124-414: Digital Underground is an American alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California . Its lineup changed with each album and tour. Digital Underground's leader and mainstay was Gregory " Shock G " Jacobs (also known as Humpty Hump). Shock G formed the group in 1987 with Tampa hip-hop radio deejay Kenneth "Kenny-K" Waters and Jimi "Chopmaster J" Dright of Berkeley, California . Heavily influenced by
248-554: A Grammy Award for Album of the Year —making it only the second hip-hop album to win the award ( The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill being the first) and has been certified diamond by selling 11 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). MF Doom had been on the come up in the underground scene after releasing his debut studio album, Operation: Doomsday . He came back to
372-506: A greatest hits compilation with the three-disc The Hits/The B-Sides in 1993. The first two discs were also sold separately as The Hits 1 and The Hits 2 . The collection features the majority of Prince's hit singles (with the exception of "Batdance" and other songs that appeared on the Batman soundtrack), and several previously hard-to-find recordings, including B-sides from across Prince's career and previously unreleased tracks such as
496-669: A D.U. Party Don't Stop! , was released on May 20, 2008, although a substantial portion of it was recorded at a live show from 2005. Shortly before its release, the group embarked on an indefinite hiatus. Money-B has stated that Shock G expressed interest in writing a book and exploring music that the latter would deem unfit for the Digital Underground name. On May 18, 2010, The Greenlight EP was released, which features some previously unreleased Digital Underground tracks. Alternative hip hop Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap and experimental hip hop )
620-431: A background vocalist, adding humorous ad-libs between the verses. Tupac first began to appear on stage with the group as one of its dancers and "hype men". The group's second full album featured two singles, "No Nose Job" and "Kiss You Back", the latter of which featured multi-layered choruses and background vocals sung by Boni Boyer, who briefly worked with Digital Underground shortly after her stint with Prince 's Sign of
744-644: A brass section known as the Hornheads to go along with Levi Seacer (taking over on guitar), Rosie Gaines , Michael Bland , and the Game Boyz. With significant input from his band members, Diamonds and Pearls was released on October 1, 1991. Reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart, Diamonds and Pearls saw four hit singles released in the United States. " Gett Off " peaked at No. 21 on
868-523: A combination of samples and live instrumentation, earning it positive reviews and platinum sales. This Is an EP Release is the RIAA Gold certified second Digital Underground release, from which two songs, "Tie the Knot" and " Same Song " were featured in the film Nothing But Trouble starring Dan Aykroyd , Chevy Chase , Demi Moore , and John Candy . "Tie The Knot," features jazzy piano tracks and
992-412: A comedic interpretation of " Bridal Chorus ". "Same Song" has an organ solo and improvised organ bits throughout the song, making it one of hip hop's first singles to successfully integrate live instrumentation with music samples . Tupac Shakur made his debut on the latter song and portrayed an African king in the video. Tupac also can be heard joking around on the remixed version of "The Way We Swing" as
1116-534: A competitive rivalry which lasted for many years. The song " Delirious " also placed in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. " International Lover " earned Prince his first Grammy Award nomination at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards . During this period Prince referred to his band as the Revolution . The band's name was also printed, in reverse, on the cover of 1999 inside the letter "I" of
1240-694: A defense. When released in September 1995, The Gold Experience reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200. The album was not in print for a long period due to a plagiarism case relating to "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", but the album was released on streaming with Prince’s catalog in 2018, and reissued on CD and vinyl in 2022. Chaos and Disorder , released in 1996, was Prince's final album of new material for Warner Bros., as well as one of his least commercially successful releases. Free of any further contractual obligations to Warner Bros., Prince attempted
1364-652: A demo tape with producer Chris Moon, in Moon's Minneapolis studio. Unable to secure a recording contract, Moon brought the tape to Owen Husney, a Minneapolis businessman, who signed Prince, age 19, to a management contract, and helped him create a demo at Sound 80 Studios in Minneapolis (with producer/engineer David Z). The demo recording, along with a press kit produced at Husney's ad agency, resulted in interest from several record companies, including Warner Bros. Records , A&M Records , and Columbia Records . With
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#17327836594401488-479: A five-CD collection of unreleased material, in 1998. The distribution of this album was disorderly, with some fans pre-ordering the album on his website up to a year before it was shipped; these pre-orders were delivered months after the record had gone on sale in retail stores. The retail edition has only four discs, as it is missing the Kamasutra disc. There are also two different packaging editions for retail; one
1612-432: A major comeback later that year with the release of Emancipation , a 36-song, 3-CD set (each disc was exactly 60 minutes long). The album was released via his own NPG Records with distribution through EMI . To publish his songs on Emancipation , Prince did not use Controversy Music – ASCAP , which he had used for all his records since 1981, but rather used Emancipated Music Inc. – ASCAP . Emancipation
1736-643: A mass mailing of floppy disks with a custom font. At this time, Prince was often referred to as "the Artist Formerly Known as Prince" or "the Artist". In 1994, Prince began to release albums in quick succession as a means of releasing himself from his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. He also began appearing with the word "slave" written on his face. He believed Warner Bros. was intent on limiting his artistic freedom by insisting he release albums more sporadically. He also blamed Warner Bros. for
1860-414: A name which stuck throughout his childhood. Prince said he was "born epileptic " and had seizures when he was young. He stated, "My mother told me one day I walked in to her and said, 'Mom, I'm not going to be sick anymore,' and she said, 'Why?' and I said, 'Because an angel told me so. ' " Prince's younger sister, Tyka , was born on May 18, 1960. Both siblings developed a keen interest in music, which
