EmmaMcG said:

RODSERLING said:

Wow, this sucks a lot. The only interest in a tribute is to increase sales. These artists are not as bankable as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, JAY Z...These ones could have make young people interested in Prince. Nobody wants to listen to Janelle Monae or D ANGELO singing Prince's songs.

They may not be as "bankable" but the likes of D'Angelo is a hell of a lot more talented than Beyoncé or her husband. The lineup seems to indicate that this tribute is more about showing respect for Prince and his music.

They all payed tribute to Prince already on youtube. Young people won't feel the need to get an interest in prince with seeing D or Janelle Monae. Frankly...Prince needed the biggest black acts of nowadays.

RODSERLING said:

EmmaMcG said:

RODSERLING said: They may not be as "bankable" but the likes of D'Angelo is a hell of a lot more talented than Beyoncé or her husband. The lineup seems to indicate that this tribute is more about showing respect for Prince and his music.

They all payed tribute to Prince already on youtube. Young people won't feel the need to get an interest in prince with seeing D or Janelle Monae. Frankly...Prince needed the biggest black acts of nowadays.

The youth will be watching the show regardless. They will be watching to see the other performances and to see if their faves win. C'mon now.

RODSERLING said:

After the show I will look back on this thread and giggle. I expect a good tribute. No one can sing like Prince... and thats the point... don't try to sing like Prince Sing the songs thier way and from the heart.

I don't care for Janelle's rendition of Lets Go Crazy... and since she did it the last tribute she was part of I don't expect it again. I think she would d a good job with almost any other song of his.

D'Angelo brought tears with his rendition of SISIA o the tonight show.... as long as he sticks to his strengths... the ballads.... I dont see why he couldn't do a phenomimnal job.

Shiela E... isn't she one of the people every one been clmoring for to be part of a Prince tribute..?

laurarichardson said:

keenly said:

Monae was HORRIFIC last time. Truly atrocious and embarassing. The last P tribute was a wreck.

Sorry but Miguel is a much better singer than D.

Sounds like this will be terrible.

--- No surprise with your post.

My post is the truth. Watch it back.

Fury said:

Nobody has ever or will ever sound like him, or perform like him so no performance/tribute will ever be really "great"...but these are his friends, his peers and they are talented in their own right. As long as they are doing this out of love and respect for Prince, it's a good thing, IMO.

CROWNS1 said:

Nobody has ever or will ever sound like him, or perform like him so no performance/tribute will ever be really "great"...but these are his friends, his peers and they are talented in their own right. As long as they are doing this out of love and respect for Prince, it's a good thing, IMO.

That's what Madonna did...

D'Angelo will probably deliver a rocking "She's Always in My Hair" or something with a somber tone. I don't care just as long as it helps me forget the trainwreck otherwise known as the Billboard Music Awards tribute.

suomynona said:

CROWNS1 said:

Nobody has ever or will ever sound like him, or perform like him so no performance/tribute will ever be really "great"...but these are his friends, his peers and they are talented in their own right. As long as they are doing this out of love and respect for Prince, it's a good thing, IMO.

That's what Madonna did...

true. It was painful to watch too.

Tell me what happened.

RODSERLING said:

Wow, this sucks a lot. The only interest in a tribute is to increase sales. These artists are not as bankable as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, JAY Z...These ones could have make young people interested in Prince. Nobody wants to listen to Janelle Monae or D ANGELO singing Prince's songs.

Jay-Z doing a tribute to Prince? Beyonce? LAUGHABLE!!!!

Identity said:

D'Angelo will probably deliver a rocking "She's Always in My Hair" or something with a somber tone. I don't care just as long as it helps me forget the trainwreck otherwise known as the Billboard Music Awards tribute.

I'm almost betting that D will do "She's Always in My Hair". Wonder if Jesse J. will be there to back him?

RODSERLING said:

Wow, this sucks a lot. The only interest in a tribute is to increase sales. These artists are not as bankable as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, JAY Z...These ones could have make young people interested in Prince. Nobody wants to listen to Janelle Monae or D ANGELO singing Prince's songs.

Do you think about anything other than ratings, rankings, sales and popularity? Like ever?? If there's a time to put your concerns about popularity and sales to the side, I think the moment of someone's death might be a suitable moment for that.

I thought I was the only one who didn't like Janelle Monoe's performance of Let's Go Crazy.

I was really hoping Miguel would've been included.

But please, no more covers of PR.

[Edited 6/7/16 10:49am]

Layzie said:

I thought I was the only one who didn't like Janelle Monoe's performance of Let's Go Crazy.

I was really hoping Miguel would've been included.

But please, no more covers of PR.

