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Thread started 02/21/17 2:16am

jaypotton

What if...?

Sure this has been done to death before (probably by me at some point but my memory is fading these days lol)...

I often find myself asking "what if Prince had done XYZ differently, how would that have changed things?"

Clearly nobody knows what would happen if something changed and we certainly couldn't assume what follows would have been a variation on what really happened!

For me there are five big "What if" moments in Prince's career (sure others would have different ones). However, despite listing these chronologically there cannot be any linkage between them because changing an earlier one would likely mean a later one would not have come to pass!

1. Prince had not got involved in Batman?
2. Prince had not gone after the $$$ in the 1992 contract but instead opted for more creative freedom (masters, frequency of release)?
3. Prince and Mayte's son had not died?
4. Prince had not become a Jehovas Witness?
5. Prince had not dies in 2016?

Just wonder if people have any thoughts on what each of these isolated events might have resulted in?
'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything.
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Reply #1 posted 02/21/17 2:40am

CherryMoon57

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6. What if Prince had not been born...

Life Matters
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Reply #2 posted 02/21/17 3:19am

TheEnglishGent

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I think without 3 there's no 4 and possibly even no 5.

RIP sad
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Reply #3 posted 02/21/17 3:32am

jaypotton

CherryMoon57 said:

6. What if Prince had not been born...



Thank you for that valuable contribution. Who knows what we would do without such amazing insight! biggrin
'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything.
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Reply #4 posted 02/21/17 3:34am

jaypotton

TheEnglishGent said:

I think without 3 there's no 4 and possibly even no 5.




Agreed. I think it is clear he was open to the JW through dealing with his grief over son etc.

I was more interested in each what if in isolation. So if his son had still died but he had not become a JW then what would have happened. Likely no TRC for example but clearly more besides.
'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything.
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Reply #5 posted 02/21/17 3:49am

Se7en

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Prince's popularity was on a downswing before Batman. I think people forget that. Batman thrust him back into popularity.

I agree with the sentiment that doing a blockbuster soundtrack album was kinda . . . beneath him? I would've never thought during Purple Rain that 5 years later he'd be doing a Batman soundtrack.

I think #2 on your list is the one that was his commercial undoing, but #3 was his personal undoing.

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Reply #6 posted 02/21/17 4:30am

CherryMoon57

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jaypotton said:

CherryMoon57 said:

6. What if Prince had not been born...

Thank you for that valuable contribution. Who knows what we would do without such amazing insight! biggrin

Oh well you know it's not easy to isolate bits out of someone's life in order to imagine it differently. Each life is part of a whole series of intertwined events and circumstances from the moment we're born... If anything I think his life and career may have been a lot shorter had he not had the spiritual support he got after the traumatic loss of his son...

[Edited 2/21/17 5:48am]

Life Matters
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Reply #7 posted 02/21/17 6:25am

thedoorkeeper

What if Prince had lived on the Moon instead of Minneapolis? lol
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Reply #8 posted 02/21/17 6:30am

NorthC

What if U're wrong?
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Reply #9 posted 02/21/17 7:34am

endiadj

TheEnglishGent said:

I think without 3 there's no 4 and possibly even no 5.



Bingo! I thought about this even before he passes away. I truly believe this would've changed the coarse of his life and career.
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Reply #10 posted 02/21/17 7:43am

endiadj

Se7en said:

Prince's popularity was on a downswing before Batman. I think people forget that. Batman thrust him back into popularity.

I agree with the sentiment that doing a blockbuster soundtrack album was kinda . . . beneath him? I would've never thought during Purple Rain that 5 years later he'd be doing a Batman soundtrack.

I think #2 on your list is the one that was his commercial undoing, but #3 was his personal undoing.


Don't think it was a step back for him to do the Batman soundtrack. He loved the film world and wanted to be a part of it. Soundtracks were his in road. Plus, Prince was a big kid so he probably loved Batman. Happy Feet? Was surprised he didn't do more soundtracks.
[Edited 2/21/17 7:44am]
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Reply #11 posted 02/21/17 10:04am

jaypotton

On what if no Batman I suspect Prince's downward commercial trajectory would have continued and he would have become a niche artist sooner.