1984-575: A one-album agreement with Columbia. The album rose as high as the top five on some international charts (including the US, UK, Germany, and Australia). The US chart success was assisted by the CDs being included as part of the concert ticket purchase, thereby qualifying each CD (as chart rules then stood) to count toward US chart placement. Three months later, Spin named him the greatest frontman of all time. That same year, Rolling Stone magazine named Prince as
2108-577: A practice he continued until the Emancipation album in 1996. Controversy also marked the introduction of Prince's use of abbreviated spelling , such as writing the words you as U , to as 2 , and for as 4 ; by 2002, MTV News noted that "[n]ow all of his titles, liner notes, and Web postings are written in his own shorthand spelling, as seen on 1999's Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic , which featured 'Hot Wit U. ' " In 1981, Prince formed
2232-526: A press conference, he stated that after being freed from undesirable relationships associated with the name "Prince", he would revert to using his real name. Nevertheless, Prince continued to use the symbol as a logo and on album artwork and to play a Love Symbol–shaped guitar. For several years following the release of Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic , Prince primarily released new music through his Internet subscription service, NPGOnlineLtd.com, which later became NPGMusicClub.com. Albums from this period are Rave In2
2356-537: A reference to masturbation), she founded the Parents Music Resource Center . The center advocated the mandatory use of a warning label (" Parental Advisory : Explicit Lyrics") on the covers of records that have been judged to contain language or lyrical content unsuitable for minors . The recording industry later voluntarily complied with this request. In 1985, Prince announced that he would discontinue live performances and music videos after
2480-403: A side project band called The Time . The band released four albums between 1981 and 1990, with Prince writing and performing most of the instrumentation and backing vocals (sometimes credited under the pseudonyms "Jamie Starr" or "The Starr Company"), with lead vocals by Morris Day . In late 1982, Prince released a double album, 1999 , which sold over four million copies. The title track
2604-536: A spiritual opposite to the dark The Black Album . Every song is a solo effort by Prince, except "Eye No", which was recorded with his backing band at the time. Lovesexy reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the R&;B albums chart. The lead single, " Alphabet St. ", peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100 and No. 3 on the R&B chart; it sold 750,000 copies. Prince again took his post-Revolution backing band (minus
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#17327836594402728-482: A street-life experience. Kanye led a wave of new artists— Kid Cudi , Wale , Lupe Fiasco , Kidz in the Hall , Drake , Nicki Minaj —who lacked the interest or ability to create narratives about any past gunplay or drug-dealing ." Similarly, in a retrospective article, Rosie Swash of The Guardian viewed the album's sales competition with 50 Cent's Curtis as a historical moment in hip hop, writing that it "highlighted
2852-413: A trio of his own hits during the ceremony, Prince also participated in a tribute to fellow inductee George Harrison in a rendering of Harrison's " While My Guitar Gently Weeps ", playing a two-minute guitar solo that ended the song. He also performed the song " Red House " as "Purple House" on the album Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix . In April 2004, Prince released Musicology through
2976-562: Is a four-disc sized jewel case with a white cover and the Love Symbol in a colored circle while the other contains all four discs in a round translucent snap jewel case. The discs are the same, as is the CD jacket. The Newpower Soul album was released three months later. His collaborations on Chaka Khan 's Come 2 My House and Larry Graham 's GCS2000 , both released on the NPG label around
3100-459: Is a subgenre of hip hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising " hip hop groups that refuse to conform to any of the traditional stereotypes of rap, such as gangsta , bass , hardcore , and party rap. Instead, they blur genres drawing equally from funk and pop/rock , as well as jazz , soul , reggae , and even folk ." Alternative hip hop developed in
3224-467: Is doing now, those are the kinds of sounds that are on Kamaal the Abstract . Maybe even a little more out. Kamaal was just me, guerrilla. Similarly, BET refused to play "Lovin' It", the lead single of duo Little Brother 's socio-politically charged concept album The Minstrel Show , which provided a tongue-in-cheek critique of African American pop culture, on the grounds that the group's music
3348-464: Is ranked 8th in Rolling Stone ' s "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" ; it is also included on the list of Time magazine's All-Time 100 Albums. The album also produced two of Prince's first three Grammy Awards earned at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards —Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. In 1984, pop artist Andy Warhol created
3472-524: Is regarded as one of history's greatest musicians. He was known for his flamboyant, androgynous persona; his wide vocal range, which included a far-reaching falsetto and high-pitched screams; and his skill as a multi-instrumentalist, often preferring to play all or most of the instruments on his recordings. His music incorporated a wide variety of styles, including funk , R&B , rock , new wave , soul , synth-pop , pop , jazz , blues , and hip hop . Prince produced his albums himself, pioneering
3596-473: Is the recipient of consistent critical acclaim but is generally shunned by American mainstream media and widely regarded as commercially unappealing. New York radio personality and spoken word artist Imhotep Gary Byrd 's single "The Crown" was rejected by American radio stations for being "too Black and too positive." However, the song was very well received and become a hit in Europe. It reached number 6 on
3720-598: The Billboard Hot 100 . The song " Just as Long as We're Together " reached No. 91 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. In 1979, Prince created a band with André Cymone on bass, Dez Dickerson on guitar, Gayle Chapman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, and Bobby Z. on drums. Their first show was at the Capri Theater on January 5, 1979. Warner Bros. executives attended the show but decided that Prince and
3844-506: The 46th Annual Grammy Awards with Beyoncé . In a performance that opened the show, they performed a medley of "Purple Rain", "Let's Go Crazy", " Baby I'm a Star ", and Beyoncé's " Crazy in Love ". The following month, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . The award was presented to him by Alicia Keys along with Big Boi and André 3000 of OutKast . As well as performing
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3968-412: The Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. The single " The Arms of Orion ", with Sheena Easton, charted at No. 36, and " Partyman " (also featuring the vocals of Prince's then-girlfriend, nicknamed Anna Fantastic ) charted at No. 18 on the Hot 100 and at No. 5 on the R&B chart, while the love ballad " Scandalous! " went to No. 5 on the R&B chart. Prince had to sign away all publishing rights to
