I'm sure ya'll probably read this...B4 he had it all he wuz justa regular kid in Minneapolis goin' 2 High School...

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Jon Tevlin, Star Tribune
March 14, 2004

The quiet one: A high school classmate recalls the Artist as a young man

It was no "Purple Rain," but the movie Prince shot at Minneapolis Central High School had some of the artist's hallmark themes: He wrote, directed and starred. He played the self-conscious underdog. And, of course, he got the girl.



Schoolmate Robert Plant remembers the film class well. He was in a group with Prince and his best friend, Paul Mitchell. Prince conceived of a movie in which a small, shy kid tried to win the heart of a pretty cheerleader.

"He had a crush on a girl named Kim Upsher," said Plant. "So the movie was about him trying to get the girl. Paul Mitchell played the team quarterback -- which he was -- and every time Prince was with the cheerleader, Paul would come by and push him out of the way and walk away with the girl."

Cut to Prince in the library, reading a book on kung fu. In the final scene, "Prince pulls this kung fu move and walks away with the girl," Plant said.

To those of us who roamed Central High in south Minneapolis, he was the little guy with the big name and the Afro to match: Prince Rogers Nelson.

We just called him Prince.

He walked almost unnoticed in the uniform of the day: An open shirt with large collars, maybe a pair of "baggies" over platform shoes, a "choker" around his neck. His hair was teased into an enormous dome that Buckminster Fuller would envy, and his upper lip wore a faint moustache.

Pass him in a hallway, and he'd meet your eyes, smile and nod. In class, he'd seem bemused, but never impolite or rowdy. You wouldn't see him in the adjacent alley where some kids gathered to smoke pot before class, or hanging across the street, where they could smoke cigarettes with impunity.

"He was very quiet," said Al Nuness, Prince's sophomore basketball coach and physical-education teacher. "Very low-key. He was so shy you couldn't believe it to see him perform in front of people."

Although he was obviously smart and a decent student, "he never said anything in class," Nuness said. "He is one of those students everybody talks about, but he was an average kid that you really didn't notice very much."

Except when he played music, which he did nearly every day in the Central music room. Football players coming in from practice could hear him banging on the piano or the guitar, hours after other students had gone home. During lunch hours, the music teachers locked the door for him so he could practice without interruption. Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis" was a favorite.

The prodigy of Prince is well known: He learned to play piano at age 7. By seventh grade, he joined a local dance band, Grand Central, and played in it until age 16.

Despite his shyness, he was confident. In a 1976 interview in the school newspaper, he said: "I was born here, unfortunately. I think it is very hard for a band to make it in this state, even if they're good. I really feel that if we would have lived in Los Angeles or New York or some other big city, we would have gotten over by now."

'A real good kid'

Don McMoore never saw Prince's instant success coming. McMoore was an assistant principal -- and the school enforcer -- during those years. Racial tensions sometimes led to fights. There was a fair amount of drug use. If you spent much time with McMoore, you were probably a problem student.

Prince didn't spend any time with McMoore.

"He was a real good kid," said McMoore. "I don't remember him getting in trouble at all. I admired him for his ambition; even though he was very small, he played basketball. Though his hair made him look like he was 6 feet tall."

Nuness said he "had to chase Prince, Paul Mitchell and [Prince's brother] Duane Nelson out of the gym all the time. They were always sneaking in there to play, bringing their bikes and their dogs in. But they were all good kids."

In fact, he said, "Prince was a darn good basketball player. The problem is he just didn't grow." His class had one of the best basketball teams in Minnesota history, and Prince couldn't crack the giant-sized lineup despite great quickness and ball-handling skills. He wasn't pleased.

As youth leader for Park Avenue United Methodist Church -- where Prince had his first wedding in 1996 -- Art Erickson saw him almost every day throughout his teens. Prince came to play ball, and also went to church camp. Erickson made the rounds at local schools, so he often would join Prince at lunch. Blacks, whites and biracial kids segregated themselves, and Prince normally sat with the biracial kids, Erickson said.

