Article published Apr 23, 2004


By Mary Awosika

TAMPA -- Whether he wants to admit it or not, Prince is engineering a comeback.

But in his own way, of course.

The notoriously elusive musician, who's penned some of the most memorable songs of the past 20 years -- "Little Red Corvette," "Purple Rain" and "1999," to name a few -- is on tour, performing these classic songs for what he says is the last time.

He emerged from seclusion in February by performing a medley of hits in the opening set at the Grammy Awards with Beyoncé Knowles, followed by a series of appearances on TV talk shows and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
All this from a man who rarely spoke when spoken to, preferring to let his music do the talking. This time, however, he seems to have a lot to discuss: his new album, "Musicology," released April 20.

"This may be the best record he's made in many years," said Joe Levy, music editor for Rolling Stone magazine. "He's made a number of good records since leaving Warner Brothers (in the late '90s), but this new record is more focused than he's been in many years. He's still at the height of his creativity."
"Musicology" showcases a fusion of rock, soul and funk that is undeniably Prince. Although he was at the center of popular music in the '80s, he always followed his muse and not mainstream trends.

At age 18, Prince Rogers Nelson of Minneapolis secured a lucrative record deal with Warner Bros. Records that gave him unprecedented creative control, from writing the lyrics to producing. In 20 years with the label, Prince released 21 albums.

"He had a rare gift, to be able to give people a song they didn't already know they wanted," Levy said. "He could create a new sound again and again, from 1982 to 1989."
And while it seemed like Prince faded into a purple haze during the '90s, when grunge, boy bands and hip hop battled it out for the top spot in pop music, his influence on new artists started to radiate.

It's most noticeable in the music by the hip hop duo Outkast and in the presentation of singer/songwriter Alicia Keys, both of whom were mere toddlers when Prince made his debut.

"Without Prince, there's no Outkast, no D'Angelo," Levy said. "The Roots would exist, but they would have a different sound.
"There's not a musical genius at his level out there making hits today. No artist displays a blend of musical genres like Prince."

And according to reviews, critics say that with "Musicology" Prince has returned to his roots -- or, as he puts it, "old school."

"When Prince is in the studio, he plays the instruments," said Laura Checkoway, research director and writer for Vibe magazine. "That's the power of his music. He's a full-fledged musician, and not just a voice on someone else's song."
Checkoway caught the 45-year-old performing an impromptu, three-hour concert at an after-party in New York City's Club Black nightclub after the March Hall of Fame induction.

"He killed it," said Checkoway. "He's a legend in his own time. This was probably the best (show) I'd seen. It was cool to see the younger artists there as fans."

Prince's message has been to promote musicianship. On "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The Ellen Degeneres Show" and in a conversation with NBC's "Today Show" host Matt Lauer, he's said there's been a loss of music appreciation in today's popular music.
He's made it clear that he thinks new artists should respect the history of music and the artists who paved the way for them, and that they should learn the craft of making music.

Checkoway agrees.

"Notice how they're called 'artists' and not 'musicians' today, because most of them aren't musicians," she said. "To have any power or say in your music, you have to know music and have a strong foundation."

In his acceptance speech at the Hall of Fame -- where he was flanked by Keys and Big Boi and Andre 300 of Outkast -- Prince said he was "most concerned with freedom; freedom to write, freedom to produce and freedom to play all the instruments on the records."
Prince's freedom was at risk 10 years ago, when he signed a new contract with Warner Bros. that limited the number of albums he could record. Claiming this restricted his creativity, he retaliated by dropping his name, proclaiming he was a slave to the industry and referring to himself as an unpronounceable symbol.

His contractual obligation to Warner Bros. ended in December 1999 -- and he soon changed his name back to Prince.

"You have to expect that he would produce an album like 'The Rainbow Children (2001),'" Checkoway said of Prince's instrumental jazz album. "He needs to keep himself challenged, to show as a musician he can accomplish that goal. I can't be looking for (another) 'Purple Rain.'"
In his Hall of Fame speech, Prince also stressed the importance of mentoring and building relationships with more experienced artists.

And, despite the hint that this may be his last tour, he promised that we haven't seen the last of Prince.

"It ain't over," he said.