Going back to that time I very much remember hearing the reason Prince did not do We Are The World was " Too bad people are starving in Africa but there are people starving right here in the USA. Lets help people here 1st then go elsewhere"

This answer and reply went away pretty quick then went into other reasons over time but I am talking about right when that all started up and I know I heard that from more than one spot.

I see all types of different answers now but never that original dime piece with at that time I agreed with 100% and still do...I was already on the Prince boat at that time but after hearing that it turned me into a crew member.

Just wondering if anyone remembers that original reply?

Prince had been helping the hungry, the deaf, dance companies, all without the "filmed" revelry before the We Are The World bullshitters even checked their ego at the door. Geldof came up with it and Jackson and Ritchie decided to cop off of that as if they were these caring for the world people when actually they were more worries about record sales, being number one and such. No MJ wanted to become a messiah.

Im glad Prince didnt articipate in that posing goodwill nonsense.

When I hear about this project I see Prince making a fool of Quincy with that lollipop ... that was hilarious!

BombFunk said:

When I hear about this project I see Prince making a fool of Quincy with that lollipop ... that was hilarious!

lol.."wanna lick?..psych!"

Quincy's dumb azz going for the sucker with his mouth all open lmao

Iamtheorg said:

BombFunk said:

When I hear about this project I see Prince making a fool of Quincy with that lollipop ... that was hilarious!

lol.."wanna lick?..psych!"

Quincy's dumb azz going for the sucker with his mouth all open lmao

He wasn't dumb. He was calling 's bluff. And I'm not sure anyone has ever referred to Q as a dumb ass. The man's music cred goes deep.

And you're right about Prince helping folks. He used to have canned food drives at shows during the Purple Rain Tour. I assume they went to local food banks. Of course, now we're hearing even more stories of his incredibly philanthropy.

Iamtheorg said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Iamtheorg said:

lol.."wanna lick?..psych!"

Quincy's dumb azz going for the sucker with his mouth all open lmao

He wasn't dumb. He was calling 's bluff.

hahah okay chief, if that's what you think

"Quincy pretty much confirmed the "rumours" with that move".....................I was thinking it, but you SAID it. (lol)

Think global, act local. Indeed.

Iamtheorg said:

Prince had been helping the hungry, the deaf, dance companies, all without the "filmed" revelry before the We Are The World bullshitters even checked their ego at the door. Geldof came up with it and Jackson and Ritchie decided to cop off of that as if they were these caring for the world people when actually they were more worries about record sales, being number one and such. No MJ wanted to become a messiah.

Im glad Prince didnt articipate in that posing goodwill nonsense.

John Cougar Mellencamp didn't take part of that neither, hence why he join Willie Nelson with Farm Aid instead.

Iamtheorg said:

Prince had been helping the hungry, the deaf, dance companies, all without the "filmed" revelry before the We Are The World bullshitters even checked their ego at the door. Geldof came up with it and Jackson and Ritchie decided to cop off of that as if they were these caring for the world people when actually they were more worries about record sales, being number one and such. No MJ wanted to become a messiah.

Im glad Prince didnt articipate in that posing goodwill nonsense.

There would have definitely been no WATW without Do They Know It's Christmas. Once I was old enough to READ the words and learn later on they only wanted UK artists and only barely featured Americans living in the UK at the time, it makes perfect sense why MJ and friends responded back to those artrocious, oppressive lyrics with more tactful ones.

Now pass the lolly to the left hand side

[Edited 5/31/16 21:31pm]

TrivialPursuit said:

He used to have canned food drives at shows during the Purple Rain Tour.

Actually, that's how he compensated The Revolution. It was in one of Per's books.

Junglehop said:

Can somebody explain this aforementioned Prince/Quincy Jones 'lollipop' incident to me?!… I've never heard about it before. What exactly happened, when and where? …is it on youtube?

When we are the world was performed at the AMA's for the 10 year anniversary, Prince was onstage, but he was nonchantly sucking on a lollipop.

alphastreet said:

Iamtheorg said:

Prince had been helping the hungry, the deaf, dance companies, all without the "filmed" revelry before the We Are The World bullshitters even checked their ego at the door. Geldof came up with it and Jackson and Ritchie decided to cop off of that as if they were these caring for the world people when actually they were more worries about record sales, being number one and such. No MJ wanted to become a messiah.

Im glad Prince didnt articipate in that posing goodwill nonsense.

There would have definitely been no WATW without Do They Know It's Christmas. Once I was old enough to READ the words and learn later on they only wanted UK artists and only barely featured Americans living in the UK at the time, it makes perfect sense why MJ and friends responded back to those artrocious, oppressive lyrics with more tactful ones.

Now pass the lolly to the left hand side

[Edited 5/31/16 21:31pm]

Actually Many folks liked the UK version better- myself included...I am too lazy to look it up but I think I remember Kool & The Gang and 1 or 2 other USA types included in that....those were the Duran Duran dayz of Wild....I remember Simon LeBon & John Taylor were rolling big in those days.

alphastreet said:

RiotPaisley said:

alphastreet said:

When we are the world was performed at the AMA's for the 10 year anniversary, Prince was onstage, but he was nonchantly sucking on a lollipop.

I Wondered how they got Prince on that stage while they sung that... Anyone know that?

He had bigger fish to fry. Such as promoting a record that at that time was likely not going to be released. Saying he ws a slave. Etc.

jimmy3121 said:

alphastreet said:

There would have definitely been no WATW without Do They Know It's Christmas. Once I was old enough to READ the words and learn later on they only wanted UK artists and only barely featured Americans living in the UK at the time, it makes perfect sense why MJ and friends responded back to those artrocious, oppressive lyrics with more tactful ones.

Now pass the lolly to the left hand side

[Edited 5/31/16 21:31pm]

Actually Many folks liked the UK version better- myself included...I am too lazy to look it up but I think I remember Kool & The Gang and 1 or 2 other USA types included in that....those were the Duran Duran dayz of Wild....I remember Simon LeBon & John Taylor were rolling big in those days.

I myself have always loved the UK one better cause of duran duran, wham and culture club at the time, and still love the song, but now only musically. The ignorance in the lyrics has left a bitter taste in my mouth, but the music and melody always gives me chills and makes me feel relieved I was at least alive in the 80's We are the world is sugary-sweet in comparison but took awhile to grow on me, I think I like mj's solo version better.

[Edited 5/31/16 22:34pm]

[Edited 5/31/16 22:35pm]

RiotPaisley said:

The song Hello which is a b-side says it. Check out the lyrics. I just never saw Prince fit in to that sort of thing. The whole thing was pretty cheesy. Prince often went hungry as a kid. Maybe he felt his time and money were better spent locally. Can't blame him.

.

We Are the World was great, but Prince was at the height, absolute height of his powers and popularity and fame at that moment and it would have been counterproductive for him to be seen with all those other people. Plus he just didn't seem like he would fit in because he's such a unique, similar person and artist.