Were you of legal age when D&P was released and promoted? I'm asking because I first became aware of the D&P album a few years after its release - in 1994/95, actually, and I was six/ seven year old at the time. I also got a slight look at the LoveSymbol album then but I was guarded from it because I was just a kid.

Did you believe D&P held up to Prince's commercial and artistic standards?

I like some of the songs on the album and the era was prettily packaged. Sure, it was the 90s and a new decade for Prince, and he was incredibly innovative and experimental, so he wouldn't be stuck repeating 80s hooks. However, after a listen to "Willing And Able" or "Strollin'", I walk away feeling somewhat disappointed that there wasn't more.

I also felt that the music videos like "Diamonds And Pearls" and "Insatiable" - while beautifully filmed - I was left with a slight empty, unsatisfied feeling, that perhaps Prince was ambitious but couldn't put together a good story/ theme. The "Parade" album/ UTCM movie era was less confusing.

That said, I still like the D&P era for what it delivered. In fact, I'm going to buy the D&P DVD online as a gift to myself. :]

I like the music and the videos

I love the title track and several others on the album. I was not of legal age when the album was released and I could not bring Prince's albums into the house. I first heard it in my late twenties, though I remember hearing D&Ps on the radio back then and loving it. I also love the DVD and I think the video for D&Ps is one of his most beautiful.

Visuals are ageing, except for the small miracle of the hologram sleeve.

But the album was born for a maxi-bass boombox of the nineties.
This shit sounded out of this world when it came out.
"Cream" still does though. Even "Walk Don't Walk", for all its simplicity, retains all its original charm.
Very good songs, except for the lyrical ego-trips, but such was rap (here comes the hammer!) then.
And the NPG make sure, right from the start, that they're something else (note I didn't say "better". Whoops, too late).

Oh, and "Live 4 Love" studio version,
the Power Trio was already on Mach 3 like, the first year.

Michael was 20. We were still Batwondering,
and SKipper was already sailing in LotusFlow3r territories. Hall of Fame my ass.
The Blue Angel's Swan Song, drenched under fuzzed wahs
and flashes of videogame-like falling bombs?

No amount of good promotion could have saved Rave from itself.

Diamonds & Pearls has its big hitters and some interesting stuff amid Prince's new big production style that doesn't sit well with anyone who really likes Prince's 80's sparse production. Takes a bit of getting used to as a fan, but it does sound like a hit record, which Rave does not. Fact is, you can barely imagine the guy who did Sign O the Times and Purple Rain also writing and producing the title track to D&P, and that in itself is impressive.

I've fairly whittled D&P down to a 9-track playlist that I normally listen to, but i'm glad the other tracks still exist.

[Edited 12/27/18 5:17am]

debated to death...BUT...a genius career move that gave him a much needed comeback after Graffitti Bridge's failure. Screw what fellow hardcore fams think - he did what he needed to do & followed trends [shock horror!] whilst keeping the purple freakery. New look, new sound, mega tour, great videos, chart success = job done!

Apart from Cream, Get Off and Live 4 love I don´t listen to this album. I liked the cover and the looks but I hated the tittle song so much (so cheesy) that I guess it ruined it for me.

Diamond & Pearls proved Prince(r.i.p.) could still come up with a hit multi platinum, visually stimulating, album with the right promotion and people behind it like his late brief manager Frank Dileo. The videos of the title track,"Cream". & the sexy orgy driven maxi video/single"Gett off" were MTV ready. Then lead to his most provocative live performance of his career with Prince's(r.i.p.) peek-a-boo yellow ensemble outfit.

I was 16 and had been a fan for years at that point. I remember rushing to get it the day it was released! It maybe hasn't aged as well as the classic albums but there are some great songs. After floundering a bit commercially (even Batman seemed like a weird blip amidst Lovesexy and Graffiti Bridge, fueled by the movie's hype) Prince was back and everywhere. The excitement for this new direction and new era was palpable in 1991 and, when I think about that feeling listening to it now, it still seems somehow fresh to me.

MattyJam said:

It's funny how a weak ass album like D&P gets a pass from so many Prince fans and yet Rave, which is a much stronger album imo, gets slack because it didn't succeed commercially. If commercial popularity was based on the quality of the songwriting alone, then Rave would've been a smash and D&P would've tanked. Just goes to show how important marketing and good timing is in the industry. [Edited 12/27/18 3:27am]

i love the majority of Rave though I listen to the ballads from it the most.I think the album has quite a few strong songs. Same with Diamonds and Pearls.