One day, the budding musician told Erickson that his home life was troubled, and that his stepdad had sometimes locked him in a room for hours. There was a piano in the room, and Prince taught himself to play, said Erickson.

He believes Prince's continuing religious odyssey is not a gimmick, but a search to find meaning in his remarkable, controversial life. "There are periods in people's lives when they sense the bottom, and reach out for something," Erickson said. "Prince has been doing this for years.

"I don't know [whether] he has many friends. That's the problem with his story. He's a musical genius, but just who is Prince? I don't think anyone knows."

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Whatchall thinka that? Nebody rememba that interview?

KeLo07 said:

yeah--it was posted early last month when the star tribune had that whole 10-page tribute thing in their sunday paper, and someone provided a link to read all that stuff online.

old hat, but thanx nonetheless.

Yea,I got the whole 10 page tribute all copied in my Wordpad. I just posted the 1 how he wuz in high school,cuz even tho that wuz in the 70s. How Prince wuz in high school sorda reminds me of how I am so far. I am just beginning & the experiences are sorda similar. When I'm in school & not in class wit many pplz I dunno,I'm very quiet. But if I'm around friends I can talk uppa storm. I'm defintely no good in sports(lolz) & my special talent isn't wit music. Art is my talent. People who didn't know me would type ignore me or IF they knew me they'd be like "Yeah that's that girl who can draw". So far I haven't been in 2 much trouble in school altho I've seen the principle b4(very fortunate 2 have the nice 1) usually now itz when otha pplz in my class fight/argue & erbody gotta hava PC(lucky me). As 4 me bein' the main trouble,hardly eva. My style of dressing is sorda unique. I dun dress like the other girls(I dun act fast) I dun trust wearing skirts unless a special occassion(prom & graduation). I wear urban clothing,not tomboyish but just regular. (Like 2day I had on black capri's black jacket white shirt,& blk white 'n red Iversons-4/6/04) My hair is not the best,lolz nappy @ times but I alwayz get it fixed right. I dun style my hair as much as my friends,but it's fine. Even tho I try not 2 start no mess wit nebody @ school & ya know be nice & etc. u still aways have sumbody hatin' on ya(1 girl I know) Prince in the 70s obvisiously wuzn't a trouble maker & so forth nobody hardly hated on him. But 2day it dun matta if ya like that sumbody gon find a way not 2 like u. I have that trouble wit 1 girl,she wuz okay wit me in the beginning but now she act as if she gotta prob wit me. I could care less the only thing is,she can talk all da mess she wants but until she actually tryda hurt me physically I ayn got nuthin' 2 do wit it. & just like Prince I've came from a broken home. I live wit my mom but my parents are separated & my mom had a b/f. Her b/f & I neva got along & even lead 2 many arguments & otha dangerous mess,when she wuz wit him I could neva go 2 talk 2 my mom about nething cuz she wouldn't listen she had changed in a negative way,which made me a type bitter person(thust making me have attitude problems in the past & etc)I'm not gonna go 2 deep in. Oh like how Prince's stepdad would lock him in the room,wit similar experiences I'd usually draw over 20 pictures 2 calm myself down. Newayz those days are gone now & that's all what matters. & my mom & I still argue but n the end we know we only got each otha & we gotta stay close,so eventually we koo again. Prince wuzn't as close wit his mother as I am wit mines. I'm not as close 2 my dad as he is wit his. The area I live is okay But I've been in better places. Prince said he liked his hometown(in another interview) I seriously hate mines. I'm originally from Washington,D.C. I vowed that I'm leaving here bcuz u can't make nuthin' ouhda yaself down the south of VA. I refuse 2 wound up @ the Mill. That's why currently this year & next year I'm taking/in the Technology Studies Academy(TSA). My otha talent(what I'm good @) is Computering(WWW). I hate TSA cuz I ayn learning what I feel I should be. So,I'm thinkin' @ the end of my 10th gr. year(next year) I'm droppin' out & gonna sign up 4 'Euantes'(Literature Magazine-good art pix in it) 2 be on the Art Staff. I'm droppin' World History next year 2 take 'Foundations of Art' Pt. 1. My mom thinks I should stick with computers but I really feel a more deep connection wit Art than nething else I do. My friends,teachers,& associates recommend me take Art Classes @ school. Which I'm thinking of doing next year. I'll just pic up with computering(WWW) in college. I wanna be a cartoonist as of now,esp. 4 a summer job but there's nowhere 2 mail nething off. I got good story lines 4 my characters I draw. I have 1 of my main characters a die-hard fan(I'm not that crazy about him. Well I am but a different version) of Prince.(She wears purple jersey dresses) As I draw my characters I tryda put a little bit of me in each of'em even the boys. Mainly 4 the boys I use some that I've been around & known & just do major editing & there it is! Art like Music is 4 Prince(back then) is both our blessing but punishment. When ever I draw I build(ratha draw) my own world isolating the real 1 out. When Prince works on a song he is in his own world,we be isolating things not associated wit what we doing out. The difference is I made plenty of friends & associates(as I'm still in high school). His high school years were 1972-1976 mine is 2003-2007. Our time periods are VERY different but even tho they are,I think we still shared a few things in common. Major diffy. wuz how pplz were in the different times & style. Many of my pictures I draw(esp. Prince pix) but mainly 1s wit my own characters are inspired by listening 2 Prince's songs. Itz mad koo how his music type ol'skoo but can still always inspire me 2 draw even better. Such song as a good example is 'Cream'(the lyrics I like) 2 me it says that whateva u good @ u know u the best @ & don't let nobody getchu down,no matta how much they hate. It's plenty more but that's just 1 off top my head. Newayz I'm glad I read this article I got 2 see/read an early version of Prince b4 he wuz well known & how regular he wuz. I neva knew we had sum things in common(high school version of him). Oh yea & when they mentioned he'd sit wit the biracial kids,I have many friends of different type race mixtures. I myself am biracial(Black American & Jamaican). Prince? All I know is he's Black & possibly mixed wit other cultures,newayz that's just another thing I found we have in common. I'm only comparing the high school version of him 2 myself tho,his adult version I'm not having no association with(just yet)-Except we don't like pplz 2 be all up in our biz(younger adult ver.) I'll explain or answer sum questions but if 2 personal I won't answer. We are quiet,we're nice 'n humble,love 2 do what we do best(Music-him & Art-me),& mysterious. Maybe I'll make it wit cartooning,by time I graduate. I know if I eva find myself in the far future ever accepting an award 4 my cartooning skills,I'll definitely giva shout out 2 Prince(he'll be in his mid 50s by then,lolz). Couldn't draw my best work of 2004(early point) wit out jammin' 2 his songs.

