When I say "things" I am referring to anything really - quotes, public stunts, music, references - anything that seems a throwback to the Purple Rain era. Of course, the Grafitti Bridge movie was a sequel to Purple Rain, but that's a direct "reminder".

So you want references, but not reminders... that's confusing. He directly references it in "Emancipation". "Future Soul Song" contains part of the descending guitar line of "Purple Rain", then you hear him smirk. "Rock n Roll Love Affair" is very reminiscent of "Take Me With U". Showing up at the 2004 Grammys in a purple suit was definitely a "yep, still that guy" moment.

As senseless as it may seem, 'Warden in the Prison of Love' (Recorded Late 1988), intended for Margie Cox, always /very/ loosely reminded me of the song. Sounds deceptively like a Lovesexy-era rewritten, soulified Little Blue Angel version of PR with Rosie in mind.

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The video for 'U Got the Look' appears edited (versus the rest of the SOTT film) to suggest an almost PR-esque stage atmosphere, and to capitalize on his return to the curls.

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[Edited 5/22/18 9:03am]

God the Love Theme -> Alexa de Paris

i thought a lot of people ripped of prince's little solo turn at the piano in the movie when he did purple rain. lionel richie was one, but i can't remember the song i thought lionel stole, it was from the dancing on the ceiling album. i'm sure it was mutual, prince's ballad piano owed a lot to lionel, come to find out, they actually did have a relationship of some kind. Lionel said he'd spoken with Prince during the eighties.

Reviving these curls but combining them into a new look. I felt like it was a nod to the PR days since everyone loved that hairstyle on him.

He made some would-be anthems to succeed/complement Purple Rain at times.

"Still Would Stand All Time" and "Gold" are a couple of examples.

i mentioned the purple rain vignette in the movie where he plays it on piano, it's a lot of peoples favorite moment in the movie, i know it's mine, but i thought i heard echoes of it in george michaels "a different corner" too.