babynoz said:

nursev said:

Not 2 upset U D fans, but the elephant in the room is always there with him...Hes always sick supposedly...has he ever fully gotten off drugs?

D fans should be used to him being MIA by now. I'm satisfied with his SNL tribute.

D'Angelo and the Princess' tribute aired two days after P passed on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon."

OldFriends4Sale said:

could have done without this one...

Agreed. It makes me realize that Janelle probably doesn't get Prince. He made it quite clear that he regretted a lot of the crazier things he did in his career because it wasn't really necessary. The power of the music was enough. Stuff like that should stay in the past where it can be appreciated. Outside of that, I think she really captured some of the youthful energy of Prince in the early 80s.

limoncello said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

the familiar 'oowwwhaaa' call she made while on the drums

* the embrace, didn't think of that one

* Sheila has done America on tour since 1985 she's done it on more recent shows too(guest Brown Mark on bass)

Mazarati would do the song (along with Head) on their shows in 1986

* probably the barefoot thing is because Sheila goes barefoot in a lot of her shows too

* Sheila's piece was the reason I watched it (also hoping the Time would have been there) but these are the only people who would have pulled out these things. The Prince yelp, etc Sheila represented me as a Prince fan and a HUGE Prince fan of the 1978-1989 yrs She tried to get as much as possible in that performance, She will carry this stuff an more into her live shows for sure.

Thanks, I didn't realize Sheila still played America in her shows. Was wondering if there was any particular message in playing it during this crazy election year, but maybe not. There were a couple of moments during her tribute where I jumped out of my seat and squealed. One was when I saw Mayte, then Jerome, another when America started playing. Such a great jam.

To me, all those little touches made it the best tribute. It was a proper party, lovingly presented.

https://www.youtube.com/w...ZHMa2F92U4

I finally got the courage to watch it and I am very thankful to BET and all of the musicians involved to honor our hero properly. The effort, respect and artistry was special. Obviously, Shela E. was the highlight. I wouldn't expect such an upbeat performance would leave me in tears, but it did. Maxwell's performance also hit me hard. He did a very good job. Nothing compares to Prince, so critiquing anyone's tribute to Prince is a pointless exercise. But, Billboard did not pay respect to his legacy properly and I'm eternally grateful for BET for giving me an opportunity to mourn and celebrate him. Bravo BET.

did anyone see tyka and her family during the show? i saw mayte's mom, jamie fox,his white daughter and his boyfriend and even a quick glimse of mt and eb, but didn't see tyka.

purplethunder3121 said:

babynoz said:

Yeah, they seem split into different factions.

I guess that means separate tributes for the forseeable future.

That's a damned shame, if true. I would like to see them all united for the greatest Purple tribute ever.

I never read anything of any cliques or splitting with anyone.
Cat just has some issues with Sheila E from years

CherryMoon57 said:

NinaB said:

luv4u said: Aww Sheila Hope she gets 2 take it easy now.

She's gonna be touring soon apparently (watch this at 3:15) https://www.youtube.com/w...pp=desktop

excellent good news! if not a larger venue, she and her band could come to minneapolis and book Paisley Park. maybe have a weekend of shows there...

NinaB said:

luv4u said:

Sheila is crying. I see a tear down her left cheek.

Aww Sheila Hope she gets 2 take it easy now.

awh, she gave it her all ............for Prince. She genuinely loved this guy. I just downloaded her single, you were just a boy, and it will bring tears to your eyes.

She did Prince proud. Janelle did a good job too, as well as Jennifer Hudson, and Maxwell. He was really good too.

[Edited 6/28/16 10:00am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

Let me tell you, when they raised that purple guitar to the stars, and then slowly lowered it, I was done. Tears. It really got me. I truly loved Prince....

XxAxX said:

CherryMoon57 said:

She's gonna be touring soon apparently (watch this at 3:15) https://www.youtube.com/w...pp=desktop

excellent good news! if not a larger venue, she and her band could come to minneapolis and book Paisley Park. maybe have a weekend of shows there...

...or the UK even, if she's not too tired after that superfunkycalifragisexy performance.

