Baltimore is breaking news. It is happening before our eyes. With his unrivaled prolificacy, Prince made a brilliant soundtrack for it seemingly overnight. It is social relevance and astounding artistry brought together in the classic Prince move that only Prince can make.

I live in Baltimore and the recent events inspired me to do more to help the community. The song "Baltimore" and Prince's words during the concert inspired me even more and I'm sure inspired others. His efforts made a difference. What he said about the young people in Baltimore needed a "piece" of the wealth was right on point.

[Edited 5/27/15 8:09am]

FUNKYNESS said:

Baltimore is breaking news. It is happening before our eyes. With his unrivaled prolificacy, Prince made a brilliant soundtrack for it seemingly overnight. It is social relevance and astounding artistry brought together in the classic Prince move that only Prince can make.

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????

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Do you mean Baltimore - the song,

Or Baltimore - the concert?

It's definitely raised awareness. Before the Prince actions I knew absolutely nothing about what was happening there. Now, I just know very little.

The song and the concert received a lot of press, that's for sure. But did either of them really help?

a lot of Prince's white fans seem to harbor racist attitudes. unfortunate.

it was a great move by Prince, yes, and while the song wasn't a masterpiece, it was very enjoyable.

scratch said:

a lot of Prince's white fans seem to harbor racist attitudes. unfortunate.

it was a great move by Prince, yes, and while the song wasn't a masterpiece, it was very enjoyable.

ALL LIVES MATTER !!!!

NOT JUST BLACK ONES PRINCE !!!

THERES ALL RACES GETTING KILLED .... SING A SONG ABOUT THAT MUTHA @@)#@

BUT

atleast somebody is bringing light to darkness .... but like i said

KingSausage said:

I don't think one has to be racist of harbor racist attitudes to recognize that the fairly trite lyrics and delayed timing of Baltimore didn't exactly rise to the momentous occasion.

Money.

Se7en said:

The song and the concert received a lot of press, that's for sure. But did either of them really help?

If a lot of money was raised AND donated, I would say yes but there's no way of knowing the details on that. The song itself wasn't all that memorable to me, so I'm not sure about any social relevance it may have either.

donnyenglish said:

I live in Baltimore and the recent events inspired me to do more to help the community. The song "Baltimore" and Prince's words during the concert inspired me even more and I'm sure inspired others. His efforts made a difference. What he said about the young people in Baltimore needed a "piece" of the wealth was right on point.

[Edited 5/27/15 8:09am]

Being that you actually live in Bmore and were inspired to do more to help the community really says it all. Nothing else said on this thread is more important than that.

Because of folks like you I was happy to donate.

N'en déplaise my good friend the King of all Sausages, Prince's reaction, his song and his concert were certainly a balm and it did clearly inspire and give solace. Prince knows a thing or two about fighting the man, trouble is people don't get how hippy he is about it.

scratch said:

a lot of Prince's white fans seem to harbor racist attitudes. unfortunate.

it was a great move by Prince, yes, and while the song wasn't a masterpiece, it was very enjoyable.

This right here is the definition of racism and stereotyping. Change the word "white" to any other color or nationality and tell me you still think that it's an okay statement to make.

Genesia said:

madison said:

jdcxc said:

madison said:

ALL LIVES MATTER !!!!

NOT JUST BLACK ONES PRINCE !!!

THERES ALL RACES GETTING KILLED .... SING A SONG ABOUT THAT MUTHA @@)#@

Simple minded drivel. And P has ALWAYS had a multicultural and universal agenda. Tourist- Get off this board.

Have to agree. Prince has said in numerous cities (including the Detroit show that recently surfaced) "You have a beautiful city. Take care of it so I can come back. Take care of one another. It doesn't matter the color."

Some of the most inclusive things Prince has said to fans. Like ever.

Se7en said:

The song and the concert received a lot of press, that's for sure. But did either of them really help?

That is a question that one can only answer for one's self

i thought the poster was saying ..as far as a career move..get attention and now release his album in the summer

madison said:

ALL LIVES MATTER !!!!

NOT JUST BLACK ONES PRINCE !!!

THERES ALL RACES GETTING KILLED .... SING A SONG ABOUT THAT MUTHA @@)#@

I agree with this. I

I've always thought that Prince was more intelligent than to bow down to pressure from society to fit in. That is exactly what he did with this song. Gray's death is suspect, but Michael Brown brought on his death himself. It's a proven fact. Prince is confusing "Pro-black", which is about being proud of your race for the good they have done/are doing and "Black Lives Matter", which is about villifying the police, don't snitch, overall hood creed. We don't need to glorify that. But, as it turns out, it is too late now...look at the crime going on in Baltimore now, because the police are too afraid to get involved. It comes down to a simple equation...which is the bigger problem? A few rouge cops or the ghetto culture which breeds crime in the first place? Fix one problem, fix the other. Change starts within.

madison said:

ALL LIVES MATTER !!!!