On what if no $$$ contract in 1992 I think Prince would have been happier but it would have meant none of that great music from 93-96 as he certainly seemed creatively motivated by his feud with Warners! As a fan we would have been worse off music wise (as a happy Prince producing Emancipation demonstrates).

On his son not dying... We would have seen Prince develop as a human being by learning to be a parent. Would probably have also got some slightly misjudged childrens projects that wouldn't sit comfortably against his earlier work! However, his world view might have been more mature and the lyrical content of his work been more mature.

On not becoming a JW we might have seen Prince continue with his more inclusive message.

Had he not died then clearly the unpredictable journey he took us on would have continued and we would probably be on Hit N Run 4 by now!
'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything.
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Reply #12 posted 02/21/17 1:34pm

214

CherryMoon57 said:

6. What if Prince had not been born...

That was good. lol

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Reply #13 posted 02/21/17 6:48pm

AnonymousFan

If Prince hadn't become a Jehovah's Witness, he'd actually probably would have died sooner (like, 2000). Didn't seem like he was doing well before hand. If Amir was ok, then I think he either still would've ended up divorcing Mayte and been kind of an absent father or he would've actually stopped making music every few years. If he doesn't die last year, he roles out a ton of projects this year and over the course of the next and becomes more involved in the TV/Movie industry (wasn't he trying to make a kid's show?). We see his music in Guitar Hero and he supports Tidal. If he doesn't go after his RIGHTS in 1992, then artists are treated even worse today than they are now by the record companies.

[Edited 2/21/17 18:49pm]

[Edited 2/21/17 18:51pm]

[Edited 2/21/17 18:53pm]

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Reply #14 posted 02/21/17 6:52pm

206Michelle

TheEnglishGent said:

I think without 3 there's no 4 and possibly even no 5.

I totally agree. cry I ask myself all the time what Prince's life might have been like had Ahmir lived or had he had other children with Mayte.

[Edited 2/21/17 18:53pm]

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #15 posted 02/21/17 7:01pm

endiadj

AnonymousFan said:

If Prince hadn't become a Jehovah's Witness, he'd actually probably would have died sooner (like, 2000). Didn't seem like he was doing well before hand. If Amir was ok, then I think he either still would've ended up divorcing Mayte and been kind of an absent father or he would've actually stopped making music every few years. If he doesn't die last year, he roles out a ton of projects this year and over the course of the next and becomes more involved in the TV/Movie industry (wasn't he trying to make a kid's show?). We see his music in Guitar Hero and he supports Tidal. If he doesn't go after his RIGHTS in 1992, then artists are treated even worse today than they are now by the record companies.


[Edited 2/21/17 18:49pm]


[Edited 2/21/17 18:51pm]

[Edited 2/21/17 18:53pm]


No way do I believe that Prince would've been an absentee father. No way!
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Reply #16 posted 02/21/17 7:45pm

206Michelle

AnonymousFan said:

If Prince hadn't become a Jehovah's Witness, he'd actually probably would have died sooner (like, 2000). Didn't seem like he was doing well before hand. If Amir was ok, then I think he either still would've ended up divorcing Mayte and been kind of an absent father or he would've actually stopped making music every few years. If he doesn't die last year, he roles out a ton of projects this year and over the course of the next and becomes more involved in the TV/Movie industry (wasn't he trying to make a kid's show?). We see his music in Guitar Hero and he supports Tidal. If he doesn't go after his RIGHTS in 1992, then artists are treated even worse today than they are now by the record companies.

[Edited 2/21/17 18:49pm]

[Edited 2/21/17 18:51pm]

[Edited 2/21/17 18:53pm]

U R so wrong about the kind of father that Prince would have been. He put Ahmir's heartbeat on "Sex in the Summer" and he built a freaking playroom at Paisley Park for Ahmir and other future children that he and Mayte wanted. He and Mayte were planning to release an album and a book called Happy Tears. Everything that we know suggests that he wanted 2 be an involved father. Have U heard the song "Comeback"? He was so broken over the loss of his son. Prince had his flaws, just as all humans do. But to even suggest that Prince would have been an absent father is completely disrespectful of him and his legacy.

