From MTV News

"Prince, Jay-Z, The Roots Working On Album, Looking Forward To Movie"
05.19.2003

CHANHAUSEN — Prince claims it came to him recently while watching a repeat broadcast of Jay-Z & The Roots perform... Unplugged.

"I was watching ?uestlove and The Roots band redo those Timbaland written tracks and realized that The Roots are probably the only band that could do 'The Black Album' justice," Prince said in the press conference early this morning from his Paisley Park studios in Chanhausen, an upscale suburb just outside of Minneapolis. "So I called ?uestlove and pitched this musical based on my 1987 album 'The Black Album.' We already have five of the seven joints done. Just a few songs to go, but they're hot, so that's what counts." Rumors of who's on the album have been circulating over the weekend were confirmed by the artist formerly known as the artist formerly known as Prince. "It's an all-black cast and crew. You can't call it "The Black Album" or "The Black Movie" and have Christina Aguilera dancing around like a whore just to fill a movie theater."

"We talked about it again when I did my parts on Common's album 'The Electric Circus'. Most of the folks who are on that CD will be in 'The Black Movie', which we hope to have open in December. We'd like to make it in time to be considered for an Oscar."

The tracks featuring Jay-Z are on a DJ Clue mixtape entitled "The Black Album". The 3 tracks leaked officially on the internet at www.freemyheart.com over the weekend with approval by Paisley Park Enterprises.

When asked why he didn't just release the demos on his official website, Prince said he doesn't release music anymore on his website. "NPGMC.com is nothing more than a glorified version of fam favorite Prince.org. We thought, why not take what's good about Prince.org, get rid of it, and put up a couple gigs of annoying graphics to slow the entire site down, and once we had some 24-hour moderators we'd open a chat room, and then charge folks $25 for it! We did that in 1996 with THEDAWN.com, but we didn't charge folks for it. It's not 1996 anymore. It's 2003. It's all about being number one at the bank, ya heard!"

Prince then added, "And besides, with my new album coming out on July 11, and 'The Black Movie' going into pre-production on June 7, my slate is full right now. I know the fams are going to be upset, but there will be no celebration this year. What did you think you were going to get for $25? I have a couple extra thousand The Rainbow Children mousepads, so I may send those out to people that complain."

Songs in the movie/musical will follow the tracklisting of "The Black Album" which was originally was to be released in December of 1987, but was pulled at the last minute by Prince. It was later released by Warner Bros in 1994 in a rush to end his contract with Warner Bros, who the artist is still feuding with over his masters. Announced guests are listed in parenthesis.

• Le Grind (featuring Missy Elliott and those young dancers from her "Gossip Folks" video)
• Cindy C (with the part of Cindy C to be played by Leila Arcieri)
• Dead On It (featuring Jay-Z, Larry Graham, and Tony M as "Tone Def")
• Bob George (starring Samuel L Jackson as Suge Knight, Mary J Blige, and Prince as the policeman)
• Superfunkycalifragisexy (Prince, D'Angelo on rhodes, ?uest on drums, Jill Scott, Common, Bilal, Jaguar, and others)
• 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton (All-Star band, too many names to mention)
• Rock Hard In A Funky Place (Lenny Kravitz)

One of the surprise additions to the cast was former New Power Generation member and Gameboyz dancer Tony M as fictional rapper Tone Def. When asked during the press conference about his part, he said, "I'm not sure, other than I'm going to be rapping again and that I'm extremely excited." He said he still needs to get some vacation time from Burger King to film his small part, but Prince said that as long as he doesn't take his shirt off, the part is his.

DreamWorks is in talks with Prince's lawyer (David Letterman look-a-like) Jerry Blackwell on distributing the film in the U.S. while New Line Cinema is in talks to distribute the film overseas. Prince originally contacted New Line back October of last year in the hopes that they would be interested since according to Prince, "they did such a great job with 'Lord Of The Rings', maybe they could actually make this work too!"

DreamWorks declined comment at the time of the news conference, but it was suggested that Steven Spielberg may have been interested in filming the project. When reached following the press conference, Spielberg admitted that he had passed on the film due to the all black cast. "The black community is still pissed at me for 'Amistad'. Maybe Bob can direct it? He's had experience working with artists like Prince." When Robert Zemeckis was contacted, he passed on the musical stating that "I had a hard enough time communicating with Wilson during the 'Cast Away' shoot, I don't think I'll be working with someone like that again anytime soon."

It's rumored that Keenen Ivory Wayans (Scary Movie) or Brian Robbins (Good Burger) may direct instead.