NOT JUST BLACK ONES PRINCE !!!

THERES ALL RACES GETTING KILLED .... SING A SONG ABOUT THAT MUTHA @@)#@

I agree with this. I

I've always thought that Prince was more intelligent than to bow down to pressure from society to fit in. That is exactly what he did with this song. Gray's death is suspect, but Michael Brown brought on his death himself. It's a proven fact. Prince is confusing "Pro-black", which is about being proud of your race for the good they have done/are doing and "Black Lives Matter", which is about villifying the police, don't snitch, overall hood creed. We don't need to glorify that. But, as it turns out, it is too late now...look at the crime going on in Baltimore now, because the police are too afraid to get involved. It comes down to a simple equation...which is the bigger problem? A few rouge cops or the ghetto culture which breeds crime in the first place? Fix one problem, fix the other. Change starts within.

A 30th Anniversay Purple Rain 6 CD and 2 DVD disc box set would've been a better "move".

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Revolution said:

madison said:

ALL LIVES MATTER !!!!

NOT JUST BLACK ONES PRINCE !!!

THERES ALL RACES GETTING KILLED .... SING A SONG ABOUT THAT MUTHA @@)#@

I agree with this. I

I've always thought that Prince was more intelligent than to bow down to pressure from society to fit in. That is exactly what he did with this song. Gray's death is suspect, but Michael Brown brought on his death himself. It's a proven fact. Prince is confusing "Pro-black", which is about being proud of your race for the good they have done/are doing and "Black Lives Matter", which is about villifying the police, don't snitch, overall hood creed. We don't need to glorify that. But, as it turns out, it is too late now...look at the crime going on in Baltimore now, because the police are too afraid to get involved. It comes down to a simple equation...which is the bigger problem? A few rouge cops or the ghetto culture which breeds crime in the first place? Fix one problem, fix the other. Change starts within.

"Black Lives Matter" is not "Only Black Lives Matter", it's "Black Lives Matter Too".

It's pretty obvious.

Aerogram said:

Revolution said:

I agree with this. I

I've always thought that Prince was more intelligent than to bow down to pressure from society to fit in. That is exactly what he did with this song. Gray's death is suspect, but Michael Brown brought on his death himself. It's a proven fact. Prince is confusing "Pro-black", which is about being proud of your race for the good they have done/are doing and "Black Lives Matter", which is about villifying the police, don't snitch, overall hood creed. We don't need to glorify that. But, as it turns out, it is too late now...look at the crime going on in Baltimore now, because the police are too afraid to get involved. It comes down to a simple equation...which is the bigger problem? A few rouge cops or the ghetto culture which breeds crime in the first place? Fix one problem, fix the other. Change starts within.

"Black Lives Matter" is not "Only Black Lives Matter", it's "Black Lives Matter Too".

It's pretty obvious.

There needs to be a "Like" button for posts like this.

I posted this before, but I would've liked to have seen the proceeds of the Baltimore track on iTunes go toward helping the family and/or the people of Baltimore. For all we know, they very well might be, but without that public-facing declaration, it is probably unlikely. And, more people woud probably buy it knowing it was for charity.

.

Aside from that, the song itself is actually growing on me. It's not a deep track, but it's catchy. Maybe it was meant to be "anti-deep" because the situation in Baltimore needed something to lighten the mood a bit.

Se7en said:

KingSausage said:

Se7en said:

There needs to be a "Like" button for posts like this.

I totally agree.

There was no "pressure" on Prince to stand up and shine light on injustice. Prince knows he is black and he saw something happening to black people that he felt the need to speak on. Black Lives Matter came out of the fact that black lives were bring ended with far more frequency and disregard than the lives of all other peoples. Only unenlightened racists would try to marginalized the context and intent of the phrase by suggesting that it is an exclusion of other peoples. The problem that we have is that black men; not white men or Hispanic men or Asian men; where being gunned down and beaten to death by police with little or no repercussions - thus the poignant wording of the slogan. In America, black people are always smacked down when they attempt to stand up for themselves as they are oppressed to the bottom rung of the social ladder.

It took a courageous maverick innovator to step forward with such impact and attention. At various times in his life, that is what Prince has been. That is what he was almost 40 years ago when he left Mpls and demanded to produce his first album as a teen neophyte to the music business. Some two decades later, that is what he was when he struck out independently and challenged the establishment with original, unconventional ideas on distribution, marketing, and sales of his music and concerts.

Today, with more of a social context which he can afford to assert at this stage in his illustrious career, Prince once again fears no one, leverages his unparalleled influence and status, and exercises his enviable freedom to do whatever he believes is right - classic Prince.