[Edited 2/21/17 19:46pm]

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #17 posted 02/21/17 10:41pm

AnonymousFan

206Michelle said:



AnonymousFan said:


If Prince hadn't become a Jehovah's Witness, he'd actually probably would have died sooner (like, 2000). Didn't seem like he was doing well before hand. If Amir was ok, then I think he either still would've ended up divorcing Mayte and been kind of an absent father or he would've actually stopped making music every few years. If he doesn't die last year, he roles out a ton of projects this year and over the course of the next and becomes more involved in the TV/Movie industry (wasn't he trying to make a kid's show?). We see his music in Guitar Hero and he supports Tidal. If he doesn't go after his RIGHTS in 1992, then artists are treated even worse today than they are now by the record companies.


[Edited 2/21/17 18:49pm]


[Edited 2/21/17 18:51pm]


[Edited 2/21/17 18:53pm]



U R so wrong about the kind of father that Prince would have been. He put Ahmir's heartbeat on "Sex in the Summer" and he built a freaking playroom at Paisley Park for Ahmir and other future children that he and Mayte wanted. He and Mayte were planning to release an album and a book called Happy Tears. Everything that we know suggests that he wanted 2 be an involved father. Have U heard the song "Comeback"? He was so broken over the loss of his son. Prince had his flaws, just as all humans do. But to even suggest that Prince would have been an absent father is completely disrespectful of him and his legacy.

[Edited 2/21/17 19:46pm]



He would've been a good father the first few years, but Prince had a tendency to get really excited about things (people in particular) and then drop them completely. I question whether or not he's beyond doing that to a kid. If his relationship with Mayte deteriorated (like all of his relationships seem to do and he seems to act really butthurt), I could see him being at least as bad as his own father.
[Edited 2/21/17 23:04pm]
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Reply #18 posted 02/21/17 11:47pm

jaypotton

214 said:



CherryMoon57 said:


6. What if Prince had not been born...



That was good. lol



I love the way newbies add value to discussion #sarcasm
'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything.
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Reply #19 posted 02/22/17 1:17am

endiadj

AnonymousFan said:

206Michelle said:



AnonymousFan said:


If Prince hadn't become a Jehovah's Witness, he'd actually probably would have died sooner (like, 2000). Didn't seem like he was doing well before hand. If Amir was ok, then I think he either still would've ended up divorcing Mayte and been kind of an absent father or he would've actually stopped making music every few years. If he doesn't die last year, he roles out a ton of projects this year and over the course of the next and becomes more involved in the TV/Movie industry (wasn't he trying to make a kid's show?). We see his music in Guitar Hero and he supports Tidal. If he doesn't go after his RIGHTS in 1992, then artists are treated even worse today than they are now by the record companies.


[Edited 2/21/17 18:49pm]


[Edited 2/21/17 18:51pm]


[Edited 2/21/17 18:53pm]



U R so wrong about the kind of father that Prince would have been. He put Ahmir's heartbeat on "Sex in the Summer" and he built a freaking playroom at Paisley Park for Ahmir and other future children that he and Mayte wanted. He and Mayte were planning to release an album and a book called Happy Tears. Everything that we know suggests that he wanted 2 be an involved father. Have U heard the song "Comeback"? He was so broken over the loss of his son. Prince had his flaws, just as all humans do. But to even suggest that Prince would have been an absent father is completely disrespectful of him and his legacy.

[Edited 2/21/17 19:46pm]



He would've been a good father the first few years, but Prince had a tendency to get really excited about things (people in particular) and then drop them completely. I question whether or not he's beyond doing that to a kid. If his relationship with Mayte deteriorated (like all of his relationships seem to do and he seems to act really butthurt), I could see him being at least as bad as his own father.
[Edited 2/21/17 23:04pm]

His own flesh and blood? Just the opposite. If they had divorced still, he would've fought tooth and nail to get full custody before he ever would just walk away from his child.
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Reply #20 posted 02/22/17 12:25pm

214

jaypotton said:

214 said:

That was good. lol

I love the way newbies add value to discussion #sarcasm

Great isn't?