According to Prince, other stars that may have already agreed to star are Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan, Samuel L. Jackson, and Morgan Freeman. "Aren't they in all black movies? It's like a rule isn't it? Don't they have to star in my movie too? Wait, can Samuel L. Jackson sing? Maybe he can play the part of Suge Knight, I don't know if I want Suge Knight hanging out at Paisley Park. I don't want him getting any weird ideas."

Prince closed the press conference by promising that once the lights come up and the credits begin to roll, the audience will be asking "What kind of %$(#& ending was that?"

—Jennifer L. Vineyard

"NPGMC.com is nothing more than a glorified version of fam favorite Prince.org. We thought, why not take what's good about Prince.org, get rid of it, and put up a couple gigs of annoying graphics to slow the entire site down, and once we had some 24-hour moderators we'd open a chat room, and then charge folks $25 for it! We did that in 1996 with THEDAWN.com, but we didn't charge folks for it. It's not 1996 anymore. It's 2003. It's all about being number one at the bank, ya heard!"

oh laaawd!!! this is comedy!!!

You're sick

WOW!!!
That had me fooled up until the last sentence...

GOOD JOB!!

HAHAHAHAHA!

THANK U!!!

Dude you have some real issues. I give you props for all the nice downloads you make available on your site but you have a Prince hater obsession that rivals Woggle's (aka The Source) vendetta against Eminem over at OKP. You need some real help padna.

now that was fuckin' good Matt, hahahahaha genius.. pure genius u sick bastid give it up for my man Matt ya'll

intha916 shared his/

her:

just because i appreciate prince's musicianship, and support my favorite artist financially when it comes to the MUSIC, it does not mean that i am not allowed to be critical of decisions he's made both in the past, and decisions he's bound to make in the future...

suomynona said:

You go way beyond just being critical. I'm not too happy with a lot of stuff the little man has done over the last 15 years (musically and business related) but when you post stuff like this it makes you look overly-obsessed with your hatred. Take it or leave it, that's just my two cents.

intha916 said:

dude its a fuckin joke, lighten up francis...

Mixshow edit
[This message was edited Mon May 19 11:20:04 PDT 2003 by Finess]

intha916 said:

here...

i've made a few people smile today... that was my only intention

suomynona said:

Nothing wrong with having fun but your posts don't have a good natured feeling to them at all. You vibe is more of someone who is biter and hateful. I've been peeping your posts for a couple of years both here and at OKP. Truthfully you come across like an smug asshole. There's your change

intha916 said:

Oh man! You better keep those go buy yourself a sense of humor.


[This message was edited Mon May 19 11:39:30 PDT 2003 by minneapolisgenius]

intha916 said:

ticklin 916's ribs...damn, ain't gettin as much as a giggle outta this cat...

Tony M.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Fam.

minneapolisgenius said:

Last post on this as I'm not one to be drawn into chat board fights. I have a great sense of humor (as those that know me know) but Matt is just one of those cats who have always irked me. The thing I have hated the most about the internet, is that it allows people who normally have no juice in real life, to create some alter-ego online that can overcompensate for their insecurities or lack of power in real life. Like me or not, I really don't care but I'm the same cat in person as I am on here. I have seen Matt say shit to people online that would get him knocked the fuck out in real life. I just don't dig little fan boys who hide behind a keyboard talking shit. I call em as I see em.
[This message was edited Mon May 19 11:55:32 PDT 2003 by intha916]

Good sick creativity...maybe U can take over the slot by that black dude from the NY TIMES...

origmnd said:

i was about to say i don't live in new york, but i guess that doesn't matter with that fellow...

intha916 said:

I don't love you or hate you. I don't even know you. I am not that familiar with "Matt's" posts because I don't really care to keep track of everything another orger has said in the past, but I do recall reading some stuff that he's posted, and not agreed with it myself.

I happen to think this particular post was very funny.

But you two seem to have some personal dispute going on.
So after reading your posts about it, I (and others as well, I assume) came to the conclusion that you have taken things a bit too seriously.

please, no new Prince movie, pleeeaase not that again !!!

ChimChimBadass said:

Is your revenge coming soon?

suomynona said:

Ahhh, finally, some1 not up the arse of Prince. Good on u. U peeps need to realise he doesnt care if your ass gets run over 2moro, he's loaded, why should he. He is without a doubt the best musician on the planet but he ain't the great man u think he is.

suomynona said:

suomynona said:

MAH GOD!

CAMILLE4U said:

eh?

intha916 said:

wow... 1, 2, the evolution will be colorized...

no worry the brick and mortar and online worlds are almost one... what folks were in one setting they won't be able to hide anymore in another. so eventually everything is made manifest.

IM NOT FALLING 4 this chit 2 times LOL