I used that as a screen name years ago when I first started going online. Some people assumed it was a statement on my personality. Others assumed that I was paying homage to the reggae/ska culture. In actuality, it was neither. It was an homage to a name bestowed back in the 80’s on one of my favorite musical artists. Prince.
It’s been a few days since the announcement of his death and I’ve had some time to reflect on this. I’ve been a fan of Prince since my early teens years and now I’m circling 50 (I have no issues with my age). More than that, I have been an admirer. Even though I am not a musician, I considered him to be an artistic mentor. The way that he approached his art created such a revolution (pun intended). The things that you weren’t supposed to be able to do, Prince dived into head first. Jazz, Rock, R and B, rap, funk, psychedelic and New Wave genres weren’t supposed to blend together. Someone forgot to give that memo to Prince. And if they had, I’m sure that it would’ve ended up in the royal dumpster along with all the other preconceived notions about how an artist should approach creativity.
This year of 2016 has been a tough one for the crossing over of talented musicians. We lost Maurice White from Earth, Wind and Fire, David Bowie, Phife Dawg from Tribe called Quest, Paul Kanter from Jefferson Airplane, Merle Haggard, Glenn Frey from the Eagles and Denise Matthews aka Vanity to name some of them. It seems that the era of artists that relied on talent and will and not studio tricks and made up image is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Yet, the loss of Prince hit me especially hard. I devoured his music. The poster from the
Purple Rain album hung on my wall. I memorized lyrics and played his songs over and over. Just when you would get comfortable with one musical style, the next year, you got something totally different. I even had a teen crush on Lisa ;).
On a few occasions, his material didn’t strike a chord with me. But most of the time, he was sheer genius. I defy ANY artist these days to create a masterpiece like
Sign of the Times,
The Gold Experience or
LoveSexy. An interview with him, which was rare, was like watching a CBS Special Presentation from the 70’s. It didn’t happen that often and when it did, I was GLUED to it. I wrote my journals in “Prince” speak in the 11th grade (nowadays called chat speak). I even wore eyeliner to high school on a couple of occasions to be like him.
My late teen years were a lonely and rough time. I had my art, my immediate family, my music and not much else that was positive. That lyric from Queen’s
Radio Gaga was one of the first thing that came in my head:
I'd sit alone and watch your light
My only friend through teenage nights
And everything I had to know
I heard it on my radio
When I considered that lyric, it occurred to me why I am so devastated by this. I considered Prince to be a friend. Not in a weird stalker way as I had never met the man. But someone who expressed himself in his craft in unusual and eclectic manners while fiercely guarding his privacy. I could relate to that. I could also grasp onto his delving about the varying topics of spirituality, sexuality, heartbreak and politics. He helped me to understand that it was OK to be different and do what I do. Sometimes, you can’t meet people where they are. Sometimes, they have to come around to you. And with the MANY artists that took inspiration from him, many did come around to his way of thinking.
There will be a new city with streets of gold
The young so educated they never grow old
And a, there will be no death 4 with every breath
The voice of many colors sings a song
That's so bold
Sing it while we watch them fall
All 7 and we'll watch them fall
They stand in the way of love
And we will smoke them all
With an intellect and a savoir-faire
No one in the whole universe
Will ever compare
I am yours now and u are mine
And together we'll love through
All space and time, so don't cry
One day all 7 will die
Prince - lyrics from the song 7
RIP to his Royal Badness.