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Reply #21 posted 02/22/17 1:42pm

jaypotton

214 said:



jaypotton said:


214 said:


That was good. lol



I love the way newbies add value to discussion #sarcasm

Great isn't?



Did you mean "Great isn't IT?"

I don't know, these youngsters have no grasp of grammar!
'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything.
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Reply #22 posted 02/22/17 7:02pm

214

jaypotton said:

214 said:

Great isn't?

Did you mean "Great isn't IT?" I don't know, these youngsters have no grasp of grammar!

Stop bitching.

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Reply #23 posted 02/26/17 7:01pm

PRNluv2

AnonymousFan said:

206Michelle said:

U R so wrong about the kind of father that Prince would have been. He put Ahmir's heartbeat on "Sex in the Summer" and he built a freaking playroom at Paisley Park for Ahmir and other future children that he and Mayte wanted. He and Mayte were planning to release an album and a book called Happy Tears. Everything that we know suggests that he wanted 2 be an involved father. Have U heard the song "Comeback"? He was so broken over the loss of his son. Prince had his flaws, just as all humans do. But to even suggest that Prince would have been an absent father is completely disrespectful of him and his legacy.

[Edited 2/21/17 19:46pm]

He would've been a good father the first few years, but Prince had a tendency to get really excited about things (people in particular) and then drop them completely. I question whether or not he's beyond doing that to a kid. If his relationship with Mayte deteriorated (like all of his relationships seem to do and he seems to act really butthurt), I could see him being at least as bad as his own father. [Edited 2/21/17 23:04pm]

If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all. Some folks from broken or dysfunctional homes lack comprehension involving blood family love life relations, which is why they should refrain from commenting with poor speculation about people they know nothing about.

Prince loved being a father and he loved and adored that little boy. Touring, traveling to foreign lands, or even wife performing in tight stage clothing could have been a factor. Had their baby lived, I think the marriage would've survived and they would've had more children. The whole world knew Prince as a hardworking rocker musician, but being a husband and father was important to him. There are so many people who are jealous of this man and his achievements, it's unbelievable. I honor and admire Prince for being a real man who lived for LOVE.

[Edited 2/26/17 19:02pm]

[Edited 2/26/17 19:02pm]

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Reply #24 posted 02/26/17 8:26pm

AnonymousFan

PRNluv2 said:

AnonymousFan said:

206Michelle said: He would've been a good father the first few years, but Prince had a tendency to get really excited about things (people in particular) and then drop them completely. I question whether or not he's beyond doing that to a kid. If his relationship with Mayte deteriorated (like all of his relationships seem to do and he seems to act really butthurt), I could see him being at least as bad as his own father. [Edited 2/21/17 23:04pm]

If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all. Some folks from broken or dysfunctional homes lack comprehension involving blood family love life relations, which is why they should refrain from commenting with poor speculation about people they know nothing about.

Prince loved being a father and he loved and adored that little boy. Touring, traveling to foreign lands, or even wife performing in tight stage clothing could have been a factor. Had their baby lived, I think the marriage would've survived and they would've had more children. The whole world knew Prince as a hardworking rocker musician, but being a husband and father was important to him. There are so many people who are jealous of this man and his achievements, it's unbelievable. I honor and admire Prince for being a real man who lived for LOVE.

[Edited 2/26/17 19:02pm]

[Edited 2/26/17 19:02pm]

I like to think great things about Prince, too. I love Prince as much as anybody else here. But, I know that if you graded him on intimacy, he'd have gotten an F. It seems when it came to legitimate love - anything more than singing about it - he failed abysmally. He cheated on every woman he was with, his familial relationships were strained from what we know, he would make and drop friends on the fly, and from what we hear he had kind of a mean streak. No doubt Prince was excited about his kid and wanted everything in the world for him, but I don't think he had the ability to commit to his child in a meaningful, longlasting way that would be indicative of love as we know it. I don't think he had the ability to commit to anybody. I think what Prince thought was love and what is love are two different things that happen to sound similar through a microphone.

prince

I think to say anything else, one must not be having a good look a Prince's known actions and inclinations.

[Edited 2/26/17 20:27pm]

[Edited 2/26/17 20:27pm]

[Edited 2/26/17 20:28pm]

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Reply #25 posted 03/08/17 12:52am

jaypotton

214 said:



jaypotton said:


214 said:


Great isn't?