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Sorry I wrote so much. I wuz just astonished on the article & comparisons,so I basically just tolchall 'bout myself. So maybe this a way 2 know me betta. My bads if there's a couple misspellings or sentences u don't understand.

So where has Prince changed? He's still the same guy. He Really Opens up onstage and in his Lyrics . He uses the Stage and his Songs to Express himself. He's So Smart it's Scary and well he's always Minnesotan.

Zelaira said:

I think he has changed but in many positive ways thru-out the years. Everybody changes whether it be bad or good. 4 him itz been type good. Da only thing I see he ayn change is his looks,I mean damn! dun look like he aged @ all,now that's amazing!

I would say that Prince Himself has DECIDED to TONE HIMSELF down.. Not That he has To! Prince can be Wild like Crazy Nowadays but he's giving Respect to Mani now so he isNot Cheating. Prince can Run Wild if he wants to also cause well we are living in Wild Sexual Times. Prince's Religion and Devotion to Manuella is Keeping him Home...

Uh...okay. I know all that. I know & I think that's good. That's always been a partial reason why I like Prince. He neva got in2 much major probz. Or @least u wouldn't hear them. He's very cautious & I admire that. But newayz I know he's married 2 Manuella & that he's devoted 2 her. That also impacts on how much he's changed but in a good way. He's more settled not nebody can spend most their life partying & etc. u gotta settle down sumtime & obviously that's what he's done. I think that's good that he has.

