anangellooksdown said:

PS my father causes me as much pain as possible when he knows I'm already hurt.

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Sorry to hear that.

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Yeah, I ended up watching that episode of Kennedy's show (forget what its called, it's on Fox Business) after all.

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It was one of the cruddiest "tributes" that day, at least of what I saw. Clay Aiken?? She had Matt Fink on too, to be fair - but insulted him by saying, "So were you really good enough to play in his band?" (Something to that effect.)

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Totally classless.

CAL3 said:

What would y'all say makes Prince an "acquired taste" for some? Particularly, musically? It's hard for me to look at him objectively.

LRCdancer88 said:

What would y'all say makes Prince an "acquired taste" for some? Particularly, musically? It's hard for me to look at him objectively.

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A lot of people I've known can't appreciate falsetto vocals. I've seen so many people cringe as soon as they hear him (or anyone) singing in falsetto.

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Actually I think the bottom line is - a lot of white people won't listen to a black artist. Even some of the most liberal-minded white folks are shockingly segregated in their music listening preferences. And if you call them on it, they pull out their Hootie and the Blowfish CDs.

I guess the falsetto point makes sense. My SO has a hard time understanding what he's saying lol

As far as white people, you may have a point but I am very much white and in love with Prince, so... But you may be right about some, CAL3, I'm sure!

CAL3 said:

LRCdancer88 said:

What would y'all say makes Prince an "acquired taste" for some? Particularly, musically? It's hard for me to look at him objectively.

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A lot of people I've known can't appreciate falsetto vocals. I've seen so many people cringe as soon as they hear him (or anyone) singing in falsetto.

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Actually I think the bottom line is - a lot of white people won't listen to a black artist. Even some of the most liberal-minded white folks are shockingly segregated in their music listening preferences. And if you call them on it, they pull out their Hootie and the Blowfish CDs.

LRCdancer88 said:

I guess the falsetto point makes sense. My SO has a hard time understanding what he's saying lol

As far as white people, you may have a point but I am very much white and in love with Prince, so... But you may be right about some, CAL3, I'm sure!

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I'm white too - but some have called me the "male Rachel Dolezal" j/k

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I certainly don't mean to perpetuate any stereotypes. As you say - "some" (and as I say, "a lot of") white people are just not into music by black artists. Not even alleging "racism" either - it's just sort of a subconcsious thing it would seem.

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Oh and I'm basing this on anecdotal evidence, by the way! Not wide-ranging research. Though I think the argument would hold up to closer scrutiny!

LRCdancer88 said:

What would y'all say makes Prince an "acquired taste" for some? Particularly, musically? It's hard for me to look at him objectively.

I think the people of all races who say they "aren't into Pince" have either only heard his "Hits" and were turned off by his being Black and/or singing in falsetto and/or his androgyny.

One or any or all of those factors kept their minds closed and they never hot hear enough to make an informed decision about his talent.

I think if they heard P singing in something other than his falsetto, without knowing who was singing, they might appreciate him.

CAL3 said:

CAL3 said:

LRCdancer88 said:

So I know I'm a true Prince fam, but at the same time it shocks me when others aren't as admiring of Prince.

Case in point: I've been visiting home and tried watching the SOTT movie with my mother who was a passing fan of his most popular '80s hits. She totally didn't get into it and we didn't even get halfway through before she was bored and we stopped watching. She said that she didn't know the songs and was really just a fan of his hits. I ADORE THAT MOVIE. This was like a stab to the heart.

I know I am being SUPER sensitive but it really hurts when loved ones (my mother, my fiance, etc) don't at least try to indulge me in my interest. It makes me feel very alone in my admiration (I have no other friend or family to talk to him about, aside from y'all here, which I'm of course very thankful for ). I don't know what I'd do without the org.

I know I probably sound absolutely ridiculous as I can't expect other people to necessarily feel the same way I do about him, but it still really hurts. I apologize for this entire post but I felt the need to talk to someone about it. I hope you guys don't think I'm too ridiculous. Do any of you guys have any advice or personal anecdotes?

I hear ya. We know Prince was and still is a badd mama jama!!!

LRCdancer88 said:

BillieBalloon said:

I'm shocked that you're a Prince fan and think white people don't listen to him because hes black. How do you explain the swathes if white fans at his concerts? How about his European fans? Plenty of white ones I can tell you. Not perpetuating stereotype? but you are. Prince has many many white fans.

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You misread. I didn't remotely say what you seem to believe I said.

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Of course Prince has all types of fans of all different backgrounds.

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Not stereotyping in the slightest. The guy asked what turns off so many people from Prince. I put forth one reason that I've observed. Some - repeat s-o-m-e - white record buyers only buy music by white artists. Don't believe me? Look back on the entirety of music history.

[Edited 11/16/16 11:48am]

NorthC said:

Does that mean a black person who doesn't like Bob Dylan or Neil Young or The Beatles is also "shockingly segregated" when he pulls out his James Brown CDs? (For the record: I'm white and I like both James and Bob.)

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I'm talking about anyone who only listens to music by artists of one ethnic/racial background - that's segregation. And lots of people (of different backgrounds) do it.