Did you mean "Great isn't IT?" I don't know, these youngsters have no grasp of grammar!

Stop bitching.



Hey youngster I am middle aged! I have earned the right to bitch
biggrin
'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything.
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Reply #26 posted 03/08/17 7:48am

0uterageous

God was one of us whistle

couldn't resist giggle

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Reply #27 posted 03/08/17 1:25pm

CharismaDove

AnonymousFan said:



PRNluv2 said:




AnonymousFan said:


206Michelle said: He would've been a good father the first few years, but Prince had a tendency to get really excited about things (people in particular) and then drop them completely. I question whether or not he's beyond doing that to a kid. If his relationship with Mayte deteriorated (like all of his relationships seem to do and he seems to act really butthurt), I could see him being at least as bad as his own father. [Edited 2/21/17 23:04pm]


If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all. Some folks from broken or dysfunctional homes lack comprehension involving blood family love life relations, which is why they should refrain from commenting with poor speculation about people they know nothing about.




Prince loved being a father and he loved and adored that little boy. Touring, traveling to foreign lands, or even wife performing in tight stage clothing could have been a factor. Had their baby lived, I think the marriage would've survived and they would've had more children. The whole world knew Prince as a hardworking rocker musician, but being a husband and father was important to him. There are so many people who are jealous of this man and his achievements, it's unbelievable. I honor and admire Prince for being a real man who lived for LOVE.








[Edited 2/26/17 19:02pm]


[Edited 2/26/17 19:02pm]




I like to think great things about Prince, too. I love Prince as much as anybody else here. But, I know that if you graded him on intimacy, he'd have gotten an F. It seems when it came to legitimate love - anything more than singing about it - he failed abysmally. He cheated on every woman he was with, his familial relationships were strained from what we know, he would make and drop friends on the fly, and from what we hear he had kind of a mean streak. No doubt Prince was excited about his kid and wanted everything in the world for him, but I don't think he had the ability to commit to his child in a meaningful, longlasting way that would be indicative of love as we know it. I don't think he had the ability to commit to anybody. I think what Prince thought was love and what is love are two different things that happen to sound similar through a microphone.



prince


I think to say anything else, one must not be having a good look a Prince's known actions and inclinations.


[Edited 2/26/17 20:27pm]


[Edited 2/26/17 20:27pm]

[Edited 2/26/17 20:28pm]



Cheating on women has nothing to do with the love he'd have for his son. Two completely different ballparks.

"Made and dropped friends on the fly" Maybe because he was a superstar and many people only wanted something from him? And what do friends have to do with your own child, hell people nowadays boast about how easily they'll cut a friend off if they upset them. Nothing new.

And Prince might have been 'mean' but many worse and close minded men have children and do a decent job.

None of us know what he would be like since his son died, but why assume the worst when he was clearly very excited then heartbroken about his own flesh and blood
Maybe eye do, just not like eye did before pimp2
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Reply #28 posted 03/08/17 6:45pm

kingricefan

I thought Prince was at the peak of his popularity before Batman was released? I distinctly remember reading in an interview with Tim Burton that Warner Bros. forced him to include Prince music into the Batman soundtrack and that he (burton) wasn't happy about that. I think there was an entire scene written into the movie (the one with Nicholson in the parade throwing fake money at the crowd while 'Trust' is played) just to feature 'Trust'. If you watch that scene it's actually pretty weak and really feels like it was just thrown into the movie. It feels rushed. Prince was drawn to Batman because he identified with the two sides of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Prince was a Gemini ('I've got two sides and they both friends') and even named his character in the Batman videos Gemini. I do remember there being flack when Batdance was released- radio deejays were complainign about the song that there was hardly any singing in it, just an over-extended guitar solo (which 'they' ended up slicing down so it was more radio friendly). I thought that the backlash started after Batman was released?

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Reply #29 posted 03/08/17 7:00pm

purplethunder3
121

avatar

CherryMoon57 said:

6. What if Prince had not been born...

omfg Perish the thought!

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." --Plato

https://youtu.be/CVwv9LZMah0
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