It remains ICONIC in the Prince legacy because of its success. The image, the commercial success, the visibility he had during that year is why the D&P era will always be remembered more than the actual music and sound of that era.

luv4u said:

I like the music and the videos

exactly.. the huge singles (the huge hits)....

DAP is an amazing pop-funk era..

The album is in my Prince album top-10

However not a classic therefor not in my top-5--

dodger said:

I was 15 at the time and saw the Gett Off video and was hooked from there. Still love the era now.

Same here. When I was 15 the video would play on TV a lot after school. It was the days of grunge and many of us girls had such dresses in the style of Lori's & Robia's in the video. I remember always wearing that dress and dancing my Doc Martens down to the song.

Diamonds & Pearls was the first Prince album I bought. It was a huge part of my initiation to Prince and the video to Diamonds & Pearls suddenly made me see more than the brotherly figure I had always seen in him.

MattyJam said:

Having a new band really brought life back to P's music, even if he was chasing the New Jack Swing trend by 1991. D&P feels really spacious and powerful, but a lot of tracks like Strollin' and Walk Don't Walk feel like filler next to absolute victories like Insatiable and Gett Off.

I was 25 when the album was released.

I think Thunder, followed by Daddy Pop, is a FANTASTIC one-two punch opening. As I understand it, many find those songs to be over-the-top cheesy/campy. What can I say? I LOVE them! So much fun!

For me, if it's true, there's at least one very big negative connected to the era. Have read in multiple places that Rosie Gaines was bullied by band members, and that her related appeals to P fell on deaf ears.
Love how some songs on the album (such as D&P and Daddy Pop) showcase P singing some very low notes. Those notes are drop dead gorgeous.

Adore when P talks to audience about Cream in later years, telling about looking in the mirror while writing it. Just love how he talked about it in his last show. "A conversation with yoself."

P covered (and not) by yellow was sunshine. Pure sunshine!

MattyJam said:

It's funny how a weak ass album like D&P gets a pass from so many Prince fans and yet Rave, which is a much stronger album imo, gets slack because it didn't succeed commercially. If commercial popularity was based on the quality of the songwriting alone, then Rave would've been a smash and D&P would've tanked. Just goes to show how important marketing and good timing is in the industry.

Rave is a "much stronger album"? Nonsense.

Shockedelicus said:

rednblue said:

NorthC said:

Shockedelicus said:

Having a new band really brought life back to P's music, even if he was chasing the New Jack Swing trend by 1991. D&P feels really spacious and powerful, but a lot of tracks like Strollin' and Walk Don't Walk feel like filler next to absolute victories like Insatiable and Gett Off.

Funny, you call two songs that I like filler while you call that bad copy of Do Me, Baby or Scandalous a victory. It was fun to see him in that bed flying over the audience during the tour, but as a song... Unfortunately, for some reason, after that Prince thought every album needed one of those slow jams. Shhh, Satisfied, Mr. Goodnight etcetera etcetera... They all sound the same.

Excuse the tangent, but speaking of Rave, I'm reminded of a story from Hans-Martin Buff. When P asked him what track might be removed from Rave, Hans suggested The Sun, The Stars And The Moon. P then asked, "Hans, how's your sex life?"

Whaddayano, first I'm dissing the visuals,
next thing I know I weep like Mary,
just seeing SKipper smiling among children,
coaching himself, "there will come a time.." 2 have kids.
I miss U more than ever, Man.





As he closes the Nude Tour, he made up his mind.
he shows his cards and distorts the desk. Lamps go red.
He already knows he B out of Warner.
Children killed from high above, impersonal
imagery courtesy of Activision®.
But names won't matter 2night, copy right(s)?




And we think we got it bad.

[Edited 12/27/18 11:59am]

MattyJam said:

It's funny how a weak ass album like D&P gets a pass from so many Prince fans and yet Rave, which is a much stronger album imo, gets slack because it didn't succeed commercially. If commercial popularity was based on the quality of the songwriting alone, then Rave would've been a smash and D&P would've tanked. Just goes to show how important marketing and good timing is in the industry. [Edited 12/27/18 3:27am]

Go sell your industry elsewherez, Mr. Cul entre deux chaises.
This is about His Music, et cætera.
You obviously can't tell which one of your cheeks,
or your half-assed fandoms is weak (hint: the 1 2 clean 2 B honest).
Maybe Ur 2 old.

[Edited 12/27/18 12:14pm]