I watched it all again last night - and DAYUM remember people mostly everyone on that stage save for Janelle is OLD lololol they looked like they were 30 years younger and thats what love & mastery of your craft does for you.

Take care of your body, master your craft. Exercise your love. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH.

I know they were all packed in ice the next day massages and foam roling for everyone woooooo!

2elijah said:

journalism16 said:

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing tributes to Prince. The people involved, including Shelia and Mayte, and those involved in his bands were amazing. The end of the tribute was very powerful. Even though he is gone, it makes me happy to know that BET honored him in this way and always and forever will show him love. We should all be blessed and grateful that we were living in this time while Prince was here and entertaining us all. He is truly forever loved, forever missed, and a truly wonderful human being. I thank God that he allowed Prince to bless us as long as he did, and we were blessed to have him for such a time as this. And Jesse's speech was also very powerful and so important. I liked some of the performances, as well as Alicia Keys performance.

Did Alicia Keys sing one of Prince's songs, I wasn't sure if that was a tribute to him, or a new song from her? The show was pretty good, and it was nice to see his family there, and I am happy that I had a chance to hear some of the songs that I had never heard before (era late 70's, early-late 80's), so it was new to me; but familiar to more seasoned fans.

(Bolded part)Lovely post. You summed it up so eloquently. I will be forever grateful for the music and his presence that he shared with us. [Edited 6/28/16 3:42am]

Thank you so much. As an eighties baby, but nineties child, I grew up listening to everything from Diamonds and Pearls, (not the whole album), to Musicology and after. I am a fan of his because my parents were fans, so in essence, they introduced me to some of his music growing up, and I am able to hear his older work, now that I am older. But that is how I feel about Prince and other artists I love that have passed on from this world to the next. But I will always and forever be a fan.

I just love Jerome ... I do agree that these seasoned veterans were spectacular. They are all "old school" - they came up the way Prince did, and they have the same work ethic (okay, maybe not as OCD as him, but close). I cannot wait to support them when they go out on tour.

lrn36 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

could have done without this one...

Agreed. It makes me realize that Janelle probably doesn't get Prince. He made it quite clear that he regretted a lot of the crazier things he did in his career because it wasn't really necessary. The power of the music was enough. Stuff like that should stay in the past where it can be appreciated. Outside of that, I think she really captured some of the youthful energy of Prince in the early 80s.

Well, but running with your theme, didn't he forsake "Erotic City" as well? And Sheila played that, unless that also changed later in life like I know playing "Dirty Mind" live did.

Furthermore, for what it's worth, I thought it when I watched the footage and now am certain looking at that quoted image. Janelle Monae didn't actually bare anything, it looks to be some kind of flesh-colored fabric, just like I don't think Sheila went full 1984 raunch with her rendition.

[Edited 6/28/16 10:06am]

[Edited 6/28/16 10:07am]

WhisperingDandelions said:

lrn36 said:

Agreed. It makes me realize that Janelle probably doesn't get Prince. He made it quite clear that he regretted a lot of the crazier things he did in his career because it wasn't really necessary. The power of the music was enough. Stuff like that should stay in the past where it can be appreciated. Outside of that, I think she really captured some of the youthful energy of Prince in the early 80s.

Well, but running with your theme, didn't he forsake "Erotic City" as well? And Sheila played that, unless that also changed later in life like I know playing "Dirty Mind" live did.

Furthermore, for what it's worth, I thought it when I watched the footage and now am certain looking at that quoted image. Janelle Monae didn't actually bare anything, it looks to be some kind of flesh-colored fabric, just like I don't think Sheila went full 1984 raunch with her rendition.

[Edited 6/28/16 10:06am]

[Edited 6/28/16 10:07am]

Well, I'm talking more about the antics, like performing fellatio on a microphone or shooting jizz out a guitar. Leave that stuff back where it belongs when it was daring and fresh and just celebrate the music.

Billboard has a very good interview up with Sheila E. about the tribute. She talks about who was and wasn't involved and why. Sounds pretty simple, really:

The first group of tribute songs I had selected were based on who was going to be in the band and who I could feature; people like Chaka Khan, Larry Graham, Morris Day & the Time or the Revolution.

