Mulderrig, Blog #6 - Prince

Prolific and pioneering within the world of hip-hop and rock & roll. A star so big, the world simply knew him by his first name: Prince. Born Prince Rogers Nelson in 1958 in Minneapolis, a young-man standing 5’2” played basketball for his high school. He was a gifted child and was often referred to as skipper by his peers for his cheerful attitude. It wasn’t long until music called to Prince. Before he was eight years old, he had already written his first song, and by 19 years old he had completed his first album. At the age of 21, Prince made his first nationally televised appearance on American Bandstand.

Prince is probably best known for his bold performances and outrageous outfits and style. He admitted in an interview his sense of style and fashion came from overcoming hardship and bullying in his adolescent years. In an interview with ABC News, Prince told a reporter that he used to suffer from epileptic seizure as well as to being teased and bullied in school, and that the flashy outfits were a way to compensate for those experiences.

However, what I find most fascinating about Prince is his dexterity as a musician. He simply was not content with one genre or type of music. To me, that is Prince’s legacy. His ability to have hit after hit on the Billboard charts, while simultaneously combining funk, R&B, dance, rock & roll, and pop. Moreover, Prince was someone who truly loved what he did, and all the hard work that goes into song writing and producing an album. He completed a total of 39 albums (more albums than years as an artist), and won seven Grammy awards.

It wasn’t until his 1984 appearance on television when he played his hit “Purple Rain.” The soundtrack would go on to win him an Academy Award. His talent as an artist and performer was unparalleled. Prince was famously known for his ability to play a multitude of instruments (i.e. guitar, piano, bass), as well as sing all the lyrics on his albums.

Transcending racial barriers, gender, and even a name, Prince eventually changed his name to a symbol (seen here). Ultimately, becoming known as “the artist formerly known as Prince.” Many people saw this as ‘too much’ and many other believed this new persona overshadowed the music.

He eventually went back to the name Prince, and settled down not too far from his home town in Minneapolis. Even though he passed away at the young age of 57, his music will live on as a timeless classic.