4092-593: The For You album notes, Prince wrote, produced, arranged, composed, and played all 27 instruments on the recording, except for the song " Soft and Wet ", whose lyrics were co-written by Moon. The cost of recording the album was twice Prince's initial advance. Prince used the Prince's Music Co. to publish his songs. In the United States, "Soft and Wet" reached No. 12 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 92 on
4216-483: The Minneapolis sound . Born and raised in Minneapolis , Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 19, soon releasing the studio albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). He went on to achieve critical success with the influential albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). His sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), was recorded with his new backing band
4340-729: The One Nite Alone...Tour . The 3-CD box set also includes a disc of "aftershow" music entitled It Ain't Over! . During this time, Prince sought to engage more effectively with his fan base via the NPG Music Club , pre-concert sound checks, and at yearly "celebrations" at Paisley Park, his music studios. Fans were invited into the studio for tours, interviews, discussions and music-listening sessions. Some of these fan discussions were filmed for an unreleased documentary , directed by Kevin Smith . On February 8, 2004, Prince appeared at
4464-805: The UK Singles Chart , becoming the longest record ever to reach the top 10 in the history of the British Charts. Over the years, multiple organizations representing African Americans such as the National Black Leadership Alliance and the National Congress of Black Women have released statements criticizing how urban radio stations refuse to play rap music that does not demean and degrade black women, shunning alternative hip-hop artists such as Arrested Development and Dead Prez . Q-Tip , frontman of
4588-602: The alternative rock movement, alternative hip hop segued into the mainstream at the dawn of the 1990s. Arrested Development , along with The Fugees , stand as some of the first few alternative rap to be recognized by mainstream audiences. The classic debut albums 3 Feet High and Rising , People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm , and Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde achieved minor commercial success as they garnered immense acclaim from music critics, who described
4712-724: The best-selling music artists of all time . His awards include the Grammy President's Merit Award , the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit , the Billboard Icon Award , an Academy Award , and a Golden Globe Award . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, and
4836-404: The 2000s, alternative hip hop reattained its place within the mainstream, due in part to the declining commercial viability of gangsta rap as well as the crossover success of artists such as Outkast, Kanye West , and Gnarls Barkley . Outkast's fifth studio album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) receive universal acclaim from music critics and had two number-one hit singles. The album won
4960-649: The Bodyguards (Jerome, Wally Safford, and Greg Brooks) for the Sign o' the Times Tour . The Sign o' the Times tour was a success overseas, with Warner Bros. and Prince's managers wanting to bring it to the US to promote sales of the album. Prince balked at a full US tour, as he was ready to produce a new album. As a compromise, the last two nights of the tour were filmed for release in movie theaters. The film quality
5084-553: The Bodyguards) on a three-leg, 84-show Lovesexy World Tour; although the shows were well-received by huge crowds, they failed to make a net profit due to the expensive sets and props. In 1989, Prince appeared on Madonna 's studio album Like a Prayer , co-writing and singing the duet "Love Song" and playing electric guitar (uncredited) on the songs " Like a Prayer ", " Keep It Together ", and "Act of Contrition". He also began work on several musical projects, including Rave Unto
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5208-637: The Cherry Moon after Prince's death and declared it a cult classic , comparing it to films such as 8½ , Casablanca and It Happened One Night . In 1986, Prince began a series of live performances called the Hit n Run – Parade Tour . After the tour, Prince disbanded the Revolution and fired Wendy & Lisa . Brown Mark quit the band; keyboardist Doctor Fink remained. Prince recruited new band members Miko Weaver on guitar, Atlanta Bliss on trumpet, and Eric Leeds on saxophone. Before disbanding
5332-690: The Gravy? , which reached #91 on the Top 200 R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Digital Underground being a West Coast act, the album intentionally featured several East Coast rappers at a time when the East vs. West rivalry was active, in an attempt to both ignore and ridicule it. The guests included New York City natives Big Pun , Biz Markie and KRS-One , and introduced Whuteva and Stylez, while also introducing west coast bay area newcomers Esinchill and female emcee Mystic . Digital Underground's final studio album, ..Cuz
5456-415: The Hot 100 and No. 6 on the R&B charts, followed by " Cream ", which gave Prince his fifth US No. 1 single. The title track " Diamonds and Pearls " became the album's third single, reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100 and the top spot on the R&B charts. " Money Don't Matter 2 Night " peaked at No. 23 and No. 14 on the Hot 100 and R&B charts respectively. In 1992, Prince released his 14th studio album ,
5580-509: The Hot 100. The follow-up single, " If I Was Your Girlfriend ", charted at No. 67 on the Hot 100 but went to No. 12 on R&B chart. The third single, a duet with Sheena Easton , " U Got the Look ", charted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and No. 11 on the R&B chart, and the final single, " I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man ", finished at No. 10 on Hot 100 and No. 14 on the R&B chart. It
5704-479: The Hot Soul Singles chart. Prince performed both these songs on January 26, 1980, on American Bandstand . On this album, Prince used Ecnirp Music – BMI . In 1980, Prince released the album Dirty Mind , which contained sexually explicit material, including the title song, "Head", and the song "Sister", and was described by Stephen Thomas Erlewine as a "stunning, audacious amalgam of funk, new wave , R&B, and pop, fueled by grinningly salacious sex and
5828-797: The Jewels , Childish Gambino , Logic , Brockhampton , L.I.F.T. and nothing, nowhere . Regarding audiences, according to Jeff Regan, senior director of music programming for the Alt Nation channel on Sirius XM Radio , "This generation has maybe never even gone to a record store or CD store where there was a hip-hop section and a rock section—it has all been in front of them on a screen." Thus recording artists and groups traditionally perceived as rappers are included on his predominantly rock -oriented playlists. He said, "Whether it's Lil Peep or Brockhampton or Post Malone , we have tried records from all those artists. ... We need some depth perception in
