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Music Icon, Prince

Prince is one of the most talented, talked about, and controversial artists of all time. The work of Prince lives on today and is considered classic music. In honor of his birthday, learn more about Prince below.

Prince Rogers Nelson

Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958. He is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prince’s parents were both musicians. Prince would become interested in music at a very young age. He wasn’t just interested…he was extremely talented. Prince taught himself how to play piano, guitar, and drums. His home life started to become challenging, but music served as his salvation.

Later in his life, Prince revealed to the public that as a child he suffered from epileptic seizures. This led to him being teased in school. Prince would become flashy and noisy to compensate for his disability. Being flamboyant became a big part of his musical persona.

prince as a child

Purple Rain

In 1978, Prince signed with Warner Bros. Records. With his band the Revolution, Prince created his iconic album, Purple Rain in 1984. The album was the soundtrack for the film of the same name. Prince would also star in the film. The record and movie were both huge hits. The album would garner controversy thanks to its sexually explicit lyrics.

BatDance

Prince would release his 11th album with the soundtrack to Batman in 1989. Batman was one of the most anticipated blockbusters of all time. There were rumors that Prince actually coveted the role of Batman, but ultimately, he would have to settle on crafting the soundtrack to the film. The film, and the soundtrack from Prince, were massive hits. His song, “Batdance,” would become a number 1 smash on the charts.

prince purple rain

The Artist Formerly Known As Prince

The 1990s were an up and down decade for Prince when it came to success. The decade started off strong for Prince in 1992 when he signed a record setting contract. Prince signed a $100 million contract with Warner Bros.

Obviously, a deal of that size comes with a lot of pressure. Prince wasn’t meeting the expectations of Warner when it came to sales. Prince became disillusioned with the control Warner was trying to use over him and his career. Feeling like he was losing power and becoming a slave to the studio, Prince would change his name to the unpronounceable symbol for female and male astrological symbols. This would stand as his name until 2000.

His fans didn’t really love his new moniker. The public would start to call him "the artist formerly known as Prince." Eventually the artist was released from his obligations to Warner Bros.

prince warner bros

Return to the Spotlight

Prince was relatively quiet until he returned to the spotlight in a major way in 2004. He would perform at the Grammy Awards with Beyoncé. In 2004 he was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2007, the artist would perform during the Super Bowl halftime show. His performance is considered one of the all time great Super Bowl performances.

Legacy

Prince would pass away in 2016. His charisma and artistry are second to none. Few can rival his skills as a musician, vocalist, and performer. Prince was a one of a kind talent that lives on in his music, videos, and films.

 

- Adam C. Better

prince grammys 2004