Prince’s death was unexpected, shrouded in mystery and full of strange facts. In short, it was a typical Hollywood death. What happened and why?
Prince was the exact opposite of most pop stars of today: He was immensely talented, completely original, fully involved in artistic creation and extremely outspoken – especially against the music industry. More than being in a class of his own, he was in a world of his own, floating in a giant purple bubble while masterfully playing his guitar.
Prince was not merely a singer – he was songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist, a record producer, and an actor. He was keenly aware of the workings on the music industry and often fought bitter battles to preserve the integrity of his work, his image, and his legacy.
While his enigmatic and eccentric persona never ceased to amaze his fans, the discovery of his lifeless body inside an elevator left the world with one final enigma: What happened? Before we look at this death, let’s look at his career.
Outspoken
Prince spent his entire career battling “record label tyranny” which lead to some memorable outbursts. In 1993, when a deal with Warner Brothers went south and left him without control of his work and without the advances he was promised, he orchestrated a rebellion that only Prince could think of. In a perplexing (and often ridiculed) move, Prince replaced name with an unpronounceable symbol. People then had to refer to him as “The artist formerly known as Prince”.
The Love Symbol on the cover his 1993 album. Although he never explained the meaning of this symbol, it contains both the symbols for male and female (which goes with Prince's androgenous persona) crossed by a trumpet-like instrument (representing music).
The Love Symbol on the cover his 1993 album. Although Prince never fully explained the meaning of this symbol (other that it “came to him during meditation”), one can easily discern an amalgamation of the “male” and “female” symbols crossed by a trumpet-like instrument. It might be a visual representation of the his androgynous musical persona.
Although this move was widely misunderstood by the public (and media), Prince clearly explained the rationale behind it.
The first step I have taken toward the ultimate goal of emancipation from the chains that bind me to Warner Bros. was to change my name from Prince to the Love Symbol. Prince is the name that my mother gave me at birth. Warner Bros. took the name, trademarked it, and used it as the main marketing tool to promote all of the music that I wrote. The company owns the name Prince and all related music marketed under Prince. I became merely a pawn used to produce more money for Warner Bros…
I was born Prince and did not want to adopt another conventional name. The only acceptable replacement for my name, and my identity, was the Love Symbol, a symbol with no pronunciation, that is a representation of me and what my music is about. This symbol is present in my work over the years; it is a concept that has evolved from my frustration; it is who I am. It is my name.
– Michael Heatley, Where Were You… When the Music Played? 120 Unforgettable Moments in Music History.
During his legal battle with Warner Brothers, Prince appeared in public with the word “SLAVE” scribbled on his cheek.
Prince, with the word "Slave" written across his face is shown performing in New York's Rockefeller Plaza on July 9, 1996.
Prince, with the word “Slave” written across his face at New York’s Rockefeller Plaza on July 9, 1996.
Prince also enjoyed speaking about unpopular issues such as chemtrails, religion and morality. Here’s a 2009 interview where he speaks his mind.
Several years later, Prince was still going at it. In 2015, he compared artists to “indentured servants with little control over how their music is used”. In a rare interaction with media, Prince stated:
Quote:
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“Record contracts are just like — I’m gonna say the word – slavery. I would tell any young artist… don’t sign.”
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Prince said those words in August 2015, in his Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis. Less than a year later, he was found dead at this very location.
Full article:
http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusi...ned-to-prince/
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