5952-474: The Joy Fantastic (2001), The Rainbow Children (2001), One Nite Alone... (2002), Xpectation (2003), C-Note (2004), The Chocolate Invasion (2004) and The Slaughterhouse (2004). In 2001, Warner Bros. released a second compilation album, The Very Best of Prince , containing most of his commercially successful singles from the eighties. In 2002, Prince released his first live album, One Nite Alone... Live! , which features performances from
6076-451: The Joy Fantastic and early drafts of his Graffiti Bridge film, but both were put on hold when he was asked by Batman (1989) director Tim Burton to record several songs for the upcoming live-action adaptation. Prince went into the studio and produced an entire nine-track album that Warner Bros. released on June 20, 1989. Batman peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 4.3 million copies. The single " Batdance " topped
6200-605: The Revolution and was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name , in which he starred. The album garnered continued success for Prince and was a major commercial achievement, spending six consecutive months atop the US Billboard 200 chart. The soundtrack also won Prince the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score whilst the movie grossed $ 70.3 million worldwide, against its $ 7.2 million budget and publications. Critics have regarded Purple Rain as one of
6324-410: The Revolution, Prince was working on two separate projects, the Revolution album Dream Factory and a solo effort, Camille . Unlike the three previous band albums, Dream Factory included input from the band members and featured songs with lead vocals by Wendy & Lisa. The Camille project saw Prince create a new androgynous persona primarily singing in a sped-up, female-sounding voice. With
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#17327836594406448-509: The Revolution-recorded "Power Fantastic" and a live recording of " Nothing Compares 2 U " with Rosie Gaines. Two new songs, " Pink Cashmere " and " Peach ", were chosen as promotional singles. In 1993, in rebellion against Warner Bros., which refused to release Prince's enormous backlog of music at a steady pace, Prince formally adopted the "Love Symbol" as his stage name. To use the symbol in print media, Warner Bros. organized
6572-507: The Times/Love Sexy band. Despite the fact that a choir of singers were portrayed in the video, the actual studio singing was exclusively Boni on all tracks, excluding the male voices. It has been mistakenly reported that "Kiss You Back" was co-written and co-performed by George Clinton , but his name appears in the writers credit due to a sample of "(Not Just) Knee Deep" by Funkadelic being used. He did, however, actively participate in
6696-485: The U.S and UK appeared on the band's albums. Shock G and Money-B were the only individuals to appear on every album. Other recurring key contributors were David "DJ Fuze" Elliot, and deejay/producer Jeremy "J-Beats" Jackson, who both assisted Jacobs in developing the sound. Shock G died in 2021, but Digital Underground continues to tour. Jacobs spent most of his youth in Tampa, Florida and New York City . Founded in 1987,
6820-452: The US ($ 199 million in 2023 dollars ). Songs from the film were hits on pop charts around the world; " When Doves Cry " and " Let's Go Crazy " reached No. 1, and the title track reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. At one point in 1984, Prince simultaneously had the No. 1 album, single, and film in the US; it was the first time a singer had achieved this feat. The Purple Rain album
6944-568: The US Billboard 200 chart, and briefly became the best-selling album of all time. That same year, A Tribe Called Quest reached their commercial peak with the release of their album Beats, Rhymes and Life , which reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and became their best-selling release, while acts such as Outkast and De La Soul released some of their most definitive albums with Atliens and Stakes Is High . Since
7068-521: The United States to include the Somali -Canadian poet K'naan and the British artist M.I.A. Alternative hip hop acts have attained much critical acclaim, but receive relatively little exposure through radio and other media outlets. The most prominent alternative hip hop acts include A Tribe Called Quest , De La Soul , Hieroglyphics , The Pharcyde , Digable Planets and Black Sheep . Originating in
7192-607: The Wayans brothers' film Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood : "Food Fight", featuring Del tha Funkee Homosapien , and "We Got More" with Luniz . The album also contains an early performance from rapper Sly Boogy, while he was still a member of the Black Spooks, who appeared on the song "Fool Get a Clue." In 1998, eight years after the group's first album, Digital Underground released Who Got
7316-503: The Year 2000 , was broadcast on December 31, 1999, and consisted of footage from the December 17 and 18 concerts of his 1999 tour. The concert featured appearances by guest musicians, including Lenny Kravitz , George Clinton , Jimmy Russell, and The Time. It was released to home video the following year. On May 16, 2000, Prince stopped using the Love Symbol as his name, since his publishing contract with Warner/Chappell had expired. In
7440-551: The album Controversy . He played several dates in support of it, as the first of three opening acts for the Rolling Stones , on their US tour . In Los Angeles, Prince, who appeared in a trench coat and black bikini briefs, was forced off the stage after just three songs by audience members throwing trash at him. He began 1982 with a small tour of college towns where he was the headlining act. The songs on Controversy were published by Controversy Music – ASCAP ,
7564-666: The album. " Doowutchyalike ," a moderate club hit, debuted the previous year, followed in January by the more successful song " The Humpty Dance ", a humorous dance number that reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 , #7 on the R&;B charts, and #1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. It was rapped by Shock G's alter ego Humpty Hump, and featured a drum track with over 50 confirmed usages in other songs. Sex Packets features P-Funk samples, jazz-influenced interludes, and
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#17327836594407688-463: The albums Gorillaz and Demon Days . Today, due in part to the increasing use of social networking as well as online distribution , many alternative rap artists are finding acceptance by far-reaching audiences. Prince (musician) Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and actor. The recipient of numerous awards and nominations , he
7812-500: The audience that had purchased his previous album. Prince got his way, but "My Name Is Prince" reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 23 on the R&B chart. The follow-up single, " Sexy MF ", charted at No. 66 on the Hot 100 and No. 76 on the R&B chart. "7" reached No. 7. The album, later referred to as Love Symbol , peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell 2.8 million copies worldwide. After failed attempts in 1990 and 1991, Warner Bros. released
7936-439: The band 94 East with Marcy Ingvoldstad and Kristie Lazenberry, hiring André Cymone and Prince to record tracks. Willie wrote the songs, and Prince contributed guitar tracks, and Prince and Willie co-wrote the 94 East song, "Just Another Sucker". The band recorded tracks which later became the album Minneapolis Genius – The Historic 1977 Recordings . In 1976, shortly after graduating from Central High School, Prince created
8060-560: The band needed more time to develop his music. In October 1979, Prince released the album Prince , which was No. 4 on the Billboard Top R&;B/Black Albums charts and No. 22 on the Billboard 200 , and went platinum . It contained two R&B hits: " Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? " and " I Wanna Be Your Lover ", which sold over a million copies, and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 for two weeks on
8184-563: The charts in several countries. Shing02 was chosen for rapping "Battlecry", the theme song of the hit hip-hop -influenced chanbara anime Samurai Champloo , which was produced by Japanese jazz rap DJ Nujabes . Time magazine placed M.I.A in the Time 100 list of "World's Most Influential people" for having "global influence across many genres." Groups like the British virtual band Gorillaz also experienced mainstream popularity during this time, selling over 20 million albums total between
8308-524: The desire to shock". Recorded in Prince's studio, this album was certified gold , and the single " Uptown " reached No. 5 on the Billboard Dance chart and No. 5 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. Prince was also the opening act for Rick James ' 1980 Fire It Up tour. In February 1981, Prince made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live , performing "Partyup". In October 1981, Prince released
8432-425: The dismissal of the Revolution, Prince consolidated material from both shelved albums, along with some new songs, into a three-LP album to be titled Crystal Ball . Warner Bros. forced Prince to trim the triple album to a double album, and Sign o' the Times was released on March 31, 1987. The album peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The first single, " Sign o' the Times ", charted at No. 3 on
8556-760: The diverging facets of hip-hop in the last decade; the former was gangsta rap for the noughties, while West was the thinking man's alternative." Several artists and groups acknowledge being directly influenced by their 1990s predecessors in addition to alternative rock groups while their music has been noted by critics as expressing eclectic sounds, life experiences and emotions rarely seen in mainstream hip hop. As traditional rock music continually becomes less synonymous with pop music , more left-of-center artists who are not fully embraced by hip-hop radio have increasingly found inclusion on alternative radio . According to Nielsen SoundScan , contemporary hip-hop acts who increasingly receive domestic airplay on alt-radio include Run
8680-680: The family's finances. After a brief period of living with his father, who bought him his first guitar, Prince moved into the basement of the Anderson family, a neighbor, after his father threw him out. He befriended the Andersons' son, Andre, who later collaborated with Prince and became known as André Cymone . Prince attended Minneapolis' Bryant Junior High and then Central High School , where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He played on Central's junior varsity basketball team, and continued to play basketball for fun as an adult. He
8804-621: The gangsta lifestyle becoming the driving force of sales figures. The situation changed around the mid-'90s with the emergence and mainstream popularity of East Coast hardcore rap artists such as Wu-Tang Clan , Nas , The Notorious B.I.G. , and Mobb Deep . Following this development, many alternative rap acts eventually either disbanded or faded into obscurity. In his 1995 book on the current state of hip hop culture , music critic Stephen Rodrick wrote that, at that time, alternative hip hop had "drawn little more than barely concealed yawns from other rappers and urban audiences" and concluded that
8928-562: The greatest musical films . After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released the album Sign o' the Times (1987), widely hailed by critics as the greatest work of his career . In the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros . in 1993, he changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol [REDACTED] (known to fans as the "Love Symbol") and was often referred to as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (or TAFKAP ) or simply The Artist . After moving to Arista Records in 1998, Prince reverted to his original name in 2000. Over
9052-415: The group's image was originally more militant, and was intended to be a tribute to social activists The Black Panthers . However, when groups like Public Enemy and N.W.A rose to prominence, Jacobs chose to take the image in a more whimsical and upbeat direction. Sex Packets , the group's debut album, was released in early 1990 following the success of their two previous singles, which were included on
9176-482: The help of Husney, Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. The record company agreed to give Prince creative control for three albums and retain his publishing rights. Husney and Prince then left Minneapolis and moved to Sausalito, California , where Prince's first album, For You , was recorded at Record Plant Studios. The album was mixed in Los Angeles and released on April 7, 1978. According to
9300-465: The highest-earning musician in the world, with an annual income of $ 56.5 million, largely due to his Musicology Tour , which Pollstar named as the top concert draw among musicians in the US. He played 96 concerts; the average ticket price for a show was US$ 61 (equivalent to $ 98 in 2023). Musicology went on to receive two Grammy wins, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for " Call My Name " and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for
9424-409: The highly influential alternative rap group A Tribe Called Quest , had his sophomore solo effort, Kamaal the Abstract , shelved for nearly a decade after his record label deemed the genre-bending album as sounding uncommercial. Q-Tip said: I am really disappointed that Kamaal wasn't released. LA Reid didn't know what to do with it; then, three years later, they release Outkast . What Outkast
9548-404: The hip-hop scene after the dissolving of group KMD . Later, he and Madlib 's 2004 project Madvillainy was released in this time period as the duo Madvillain . This album was praised by music critics and inspired other artists, such as Aminé and Joey Badass . Gnarls Barkley experienced a surprise hit with their debut single, " Crazy ". Due to high download sales, it reached number one in