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Your example doesn't illustrate that, so the answer to your question is no.

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Nowhere in my posts do I lump any type of listener/fan into one, all-inclusive grouping.

NorthC said:

Yeah, I know, I shouldn't get into discussions about race, it leads nowhere, but every once in a while I can't stop myself.

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It's not a discussion about race. It's a discussion about why so many non-Prince fans are, in fact, non-Prince fans. I should've said this - I'm speaking from a U.S. perspective.

CAL3 said:

So as to fan some flames here lol, I think it's fair to say that there are people of all races who may have issue with an artist (or any person for that matter) because of their race, because unfortunately that is the world we live in. But hopefully there aren't many people out there that can't appreciate P because of that.

As far as the falsetto and the IIWYG, I think that makes a lot of sense. I also think that my SO doesn't care for the funk in P's music. I think that permeates all his music (the Minneapolis Sound) in every genre type that he has dipped into (ballads, pop, hip hop, rock, etc) and I think some people just don't care for it.

BillieBalloon said:

CAL3 said:

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You misread. I didn't remotely say what you seem to believe I said.

I know how to read. Somebody asked you why you thought Prince was an acquired taste and you said.."Actually I think the bottom line is - a lot of white people won't listen to a black artist"

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YEAH - which is a very true statement. (Again, speaking from my experience as a U.S. resident.)

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What I didn't say was "white people don't listen to him because hes black."

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(edited this to specify I'm speaking in terms of the U.S. market)

[Edited 11/16/16 12:07pm]

Here guys, Prince has a rose for y'all!!!

LRCdancer88 said:

So as to fan some flames here lol, I think it's fair to say that there are people of all races who may have issue with an artist (or any person for that matter) because of their race, because unfortunately that is the world we live in. But hopefully there aren't many people out there that can't appreciate P because of that.

As far as the falsetto and the IIWYG, I think that makes a lot of sense. I also think that my SO doesn't care for the funk in P's music. I think that permeates all his music (the Minneapolis Sound) in every genre type that he has dipped into (ballads, pop, hip hop, rock, etc) and I think some people just don't care for it.

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Yes, I think you make a lot of sense!

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Another reason Prince isn't more appreciated on a widespread level by more mainstream (U.S.-based) music fans - he was an experimenter and a groundbreaker. He was too outre for a whole LOT of people. And of course it's also part of the reason he was so great.

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and there are many other reasons so many (U.S.-based) music consumers wince at the mention of Prince over the years. Their loss.

CAL3 said:

NorthC said:

CAL3 said:

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It's not a discussion about race. It's a discussion about why so many non-Prince fans are, in fact, non-Prince fans. I should've said this - I'm speaking from a U.S. perspective.

Says the guy who claimed that white people don't listen to black artists. And now you're saying it's not about race. Yeah. Right. Sure. Fine. Like I said, these discussions lead nowhere, so I'll stop making comments about this subject. Bye bye!

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Says the guy who claimed that white people don't listen to black artists.

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YOU DIDN'T READ WHAT I SAID. Obviously. Cuz I didn't say THAT.

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Damn!

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Let the record show - this turned into an argument because some people got defensive over statements that they MIS-read.

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The reason this kind of discussion runs the risk of leading nowhere is because of attitudes like yours. You read one thing, but "heard" another thing entirely. And then continued to refuse to listen to what was actually being put forth.

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EDIT: And by the way - I was simply contributing to a discussion, you don't have to agree of course. But you shouldn't twist my words (nor flat out ignore them).

[Edited 11/16/16 12:22pm]

It's never bothered me that my friends aren't into him. It was 2002, and I was 13...needless to say absolutely no one I knew was into P except for my parents. So I really don't know any different. I've had one friend that I made on Housequake and we've remained friends until this day. It wasn't until April that I became friends with an awesome group of people (who I met here on the org) who understand and share the same love. You like who you like, and if they don't...they just don't. Doesn't make the music (or movies) any less special.

I'm not intending to comment on whether some white people don't listen to black artists because they're black artists. It's possible. Some men don't read books by women because they're by women. But, as a white Prince fan who has played lots of Prince to white non-Prince fans one thing I can say for sure is that some white people are completely bafflingly immune to the funk. They just can't feel it. At all. It blows my mind.

I am white and a Prince fan - I never see colour - only musical notes

CAL3 said:

gollygirl said:

I am white and a Prince fan - I never see colour - only musical notes

Same This world is a mess , can't eveyone just love one another.

BillieBalloon said:

CAL3 said:

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YEAH - which is a very true statement. (Again, speaking from my experience as a U.S. resident.)

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What I didn't say was "white people don't listen to him because hes black."

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(edited this to specify I'm speaking in terms of the U.S. market)

[Edited 11/16/16 12:07pm]

You're assertion that "a lot of white people won't listen to a black artist" as an explanation as to why Prince is an acquired taste is nonsense.Im just telling you that when it comes to Prince your statement is not true. It's misguided. Prince's audience has always been ethnically diverse.

I posted this image in the picture thread. These are Prince fans in 84/85 The Prince fam have always been anyone and everyone in society. The same at every Prince concert i attended.

Guitarhero said: