bboy87 said:

paisleypark4 said:

TONYVANDAM from 2005 said:

Did yo ass go all the way back to '05?!

Thats right, SERVIN' EM!

Harlepolis said:

Somebody's ass is lying, I don't know who.

The Time concept was developed long before Baby Alex came into the picture as a deal between Prince & Morris(in result of the "Partyup" blatant rip off).

Now I know that Alex auditioned to be a member of the band, but I don't know which part is true, the implication in DMSR that he didn't wanna settle with the measly payment or that he was too dark to be frontman.

That being said, Alex is correct in his assessment that Prince was conveniently "black" when it served his purpose, its nothing new. Back in the 80s he distanced himself from black media outlets and threw himself into the mainstream crowd, until the "Slave" fiasco happened thats when all of a sudden he embraced the black media. Even his drummer Michael Bland pointed this out.

[Edited 6/21/11 9:31am]

b4 THAT when White Folks was throwin Chicken Parts and Jack Daniels bottles on his BLACK ass opening 4 the Rolling Stones!!!!!!

bboy87 said:

Alexander looks like the Candyman

like if you said "Candyman" 3 times in the dark, you'd hear the opening of Fake in the echo and you see this

[img:$uid]http://images.bluebeat.com/c/8/7/3/6/4/Alexander-O-Neal_6000_10.jpg[/img:$uid]

.....and he'd ask "CAN I GET SOME NAS-TAY BASE"!!!!!!!!

WHERE'S THE VIDEO???

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

WHERE'S THE VIDEO???

I wasted like an hour trying to find it on TVOne's site last night...ugh! I gave up...

Cherrelle is beautiful and is working on a new album entitled, "Fifty and Fine?" YES! I hope she's got some Jam & Lewis in THAT mix! Time will tell. What a little cutie pie she is! As for Alex...damn...

...I mean, it's GREAT that he blew up in the U.K. saleswise, but it's absolutely horrific that he got into cocaine. Amazingly TOO, he's still married to the same woman for 21 years. I give HER kudos. God only knows what she had to endure in those 21 years with a drug-addicted husband. She must really, really LOVE him.

I was greateful to be able to see this online. It was a nice trip down memoy lane however there wasn't really much of a story. Are unsungs always like this?

.

[Edited 6/27/11 18:34pm]

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Alex has had major health issues from his drug & alcohol use including having a major stroke. If U listen to him talk his speech is slurred and he seems incoherent.

Cherrelle on the other hand is best friends with Whitney Houston. She lived with her in her condo in the ATL during the prime of her drug use, when she was still married to Bobby Brown. Then caught in a drug daze at a gas station in a bad wig & dirty mink coat.. Enough said on that.

bellanoche said:

formallypickles said:

yep and prince is ashamed of being black

but we all knew that

Oh, please. How is Prince anymore ashamed of being black than Alex?

One might posit that Alex is as colorstruck as the next man, hence his boatload of lightskinned children and white spouse. He said early on in the show that he felt that he was treated differently because he was darker than some of his siblings. So, he might often think that at times when he is slighted it is because of his skin color. Therefore, light skinned Prince didn't want him in the Time because he was too dark. He needs to diagnose his own color issues rather than what he perceives to be Prince's.

I just re-watched it, Alex didn't say Prince said it, he said people implied or he heard through other people that Prince didn't want him in the group because he was too dark/black, and it motivated him more to make it in the business

bboy87 said:

I just re-watched it, Alex didn't say Prince said it, he said people implied or he heard through other people that Prince didn't want him in the group because he was too dark/black, and it motivated him more to make it in the business

Well maybe he needs to take his toothless ass to the source first before listening to rumors about what Prince MIGHT have said about him.

missfee said:

bboy87 said:

I just re-watched it, Alex didn't say Prince said it, he said people implied or he heard through other people that Prince didn't want him in the group because he was too dark/black, and it motivated him more to make it in the business

Well maybe he needs to take his toothless ass to the source first before listening to rumors about what Prince MIGHT have said about him.

HEY! I will no let you insult my friend Alexander O'Neal with such offending pictures.....

'cuz everybody knows Alex wouldn't be caught in public without his conk and sheen

[img:$uid]http://www.rnbhaven.com/images/alexanderoneal.jpg[/img:$uid]

look at how the burnt edges glisten in the light, you just hatin'

bboy87 said:

missfee said:

Well maybe he needs to take his toothless ass to the source first before listening to rumors about what Prince MIGHT have said about him.

HEY! I will no let you insult my friend Alexander O'Neal with such offending pictures.....

'cuz everybody knows Alex wouldn't be caught in public without his conk and sheen

[img:$uid]http://www.rnbhaven.com/images/alexanderoneal.jpg[/img:$uid]

look at how the burnt edges glisten in the light, you just hatin'

bboy87 said:

missfee said:

Well maybe he needs to take his toothless ass to the source first before listening to rumors about what Prince MIGHT have said about him.

HEY! I will no let you insult my friend Alexander O'Neal with such offending pictures.....

'cuz everybody knows Alex wouldn't be caught in public without his conk and sheen

[img:$uid]http://www.rnbhaven.com/images/alexanderoneal.jpg[/img:$uid]

look at how the burnt edges glisten in the light, you just hatin'

Both of y'all can kick ROCKS! Back in the day.... Alex was fine as brown sugah.

Dark skinned men was never my fancy but with Alex... even with that conk hair do. that resemble a kitchen press that got slightly wet then slicked back... even in spite of THAT.... Alexander O'neal was one fine mothafocka.

prodigalfan said:

bboy87 said:

HEY! I will no let you insult my friend Alexander O'Neal with such offending pictures.....

'cuz everybody knows Alex wouldn't be caught in public without his conk and sheen

[img:$uid]http://www.rnbhaven.com/images/alexanderoneal.jpg[/img:$uid]

look at how the burnt edges glisten in the light, you just hatin'

Both of y'all can kick ROCKS! Back in the day.... Alex was fine as brown sugah.

Dark skinned men was never my fancy but with Alex... even with that conk hair do. that resemble a kitchen press that got slightly wet then slicked back... even in spite of THAT.... Alexander O'neal was one fine mothafocka.

Reply #1 posted 07/05/03 5:22pm

Alexander O'Neal didn't get fired from 'The Time'.
He was never really in the band in the first place.

Alexander O'Neal was the lead singer of 'Flyte Tyme',
which was a band that had been around in Minneapolis
since about 1973, and wasn't connected to Prince.
'Flyte Time' was actually started by Terry Lewis and
Jellybean Johnson, and featured Morris Day as the
drummer. Prince and Andre were looking at putting
together a new funk side project, a band that they
would write the songs for and produce, but wouldn't
actually be members of. Through Prince's friendship
with Morris Day, they put together 'The Time' using
members of 'Flyte Tyme' as the base. Originally Prince
considered retaining Alexander O'Neal as the lead
singer, but after the first meeting of the new band
it became apparent that Alexander would want to do
things his way rather than Prince's, so Prince
suggested that Morris should be the lead singer.

http://prince.org/msg/7/54312

Reply #3 posted 01/24/05 3:51am

Apparently,Alexander wanted more money and Prince told him to take a hike. He was replaced with Morris Day.

http://prince.org/msg/8/130938

Jimmy Jam also explained about this in a 90's issue of the UK magazine Blues & Soul.

There was a pre-band meeting with the musicians and Alex wanted that money and a car among other things.

So Prince told right away that the collaboration wasn't gonna work like that.

prodigalfan said:

bboy87 said:

HEY! I will no let you insult my friend Alexander O'Neal with such offending pictures.....

'cuz everybody knows Alex wouldn't be caught in public without his conk and sheen

[img:$uid]http://www.rnbhaven.com/images/alexanderoneal.jpg[/img:$uid]

look at how the burnt edges glisten in the light, you just hatin'

Both of y'all can kick ROCKS! Back in the day.... Alex was fine as brown sugah.

Dark skinned men was never my fancy but with Alex... even with that conk hair do. that resemble a kitchen press that got slightly wet then slicked back... even in spite of THAT.... Alexander O'neal was one fine mothafocka.

"Was" is the keyword.

bellanoche said:

Harlepolis said:

Somebody's ass is lying, I don't know who.

The Time concept was developed long before Baby Alex came into the picture as a deal between Prince & Morris(in result of the "Partyup" blatant rip off).

Now I know that Alex auditioned to be a member of the band, but I don't know which part is true, the implication in DMSR that he didn't wanna settle with the measly payment or that he was too dark to be frontman.

That being said, Alex is correct in his assessment that Prince was conveniently "black" when it served his purpose, its nothing new. Back in the 80s he distanced himself from black media outlets and threw himself into the mainstream crowd, until the "Slave" fiasco happened thats when all of a sudden he embraced the black media. Even his drummer Michael Bland pointed this out.

[Edited 6/21/11 9:31am]

I disagree with this. I think Prince has color issues like many blacks, but I do not think they are the way that some perceive them. For example, the convenient blackness that people are referencing here to me refers to Prince's understanding of race and racism in this country and the entertainment industry. As Arthur Ashe stated in his autobio, "Whites like their blacks in token amounts." This is nothing new. Most of the black entertainers who have achieved mainstream success are light skinned, light brown, thin featured or mixed, especially those who achieve sex symbol status.

Prince knew this and played on that white racism to promote himself to the mainstream. by exploiting what some thought was a racially ambiguos look. He knew he didn't want to be pigeonholed like many black artists before him. However, I do not think he ever abandoned black media. He did not distance himself prior to his fight with Warner (the so-called "Slave" fiasco that you referenced). Prince didn't do many interviews with white or black media back in the day or even now. However, I remember him being interviewed on black radio by people like Tom Joyner and featured in black magazines throughout his heyday and afterward. Back in the day he gave BET/Video Soul exclusive videos and content during the '80s and '90s. I remember different members of the band being on during the SOTT era, Diamonds and Pearls and others. In the '80s he was giving money to Marva Collins' school, so I don't think he distanced himself from who he was. Additionally, unlike many other high profile black celebrities, Prince has employed blacks in myriad key positions throughout his career. His bands and friends are majority black as well.

Like EVERYBODY, mfer. EVERY race has thoughts prejudices, curiosities and myths all based on skin color/ ethnic heritage. Don't confine that sh*t to "blacks".

Shango said:

Reply #1 posted 07/05/03 5:22pm

Alexander O'Neal didn't get fired from 'The Time'.
He was never really in the band in the first place.

Alexander O'Neal was the lead singer of 'Flyte Tyme',
which was a band that had been around in Minneapolis
since about 1973, and wasn't connected to Prince.
'Flyte Time' was actually started by Terry Lewis and
Jellybean Johnson, and featured Morris Day as the
drummer. Prince and Andre were looking at putting
together a new funk side project, a band that they
would write the songs for and produce, but wouldn't
actually be members of. Through Prince's friendship
with Morris Day, they put together 'The Time' using
members of 'Flyte Tyme' as the base. Originally Prince
considered retaining Alexander O'Neal as the lead
singer, but after the first meeting of the new band
it became apparent that Alexander would want to do
things his way rather than Prince's, so Prince
suggested that Morris should be the lead singer.

http://prince.org/msg/7/54312

Reply #3 posted 01/24/05 3:51am

Apparently,Alexander wanted more money and Prince told him to take a hike. He was replaced with Morris Day.

http://prince.org/msg/8/130938

Jimmy Jam also explained about this in a 90's issue of the UK magazine Blues & Soul.

There was a pre-band meeting with the musicians and Alex wanted that money and a car among other things.

So Prince told right away that the collaboration wasn't gonna work like that.

And there you have it. I'm guessing Mr. O'Neal read about "being too dark" from the internet. I doubt that was a topic of discussion when Prince and Andre were creating "The Time" together. That's how Alex's comment came off to me. It's obvious Alex's responses was because Prince didn't trust him for being so open about money because Prince wasn't even RICH by then! They were still hungry, struggling artists when they met up with "Flyte Tyme" in 1977.

[Edited 7/3/11 11:44am]

Bottom line, that brotha could sang and what he did to himself is so stupid.

I think there's a grain of truth to some of what he said about his encounter with Prince and crew but the thing is, that group was only big enough to hold one ego.

While he was talking about it I kept imagining the look Prince must have had on his face, not many people around him at the time had the balls to step to him like that.

babynoz said:

Bottom line, that brotha could sang and what he did to himself is so stupid.

I think there's a grain of truth to some of what he said about his encounter with Prince and crew but the thing is, that group was only big enough to hold one ego.

While he was talking about it I kept imagining the look Prince must have had on his face, not many people around him at the time had the balls to step to him like that.

You KNOW Prince was giving him MAD SIDE EYE

I think it worked out well for Alex AND Jam and Lewis. The Time was under Prince's complete control. As much as I love The Time, they were really just an alternative outlet for Prince's music, they didn't even play on the albums

prodigalfan said:

^ right I can't express how grateful I am that prince kicked Alexander O'Neal out of the the Time, fired Jam and Lewis and failed in signing Tony, Toni, Tone. Imagine how different the RB music in the 1990's would have differ. No Control album or Sons of Soul, no Sands of Time, no True Man, no Charity, or Robert Plant crossover/comeback. I can go on and on. Thank you!

You know what? I never thought of it like that but GREAT POINTS!

Yeah THANK YOU PRINCE! THANK YOU!

prodigalfan said:

^ right I can't express how grateful I am that prince kicked Alexander O'Neal out of the the Time, fired Jam and Lewis and failed in signing Tony, Toni, Tone. Imagine how different the RB music in the 1990's would have differ. No Control album or Sons of Soul, no Sands of Time, no True Man, no Charity, or Robert Plant crossover/comeback. I can go on and on. Thank you!

Lawd, you know, had they been signed we'd only heard one song from them and that's it...then whoosh, disappeared. Just comes to show that things really do HAPPEN FOR A REASON.

Robert Palmer!

bboy87 said:

babynoz said:

Bottom line, that brotha could sang and what he did to himself is so stupid.

I think there's a grain of truth to some of what he said about his encounter with Prince and crew but the thing is, that group was only big enough to hold one ego.

While he was talking about it I kept imagining the look Prince must have had on his face, not many people around him at the time had the balls to step to him like that.

You KNOW Prince was giving him MAD SIDE EYE

I think it worked out well for Alex AND Jam and Lewis. The Time was under Prince's complete control. As much as I love The Time, they were really just an alternative outlet for Prince's music, they didn't even play on the albums

That's a great point...we should be grateful that some people escaped his control no matter how it happened,

sosgemini said:

Robert Palmer!

Hey, I loved Robert Palmer's 1990's work. Even if they were remakes... he did it with such style and class.

here is the link to his take on Cherrelle's hit. sorry I couldn't find a you tube video of original version of I didn't mean to turn you on.

http://video.aol.com/video/robert-palmer-i-didnt-mean-to-turn-you-on/1453023

prodigalfan said:

sosgemini said:

Robert Palmer!

Hey, I loved Robert Palmer's 1990's work. Even if they were remakes... he did it with such style and class.

here is the link to his take on Cherrelle's hit. sorry I couldn't find a you tube video of original version of I didn't mean to turn you on.

http://video.aol.com/video/robert-palmer-i-didnt-mean-to-turn-you-on/1453023

No, no, you originally typed Robert Plant.