9672-473: The last time Tupac appeared on any Digital Underground release, while lead rappers Saafir and Clee were added to the band's lineup. This album also features "The Humpty Dance Awards", the group's humorous shout-out to the artists who sampled the Humpty Dance prior to 1993. Future Rhythm , the group's fourth full album, would be their first independent release, including two songs that were featured in
9796-475: The late 1980s and experienced a degree of mainstream recognition during the early to mid-1990s. While some groups such as Arrested Development and The Fugees achieved commercial success, many alternative rap acts tend to be embraced by alternative rock listeners rather than hip hop or pop audiences. The commercial and cultural momentum was impeded by the simultaneous emergence of significantly harder-edged West Coast gangsta rap . A resurgence came about in
9920-650: The late 1980s, in midst of the golden age of hip hop , alternative hip hop was headed primarily by East Coast groups such as De La Soul , Jungle Brothers , A Tribe Called Quest , Pete Rock & CL Smooth , Brand Nubian , and Digable Planets in subsidiary conjunction by West Coast acts such as The Pharcyde , Digital Underground , Souls of Mischief , Del the Funky Homosapien , and Freestyle Fellowship as well as certain Southern acts such as Arrested Development, Goodie Mob , and Outkast . Similar to
10044-412: The late 1990s and early 2000s at the dawn of the digital era with a rejuvenated interest in independent music by the general public. During the 2000s, alternative hip hop reattained its place within the mainstream due to the declining commercial viability of gangsta rap as well as the crossover success of artists such as Outkast and Kanye West . The alternative hip hop movement has expanded beyond
10168-427: The mid-1990s, independent record labels such as Rawkus Records , Rhymesayers , Anticon , Stones Throw and Definitive Jux have experienced lesser mainstream success with alternative rap acts such as Jurassic 5 , Little Brother , Talib Kweli , MF Doom , Atmosphere , Antipop Consortium , Mos Def , Doomtree , Pharoahe Monch , El-P , Quasimoto , Living Legends , Cyne , Blue Scholars , and Aesop Rock . In
10292-585: The movie, which also featured Kristin Scott Thomas . Although the Parade album went platinum and sold two million copies, the film Under the Cherry Moon received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (tied with Howard the Duck ), and Prince received Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Director, Worst Actor, and Worst Original Song (for the song "Love or Money"). Some critics later re-evaluated Under
10416-550: The music we're presenting. Whether it's done on a laptop or on an amp and a guitar, I just want to find something new—that's what alternative is supposed to be." While some groups achieved commercial success, most alternative rap acts tended to be embraced largely by alternative rock listeners and indie music fans rather than hip-hop or pop audiences. Artists receive limited exposure through commercial radio and other media outlets and primarily rely on campus radio and various independent media channels. Alternative hip hop
10540-713: The next decade, six of his albums entered the U.S. top 10 charts. In April 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died after accidentally overdosing on fentanyl at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota . He was a prolific musician who released 39 albums during his life, with a vast array of unreleased material left in a custom-built bank vault underneath his home after his death, including fully completed albums and over 50 finished music videos. Numerous posthumous collections of his previously unheard work have been issued by his estate. Prince has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, ranking him among
10664-433: The outcome of the sales competition with altering the direction of hip hop and paving the way for new rappers who did not follow the hardcore - gangster mold, writing, "If there was ever a watershed moment to indicate hip hop's changing direction, it may have come when 50 Cent competed with Kanye in 2007 to see whose album would claim superior sales. 50 lost handily, and it was made clear that excellent song crafting trumped
10788-624: The painting Orange Prince (1984) . Andy Warhol was fascinated by Prince and ultimately created a total of twelve unique paintings of him in different colorways, all of which were kept in Warhol's personal collection. Four of these paintings are now in the collection of The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. In November 1984, Vanity Fair published Warhol's portrait to accompany the article Purple Fame by Tristan Fox, and claimed that Warhol's silkscreen image of Prince with its pop colors captured
10912-533: The poor commercial performance of Love Symbol , claiming they had marketed it insufficiently. It was out of these developments that the aborted The Black Album was officially released, seven years after its initial recording. The "new" release was already in wide circulation as a bootleg . Warner Bros. then succumbed to Prince's wishes to release an album of new material, Come . Prince pushed to have his next album, The Gold Experience , released simultaneously with Love Symbol– era material. Warner Bros. allowed
11036-549: The project. Released on August 20, 1990, the album reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and R&B albums chart. The single " Thieves in the Temple " reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on the R&B chart; " Round and Round " placed at No. 12 on the US charts and No. 2 on the R&B charts. The song featured the teenage Tevin Campbell (who also had a role in the film) on lead vocals. The film, released on November 20, 1990,
11160-427: The recipient of multiple accolades; at the 49th Grammy Awards , they won the awards for Best Urban/Alternative Performance and Best Alternative Music Album . Industry observers view the 2007 sales competition between Kanye West's Graduation and 50 Cent 's Curtis as a turning point for hip hop. West emerged the victor, selling nearly a million copies in the first week alone. Ben Detrick of XXL credited
11284-451: The recording artist "at the height of his powers". The Vanity Fair article was one of the first global media pieces written as a critical appreciation of the musician, which coincided with the start of the 98-date Purple Rain Tour . After Tipper Gore heard her 11-year-old daughter Karenna listening to Prince's song " Darling Nikki " (which gained wide notoriety for its sexual lyrics and
11408-538: The records as ambitiously innovative but playful masterpieces, hailing the artists as the future of hip hop music as a whole. Contrary to alternative rock , which went on to become a mainstay in mainstream music and replaced the glam metal of the previous generation as the most popular form of rock music, alternative hip hop's commercial momentum was impeded by the then also newly emerging, significantly harder-edged West Coast gangsta rap . With its aggressive tone, nihilistic tendencies, and violent imagery, gangsta rap
11532-412: The release of his next album. His subsequent recording, Around the World in a Day (1985), held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for three weeks. From that album, the single " Raspberry Beret " reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and " Pop Life " reached No. 7. In 1986, his album Parade reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the R&B charts. The first single, " Kiss ", with
11656-459: The release of their " Doowutchyalike " single and video in the summer of 1989, the band gained popularity with their song " The Humpty Dance " in 1990. Digital Underground toured nearly every year until 2008; this consisted of live shows in Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the U.S. While the group's origins lay mostly in Oakland and Berkeley, California, various characters and voices from around
11780-538: The same time as Newpower Soul , were promoted by live appearances on Vibe with Sinbad and the NBC Today show's Summer Concert Series. In 1999, Prince once again signed with a major label, Arista Records , to release a new record, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic . A few months earlier, Warner Bros. had also released The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale , a collection of unreleased material recorded by Prince throughout his career. The pay-per-view concert, Rave Un2
11904-471: The second to feature the New Power Generation. It bore only an unpronounceable symbol on the cover (later copyrighted as "Love Symbol #2") as its title; the symbol was explained as being a combination of the symbols for male (♂) and female (♀). Warner Bros. wanted " 7 " to be the first single, but Prince fought to release " My Name Is Prince ", as he believed its "hip-hoppery" would appeal to
12028-532: The single " The Most Beautiful Girl in the World " to be released via a small, independent distributor, Bellmark Records , in February 1994. The release reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in many other countries, but it did not prove to be a model for subsequent releases. Warner Bros. still resisted releasing The Gold Experience , fearing poor sales and citing " market saturation " as
12152-529: The single charts in several countries, including the United Kingdom, where it became the best-selling single of 2006. The song was named the best song of 2006 by both Rolling Stone and the Village Voice 's annual Pazz & Jop critics poll. Rolling Stone later ranked "Crazy" as the number-one song of the decade. The song has been certified double platinum by RIAA. The duo were
12276-484: The son of jazz singer Mattie Della (née Shaw) and pianist and songwriter John Lewis Nelson . All four of his grandparents were from Louisiana . His grand-aunt was the black nationalist Mittie Maude Lena Gordon , who established the Peace Movement of Ethiopia and advocated emigration to West Africa in response to American white supremacy . The jazz drummer Louis Hayes was his paternal cousin. Prince
12400-466: The songs "Bob George" and "Dead on It". Prince was set to release the album with a monochromatic black cover with only the catalog number printed, but after 500,000 copies had been pressed, Prince had a spiritual epiphany that the album was evil and had it recalled. It was later released by Warner Bros. as a limited edition album in 1994. Prince went back in the studio for eight weeks and recorded Lovesexy . Released on May 10, 1988, Lovesexy serves as
12524-465: The songs on the album to Warner Bros. as part of the deal to do the soundtrack. In 1990, Prince went back on tour with a revamped band for his back-to-basics Nude Tour. With the departures of Boni Boyer, Sheila E., the Horns, and Cat, Prince brought in keyboardist Rosie Gaines , drummer Michael Bland , and dancing trio the Game Boyz ( Tony M. , Kirky J., and Damon Dickson). The European and Japanese tour
12648-534: The subgenre was a failure. A commercial breakthrough came about in the late 1990s with the rejuvenated interest in indie music by the general public due to the mainstream success of acts like The Fugees and Arrested Development , while acts such as Slum Village , Common , and the Roots were rising to prominence. The Fugees saw huge critical and commercial success with the release of their second album, The Score , in 1996. The album peaked at number one on
12772-404: The time, said about the strike, "I think they should get a better education too cause, um, and I think they should get some more money cause they work, they be working extra hours for us and all that stuff." While he never identifies himself in the interview, it was confirmed to be him through interviews with a historian in Minneapolis who is also a fan of Prince, as well as by a former classmate who
12896-477: The various funk bands of the 1970s, Digital Underground sampled such music frequently, which became a defining element of West Coast rap. As "Rackadelic", Jacobs designed album covers and cartoon-laced liner notes, in homage to Parliament-Funkadelic album designs. Digital Underground is also notable for launching the career of member Tupac Shakur , as well as spinning off side projects and solo acts including Raw Fusion , Saafir , and singer Mystic . Following
13020-476: The video choreographed by Louis Falco , reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. (The song was originally written for a side project called Mazarati .) In the same year, the song " Manic Monday ", written by Prince and recorded by the Bangles , reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart. The album Parade served as the soundtrack for Prince's second film, Under the Cherry Moon (1986). Prince directed and starred in
13144-426: The word "Prince". The band consisted of Lisa Coleman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, Bobby Z. on drums, Brown Mark on bass, and Dez Dickerson on guitar. Jill Jones , a backing singer, was also part of the lineup for the 1999 album and tour. Following the 1999 Tour, Dickerson left the group for religious reasons. In the book Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince (2003), author Alex Hahn says that Dickerson
13268-562: The writing and recording of the title track "Sons of the P", which he also contributed vocals to, and which marked one of the earliest studio guest appearances by Clinton on a Hip Hop release, which is preceded only by Kurtis Blow 's "Magilla Gorilla" released in 1986. Both the album and the "Kiss You Back" single were each certified Gold by the RIAA. With the leading single "The Return of the Crazy One," and its accompanying X-rated video, which
13392-424: Was "too intelligent" for their target audience. The network was subsequently satirized by the animated series The Boondocks – which regularly features underground/alternative rap as background music – in the banned episode " The Hunger Strike ". The episode, which portrayed BET as an evil organization dedicated to the self-genocidal mission of eradicating black people through violent, overtly sexual programming,