[Edited 6/7/16 10:49am]

She did a cover of David Bowie's "Heroes" too that I didn't like at all. I love everything that Janelle represents and I see very clearly what Prince saw in her. She's talented as hell. But I think she does best when she's not trying to be anything other than herself. D'Angelo has studied Prince closely his entire life so he knows how to invoke him on the stage and he did well covering him. A person like Janelle has to find a way to make whatever she covers her own.

For people who argue that the tribute should include more "bankable" artists, how does that fit with the fact that Prince was scornful of Top 40 radio, as well as most hit music?

I think he would have preferred musicians he respected to the most "popular" ones.

I like everyone on this list. I hope they add The Time and also some of the members of the Revolution and NPG. I am sure Janelle Monae will do a great job. Everyone who is bashing her (based on one performance you didn't care for) might want to remember that Prince had great admiration and respect for Janelle.

EmmaMcG said:

RODSERLING said:

Wow, this sucks a lot. The only interest in a tribute is to increase sales. These artists are not as bankable as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, JAY Z...These ones could have make young people interested in Prince. Nobody wants to listen to Janelle Monae or D ANGELO singing Prince's songs.

They may not be as "bankable" but the likes of D'Angelo is a hell of a lot more talented than Beyoncé or her husband. The lineup seems to indicate that this tribute is more about showing respect for Prince and his music.

very true.

missfee said:

RODSERLING said:

Wow, this sucks a lot. The only interest in a tribute is to increase sales. These artists are not as bankable as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, JAY Z...These ones could have make young people interested in Prince. Nobody wants to listen to Janelle Monae or D ANGELO singing Prince's songs.

Jay-Z doing a tribute to Prince? Beyonce? LAUGHABLE!!!!

This. Beyonce's rendition of "The Beautiful Ones" is equivalent to an act of inhumanity.

Brothers and Sisters, can we all chill on this for now and save our negativity for the show itself if it's warranted at that point? Until then, let's throw some positive vibes to BET. Like my good friend John Lennon once said, "give peace a chance."

suomynona said:

RODSERLING said:

keenly said:

laurarichardson said:

RODSERLING said:

Wow, this sucks a lot. The only interest in a tribute is to increase sales. These artists are not as bankable as Beyonce, Alicia Keys, JAY Z...These ones could have make young people interested in Prince. Nobody wants to listen to Janelle Monae or D ANGELO singing Prince's songs.

-- Comment deleted - langebleu - moderator [Edited 6/7/16 12:04pm]

Ouch.

OldFriends4Sale said:

suomynona said:

D did a fine tribute with Princess on Fallon. Why? Because it encapsulated everything we (as fans) have always felt about that song. The stripped down piano only, with D'Angelo not trying to sound like Prince, but doing so anyways -- cracking at one point, where Princess needed to sing lead for a second so D could finish. A very touching performance.

SNL did it right because they simply showed all of his old live appearances BECAUSE THEY KNOW NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT LIKE PRINCE.

Even Prince used to say that exact phrase in live performances.

I understand that artists want to do a tribute -- and have huge egos, believing they can cover Prince's works -- and that some fans want to see a tribute. But it is going to be a trainwreck.

D'Angelo and Questlove have already done their Prince tribute. It was called "Voodoo" and it was released in 2001. That entire record is a Prince tribute. The Voodoo tour itself was a joke, because unlike Prince -- neither the Roots or D'Angelo come close to having what Prince had on stage. Sheila's tribute is that she's still here, doing session work and occasionally performing live. We've already seen Monae perform Prince tracks live with mixed reactions across the board (and that's being nice.) Maxwell's voice hasn't been the same since his 2001 release "Now." Alicia Keys? (I'm assuming Musze & Alicia are there to promote their new records. They might participate somehow in the tribute, but I doubt they'll do their own covers.)

I love how BET is calling it "the greatest Prince tribute ever." The bar is set very low. All they have to do is top the Billboard Music Awards. If D performs SISIA again, this time with The Roots -- it won't have the same effect as his Tonight Show appearance -- which was 2 days after Prince passed and everything was still very raw -- for everyone.

Actually Sheila E has been performing live none stop for the last 20yrs in the last 10 yrs she turned it up.

She's guested with the Time & the Family in recent years.
Her old band CoEd(all female)Rhonda Katt Dyson Cassandra ..in the early 2000s did a lot of shows (a lot of the time Lisa Wendy & Susannah were a part of the band) and Candy Dulfer

about 2009 she teamed up with Eddie M again and they have been touring and doing shows regularly

Sheila does a great Erotic City.

wizardtelly said:

Some of these responses are just pitiful. Absolutely pitiful. D'Angelo is a superb choice. Then again, some of you have said that St. Vincent is the next Prince and that the Madonna tribute was appropriate. That says a lot. D'Angelo's whole catalogue is a homage to Prince. The Roots are a superb choice, Questlove drums the way he does because of Prince. I'm not fond of Janelle Monae but she respects and loves Prince and won't be any worse than Madonna.

Maybe D & ? can start a cover band!