. So Prince may have known and been a vegetarian long before Larry came along.

ufoclub said:

Why on earth do meat eaters always ask us vegetarians why we are vegetarians! I mean this ALWAYS happens to me at meals!

We don't go around asking meat eaters why do you eat dead animals. At least most of the time we don't.

I have asked that once and was told 'meat tastes good' so I replied 'something tasting/feeling good doesn't make it right. Eating humans might taste nice too but does that make it right?'

swdee said:

Why on earth do meat eaters always ask us vegetarians why we are vegetarians! I mean this ALWAYS happens to me at meals!

We don't go around asking meat eaters why do you eat dead animals. At least most of the time we don't.

I have asked that once and was told 'meat tastes good' so I replied 'something tasting/feeling good doesn't make it right. Eating humans might taste nice too but does that make it right?'

Here's a handy chart for you - it's a game! "Defensive carnist Bingo"! LOL. See how many times you hear the following:

swdee said:

Why on earth do meat eaters always ask us vegetarians why we are vegetarians! I mean this ALWAYS happens to me at meals!

We don't go around asking meat eaters why do you eat dead animals. At least most of the time we don't.

I have asked that once and was told 'meat tastes good' so I replied 'something tasting/feeling good doesn't make it right. Eating humans might taste nice too but does that make it right?'

True, most vegetarians I've encountered don't do this. They just say things like, "Meat is murder" and tell omnivores that their diet is unhealthy - even if they know nothing about what the omnivore in question actually eats.

Spinlight said:

Timmy84 said:

I'm thinking dude has been vegetarian for years. I hardly think Larry Graham or his JW conversion had anything to do with it...

You're wrong, then. Look at the man's behavior, lyrics, life, interviews. It's not difficult to see that he picked up veganism/vegetarianism when he went through his life changes between 1997-2001.

Larry and Tina are both vegetarian/vegans as well. And he wasn't vegetarian prior to that. Brother was only vegan for a short time and he ain't even vegetarian right now. "I don't eat red meat" does not a vegetarian make. Even if his diet is MOSTLY vege. When you consume meat, you rub your name off the list of vegetarians.

Why don't you just ask people, if they are around here anymore, who went to the 96 and earlier shows at Paisley, Glam Slam(s), etc? They will back it up. Especially if you know anyone here who was there back in the day. There was a reason Prince pointedly discussed veganism in 1997+ and it wasn't because he merely came to it randomly or he was that way for years. If you recall, he also swore off booze at the time as well despite being a fair drinker in his day.

... bottom-line fam is that LG had a HUGE influence on majority of what Prince does or did. We cannot get away from that but, I wouldn't call my man a 'drone' like out of Star Trek or somethin' like that. If what he's doin' now is enhancin' 'HIS' life, then cool, do you Mr. Nelson. At the same time I would not give to much power to LG being GOD or Jehovah (in Prince's life).

Spinlight said:

Timmy84 said:

I'm thinking dude has been vegetarian for years. I hardly think Larry Graham or his JW conversion had anything to do with it...

You're wrong, then. Look at the man's behavior, lyrics, life, interviews. It's not difficult to see that he picked up veganism/vegetarianism when he went through his life changes between 1997-2001.

Larry and Tina are both vegetarian/vegans as well. And he wasn't vegetarian prior to that. Brother was only vegan for a short time and he ain't even vegetarian right now. "I don't eat red meat" does not a vegetarian make. Even if his diet is MOSTLY vege. When you consume meat, you rub your name off the list of vegetarians.

Why don't you just ask people, if they are around here anymore, who went to the 96 and earlier shows at Paisley, Glam Slam(s), etc? They will back it up. Especially if you know anyone here who was there back in the day. There was a reason Prince pointedly discussed veganism in 1997+ and it wasn't because he merely came to it randomly or he was that way for years. If you recall, he also swore off booze at the time as well despite being a fair drinker in his day.

I don't think you're correct in this idea. If anything the Larry Graham association eroded his new found vegan ethics. Larry's influence saw the introduction of a biblically sanctioned diet, Prince referenced it before. I would assume the bible diet allows for fish etc.

Dsoul said:

Spinlight said:

You're wrong, then. Look at the man's behavior, lyrics, life, interviews. It's not difficult to see that he picked up veganism/vegetarianism when he went through his life changes between 1997-2001.

Larry and Tina are both vegetarian/vegans as well. And he wasn't vegetarian prior to that. Brother was only vegan for a short time and he ain't even vegetarian right now. "I don't eat red meat" does not a vegetarian make. Even if his diet is MOSTLY vege. When you consume meat, you rub your name off the list of vegetarians.

Why don't you just ask people, if they are around here anymore, who went to the 96 and earlier shows at Paisley, Glam Slam(s), etc? They will back it up. Especially if you know anyone here who was there back in the day. There was a reason Prince pointedly discussed veganism in 1997+ and it wasn't because he merely came to it randomly or he was that way for years. If you recall, he also swore off booze at the time as well despite being a fair drinker in his day.

I don't think you're correct in this idea. If anything the Larry Graham association eroded his new found vegan ethics. Larry's influence saw the introduction of a biblically sanctioned diet, Prince referenced it before. I would assume the bible diet allows for fish etc.

For anyone interested, in the bible God only sanctioned the eating of produce of plants, up until Noah left the ark then they started eating meat.

So God's original perfect world was vegetarian until man messed it up and started killing. A meat eating follower of the bible can disagree but it's right there!

And it's prophesised in the bible that the world will trun back to this original perfect state where 'there will be NO death' and 'the lion shall lay down with the lamb'.

Jesus ate fish is an excuse but Jesus never existed, there's no proof. I used to believe it but after spending 2 years studying it intensifly I found that out to my surprise!

SagsWay2low said:

I was confused by his statement "I don't touch no red meat though."

It seemed to imply that he was ok eating meat--just not red meat.

Nah, I got out of that that's he's still vegetarian and he was giving his 'partial' reason why he doesn't eat red meat ESPECIALLY hot dogs ... LoL

@ how ridiculous many of the posts on this thread are - Mayte influenced Prince to be a vegan; no that evil guru Larry influenced Prince to be a vegan; wait a minute, Prince became a vegan for religious reasons; but Prince ate meat 30 years ago so how can he be a vegan now; blah blah blah.

It's just too much! Whatever the reason for his diet change, Prince stated himself that HE IS A VEGETARIAN. Many people have changed their diets throughout their lives for different reasons. At the end of the day, when you know better you do better. I have been a vegetarian for 18 years. I was not influenced by anything but the knowledge that I gained from researching diet and health. Maybe Prince did the same.

And for those of you who think the virgin goddess Mayte influenced Prince to be a vegan, when was that? Was it before she was on TV barbecuing steaks with Tommy Lee when she was running around with him on his reality show?