13516-511: Was a box-office flop, grossing $ 4.2 million. After the release of the film and album, the last remaining members of the Revolution, Miko Weaver, and Doctor Fink, left Prince's band. 1991 began with a performance in Rock in Rio II and marked the debut of Prince's new band, the New Power Generation . With guitarist Miko Weaver and long-time keyboardist Doctor Fink gone, Prince added bass player Sonny T. , Tommy Barbarella on keyboards, and
13640-458: Was a financial success with a short, greatest hits setlist. As the year progressed, Prince finished production on his fourth film, Graffiti Bridge (1990), and the 1990 album Graffiti Bridge . Initially, Warner Bros. was reluctant to fund the film, but with Prince's assurances it would be a sequel to Purple Rain as well as the involvement of the original members of the Time, the studio greenlit
13764-601: Was a member of Prince's first band. The video is one of very few videos of Prince from that stage of his life. Prince wrote his first song, "Funk Machine", on his father's piano when he was seven years old. His parents divorced when he was 10. His mother remarried Hayward Baker, with whom she had a son named Omarr; Prince had a fraught relationship with Omarr, to the extent that it caused him to repeatedly switch homes, sometimes living with his father and sometimes with his mother and stepfather. Baker took Prince to see James Brown in concert, and Prince credited Baker with improving
13888-428: Was a protest against nuclear proliferation and became Prince's first top 10 hit in countries outside the US. Prince's " Little Red Corvette " was one of the first two videos by black artists (along with Michael Jackson 's " Billie Jean ") played in heavy rotation on MTV , which had been perceived as against "black music" until CBS President Walter Yetnikoff threatened to pull all CBS videos. Prince and Jackson had
14012-462: Was banned by Cartoon Network and has yet to be aired in the United States. The alternative hip hop movement is not limited solely to the United States, as genre-defying rappers such as Somali -Canadian poet K'naan and British artist M.I.A. have achieved worldwide recognition. K'naan's 2009 single " Wavin' Flag " reached number two on the Canadian Hot 100 while its various remixes topped
14136-543: Was certified Platinum by the RIAA . It is the first Prince record featuring covers of other artists' songs: Joan Osborne 's top ten hit song of 1995 " One of Us "; " Betcha by Golly Wow! " (written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed ); " I Can't Make You Love Me " (written by James Allen Shamblin II and Michael Barry Reid); and " La-La (Means I Love You) " (written by Thom Bell and William Hart ). Prince released Crystal Ball ,
14260-462: Was considered to be the more entertaining, more lucrative subgenre as signified by the high chart placings, radio success and multiplatinum -selling records of gangsta rappers such as Snoop Dogg , Warren G and N.W.A , who were widely embraced by major record labels and produced a legion of imitators. Albums such as Straight Outta Compton , The Chronic and Doggystyle redefined the direction of hip hop, which resulted in lyricism concerning
14384-477: Was deemed subpar, and reshoots were performed at Prince's Paisley Park studios. The film Sign o' the Times was released on November 20, 1987. The film got better reviews than Under the Cherry Moon , but its box-office receipts were minimal, and it quickly left theaters. The next album intended for release was The Black Album . More instrumental and funk- and R&B-themed than recent releases, The Black Album also saw Prince experiment with hip hop on
14508-544: Was encouraged by their father. His parents were both members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church , an evangelical denomination. In 2022, during a Minneapolis teachers' strike, Minneapolis-St. Paul news station WCCO-TV was researching a previous teacher's strike in April 1970 and accidentally uncovered an interview they had done with Prince about that 1970 strike. Prince, who was 11 years old at
14632-489: Was inducted twice into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022. Estimates of the complete number of songs written by Prince range anywhere from 500 to well over 1,000. Some of these songs were made popular after being covered by other musicians, including " Nothing Compares 2 U " by Sinéad O'Connor and " Manic Monday " by the Bangles . Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis on June 7, 1958,
14756-524: Was limited to several pop and R&B hits, music videos and occasional TV performances. This resulted in the hit film Purple Rain (1984), which starred Prince and was loosely autobiographical, and the eponymous studio album , which was also the soundtrack to the film. The Purple Rain album sold more than 13 million copies in the US and spent 24 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The film won Prince an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and grossed over $ 68 million in
14880-469: Was named after his father's most popular stage name, Prince Rogers, which his father used while performing with Prince's mother in a jazz group called the Prince Rogers Trio. In 1991, Prince's father told A Current Affair that he named his son "Prince" because he wanted Prince "to do everything I wanted to do". Prince was not fond of his name and wanted people to instead call him "Skipper",
15004-530: Was named the top album of the year by the Pazz & Jop critics' poll and sold 3.2 million copies. In Europe, it performed well, and Prince promoted the album overseas with a lengthy tour. Putting together a new backing band from the remnants of the Revolution, Prince added bassist Levi Seacer Jr. , keyboardist Boni Boyer, and dancer/choreographer Cat Glover to go with new drummer Sheila E and holdovers Miko Weaver, Doctor Fink, Eric Leeds, Atlanta Bliss, and
15128-442: Was reluctant to sign a three-year contract and wanted to pursue other musical ventures. Dickerson was replaced by Coleman's friend Wendy Melvoin . At first, the band was used sparsely in the studio, but this gradually changed during 1983. According to his former manager Bob Cavallo , in the early 1980s Prince required his management to obtain a deal for him to star in a major motion picture, even though his exposure at that point
15252-449: Was reworked for public consumption, gaining positive feedback, the rest of The Body-Hat Syndrome unfurled to less than outstanding crossover commercial acclaim. The album's second single, an anti-racism cultural awareness politico called "Wussup Wit the Luv," featured a solo from Funkadelic guitarist Michael Hampton , as well as a verse and video appearance from Tupac Shakur. This would be
15376-741: Was trained in classical ballet at the Minnesota Dance Theatre through the Urban Arts Program of Minneapolis Public Schools , Prince became an advocate for dancers, and used his wealth to save the failing Joffrey Ballet in Chicago during the 1990s. He met songwriter and producer Jimmy Jam in 1973 and impressed Jam with his musical talent, early mastery of a wide range of instruments, and work ethic. In 1975, Pepe Willie (the husband of Prince's cousin Shauntel), formed
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