It's kind of curious that this article says that at his high school, blacks, whites and biracial students segregated themselves into groups. Prince chose to be with the biracial kids...interesting.... :

KeLo07 saidwit many pplz I dunno,I'm very quiet. But if I'm around friends I can talk uppa storm. [b]Art is my talent.[/b] & just like Prince I've came from a broken home. Prince wuzn't as close wit his mother I seriously hate mines. My otha talent(what I'm good @) is Computering . I myself am biracial Couldn't draw my best work of 2004(early point) wit out jammin' 2 his songs.

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Don't worry about the misspells. Seems we have things in common. I do my best artwork to music, or when I'm talking on the phone. I was severely hated on in school. I always tend to get along better with dudes than with females. My mom and me aren't as close as I'd like us to be...Dad wasn't around. Reading some of that article was like reading a description of me...no drugs or rowdy behavior, didn't talk in class (the quiet kid). My grandma on my Dad's side is white, and my Great-Grandma on my Mom's side is Cherokee Indian. But I noticed the part about you dropping out of school after 10th grade - don't do it!! Graduate and then go to the Tech schools if you want. Trust me, it's hard getting by on just a high school diploma these days. Need that degree - that's what I'm working on (graphic arts, computer applications). Personally, I hope to leave MD at some point in the future because it's boring as hell here. People have tried in the past to rid me of my passion for art. Why don't you take classes for a field that you can use art and computers?

Oh I neva meant that I wuz gonna drop outta high school,oh naw I'ma defintely finish. I meant that now the campus I'm on is the 'Technology Studies Academy'(TSA). When I finish 10th grade I'm gonna drop out of TSA,it's not the type technology assosication I want. Yeah no matta how pplz may act towards me in high school they not gonna rob me of my education,I have the right 2 go 2 school as much as them. I know the world can be a bitch(but even harder) if u dun got no type of education. I plan 2 go 2 college(I'm thinkin' 'bout gettin' a Masters) Newayz,thanx I'm glad I'm not the only 1 on here that has such probz as I did/have. Wit drugs I do have sum friends(in 11th but takin' sum 9th gr. classes) that do drugs/smoke weed & etc. They do it in school actually. I'd go in the bathroom wit'em & they'd get the stuff & I'd usually be look out(always stayed 2 da window I ayn neva wanna smell that stuff) The thing is they're koo wit me cuz they dun be askin' me 2 join in. I personally dun think they should do it but if they want 2 well it's their decision not mines. I myself don't mess around wit ne kind same goes 4 drinking. I have a friend @ school(not da 1s that smokes/drink) she in the same grade,we usually talk around 7th period(Algebra classes are sorda beside each otha) she's mixed 2. White,Indian,& Black on her g-ma's side. Most my friends I hang out with @ lunch(when I have 3rd per. lunch) are all black but wheneva I have 4th per. lunch the 1s I hang out with are black but mixed wit many other heritages. Well lemme get 2 *Art*(a fav. discussion of mines) 2day on the bus 1 boy saw my pictures & asked who drew'em I said I did & he wuz in denile & ya know just sayin' all kindza mess but in the end he said I draw real good(it where pix of my made-up characters & just a few fashion ideas) I always get that "Ayn no way u drew these!" & otha mess but always @ the end a compliment on how good I am. When 1 my friends are around they'd be like "Yea! u ayn know she could draw? Gurl got skillz"(sumtimes they take a bit far,but I dun mind the praise,lolz) Oh yea,I'm tryna find a class dealing wit Art & Computers. Many said ya can't get'em until senior year or when ya be in college. So,I guess I'll just start wit the regular Art Classes next year & just work my way up. It's messed up but oh well. Newayz,it wuz good 2 see anotha person has the same intrest as me & koo 2 know Prince had sum the similarities.

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M/B 4 typing so much.