These things alone DO NOT define the funk:

1. Redefining boundaries of lyrical acceptability.
2. Redefining boundaries of musical categorisation with fusions of new wave, rock, pop, funk, R'n'B and jazz.
3. Redefining boundaries of sexual expression in music, fashion and behaviour... and all in front of an audience.


Incriminating Evidence #1: When Doves Cry

A fantastic track yes, but it famously lacks bass, which as we all know, is the funkiest instrument. A cardinal sin for any aspiring funkateer, however innovative you're trying to be.

Incriminating Evidence #2: The Black Album

This is his funkiest album in eyes of some, and quite rightly so. Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, they're all funky. But this is his bible of the One... you know it, and Prince knew it.

And he releases it in the 90's.


Only in the 90's did Prince proclaim that he was funky. The 90's gave us Gett Off, one of the funkiest tracks of all time. Infamous 'NPG matching shell-suits' aside, Princes 90's fashion sense was less of the glam, more of the funk: compare the cover of Dirty Mind to the cover of Rave Un2... And he released the title track in the 90's! Tell me that aint one of his funkiest tracks! Maybe the originals better, I dunno, but still it makes my face scrunch up all JB-like (more than Head for example).

The 90's also gave us:

1. Ass-less trousers
He is proud of his ass, and wanted to share that with us. Just as funky as the suspenda's malarky of the 80's, but more in tune with the overtly politically correct 90's.

2. Rag doll hair-do's with bows
Now that is funky. George Clinton knew it for a long time.

3. Writing SLAVE on his face
That's funky! Admit it! Admit that you secretly find it cool. If you grew up with the suspenda's, then you have to realise the innovativeness with which Prince decided to lay down the gauntlet in the battle for artists rights. Wherever that may have got him now is nothing to do with it, the fact is he was the first major to throw a punch, and chose to do so in the funkiest of ways. The guy friggin' spunks the funk. Ahem, sorry.


4. Changing his name to a symbol
And you thought writing slave on your face was funky did you? So how much more funky can you get?
HE CHANGED HIS NAME TO A SYMBOL. He did it, and it was some funky-ass shit. He was the first, and putting reasons to things simply dilutes the funk, so deal with the fact that the whole symbol thing was just funked up.

5. Internships with Professors of the Funk

George Clinton comes into the throw, and however much you knock Larry Graham, the bass-off between him and Prince on the Rave Un2 DVD alone holds records for the most deaths incurred through overdose of the funk. Maceo Parker and Greg Boyer - NO ONE can diss these guys. My point is, Prince was a friggin' FUNK MAGNET in the 90's.

And finally,

6. Not only were the 90's more funkier, but he was also THE FUNKIEST in the 90's. The 80's held many valid rivals of the funk, but throughout the following decade Prince reigned supreme, end of story.


Ok, so let that be food for thought. I might add that on the grounds of D.M.S.R alone, I am willing to take that all back. DMSR is in fact the funkiest sound mix ever recorded by a human, but for the sake of this argument I'll ignore it. If Rebirth Of The Flesh was released on Crystal Ball it would have been no contest.

MaggotBrain said:

Now hear is a fan who knows his shit. Refreshing, intelligent yet light hearted and fun. Even though I must disagree slightly on the funkiness of When Doves Cry. What makes that the single most amazing Prince record and one of the best single sof all time is the fact that Prince managed to make it funky when it isnt a funk song - WITHOUT the bass (which is the funkiest instrument - testament to the relevance of Larry Graham in funk history)

[/quote]


Now hear is a fan who knows his shit. Refreshing, intelligent yet light hearted and fun. Even though I must disagree slightly on the funkiness of When Doves Cry. What makes that the single most amazing Prince record and one of the best single sof all time is the fact that Prince managed to make it funky when it isnt a funk song - WITHOUT the bass (which is the funkiest instrument - testament to the relevance of Larry Graham in funk history)[/quote]

Now don't get all pedantic on me LaMont!

I totally agree with you, but for the simple fact that it would have been more funky with bass - if only he had done, then we would have seen new parental advisory stickers warning of explicit funk...the truth.

yeah right ...
You can't define the FUNK, you've got to feel the FUNK

and excuse me ...
I really don't feel it on the 90's albums.
Prince is really trying to be funky, and that's why it all goes wrong.

Funk gets you, you don't get the funk!!!

Prince is really great, but he isn't the funkiest ...
try JB and George Clinton.

ThataintFunky said:

1. "You can't define the FUNK, you've got to feel the FUNK."

You can have a go though right?

2. Ofcourse you feel the funk. Dur! Funk is like a living animal. As you rightly suggest, it gets you. But when it does, you sure as hell feel it. Some people feel it more than others you see. I challenge you to an experiment. Take the least funkiest person you know, tie them to a chair, then blast The Grunt by the JB's through their ear-holes. Watch how the power of the Funk causes a tapping movement in their feet, provided they aren't restrained. Now release the unfunky individual and escort them to a record store. You will notice how they immediately head for the Celine Dione section. This is because they DON'T GET THE FUNK. Even though the funk moced them, they are unable to propogate this energy, and instead, dwell in the devoid-of-funk abyss. Maybe it's genetic.

3. "I really don't feel it on the 90's albums."

That's cool. This I accept... (see #2)

4. "Prince is really great, but he isn't the funkiest ...
try JB and George Clinton."

The thing about JB is that he has a missinterpreted legacy. For sure he was the chosen one, through which the Funk channeled itself. But he had his mortal limitations. He became stuck in the groove. He mastered rythm to tightened perfection like noone before, and imitated by so many after. The Funk consumed him (much like GC), but it was this boiling of funkiness within that exploded outwards, giving birth to the funky hola. Because JB was obsessed with the groove, he was able to channel this into the call-and-response technique. But none of this would have been possible if it were not for his band members...most notably Bootsy, Peewee, Maceo. These were funky guys who just knew that the Funk could get funkier, and ultimately two of 'em jumped ship for more firtile ground...enter GC. GC respected JB I'm sure, but he also respected Sly and the Family Stone. Sly et al. perfected the Funk to levels further than JB...they knew it wasn't just about the rythm. Now GC was a true Funk Magnet. And he was also quite possibly in touch with extra-terrestrials. This is the only explanation for the flavours that his posse through at us. That, and the fact that his Funky Magnetism drew towards him some very funky people indeed, most notably, Bootsy, Maceo, Bernie, Fuzzy, Jerome, and erm, oh yeah, Eddie. As for JB, GC would still be doing doo wop if it weren't for his cronies. Both guys are funky, but I believe Prince is funkier...

...Prince jerked it off on his own. Simple as that.


Ofcourse that's my oppinion.


But it's the TRUTH damn it.
[This message was edited Thu Aug 7 0:24:47 PDT 2003 by MaggotBrain]

Very interesting
In fact no one dares to criticize legends like James Brown or Stevie Wonder who have been creatively dead for decades
-

MaggotBrain said:
...Prince jerked it off on his own. Simple as that.


That's right! And maybe that's why he's the greatest.
He does it all on he's own, but it hink he was more challenged by his first band. Those guys didn't approach him as a god, so there was critisism?
I truly believe there was more suspension at stage.
Dr. Fink, Dez en André pulled Prince over the limit.
The bandmembers that followed were no equal to Prince, so he really did it on his own. But it's better when he has got to work for the appreciation!