All of that was in play initially. When I put out the ask, not everyone was available to do it or felt they weren’t ready. I understood everyone’s position and respected it because I almost felt the same way.

Then I asked who else was doing the show and was told D’Angelo, Janelle Monae and Stevie Wonder. I thought that would be cool if they did a song with me as well. At one point, I wanted Stevie to sing “U Got the Look” to Janelle. But then everyone decided to do their own thing. And I have no idea what happened with D’Angelo. So I called in not just my band but members of the New Power Generation including keyboardist Morris Hayes. I also called backup singers Shelby Johnson, Liv Warield, Lynn Mabry and Elisa Fiorello plus dancers Mayte [Garcia, Prince’s ex-wife] and the twins (sisters Maya and Nandy McClean). Jerome Benton (The Time) came in at the last minute on Thursday.

http://www.billboard.com/...et-tribute

[Edited 6/28/16 10:44am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

musicfan77 said:

It looks like Manuela, Prince's second wife was possibly at Bet Awards.

This girl looks just like her. She is in between the heavy set guy wearing a light colored hat, glasses and a yellow v shirt. There is a young kid next to him and it looks like Manuala right between them. It's during the Sheila E tribute.

The photo is in Paintbrush and I don't know how to post it.

musicfan77 said:

It looks like Manuela, Prince's second wife was possibly at Bet Awards.

This girl looks just like her. She is in between the heavy set guy wearing a light colored hat, glasses and a yellow v shirt. There is a young kid next to him and it looks like Manuala right between them. It's during the Sheila E tribute.

The photo is in Paintbrush and I don't know how to post it.

She was there with her husband EB

It's funny the moments that make you emotional.

**

I had various moments that got to me, but at the very end when the purple flower-petal confetti came down I just .... it killed me. Killed. It reminded me how when he would end the PR-era shows with Purple Rain and there was that loooooong denouement after he left the stage where the music was still playing, softly, on loop (the final strains of Purple Rain) and there was confetti and sparkly lights like stars and you had just had this BIG experience and was it over, or was there more? Where was he? Where the hell was he from, was he even human, and how did he make me just feel that way? How is this moment encapsulating my whole life, and where my life is going (how I felt when I was a teenager watching this happen) and now how I feel about where my life has been (now that I'm a middle-aged person)?

**

So much of his music is literally the sound of yearning, and now that yearning feels so different because it's yearning that can never be remedied, because he's gone.

[Edited 6/28/16 10:57am]

rogifan said:

BillieBalloon said:

rogifan said:

musicfan77 said:

Let me tell you, when they raised that purple guitar to the stars, and then slowly lowered it, I was done. Tears. It really got me. I truly loved Prince....

Interesting that the last image is Sheila raising the cloud guitar yet there wasn't one guitar tribute the entire night. Maybe that was on purpose e.g. no one could do properly do his guitar playing justice?

There was some nice soloing by the guitarist of The Roots during Bilal's performance that I think captured Prince's soloing style nicely.

Sheila played guitar a little bit herself during "America" - not sure why though. Maybe she just wanted to perform "America" the way Prince used to do it.

Stevie also played that weird laptop guitar / mini keyboard hybrid instrument that according to him he started to play because he wanted to do something similar to what Prince did on a guitar.

In any case, I liked the ending quite a lot.

leslievette said:

Was reading Billboard interview with Sheila and it seems she put the invite out to several people to perform. Revolution included. She said people either couldn't do it, or weren't ready yet. I almost get the feeling she was having trouble finding people to participate. Kudos to her for doing it even though she clearly wasn't ready and doing such a stellar job of it. Sometimes, doing the right thing isn't easy and you just have to put your big girl pants on and do it. I have such respect for her.

novabrkr said:

Stevie also played that weird laptop guitar / mini keyboard hybrid instrument that according to him he started to play because he wanted to do something similar to what Prince did on a guitar.

That's a harpejji. Pretty cool instrument:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpejji

kitbradley said:

Baduizm said: