07/30/2025
REMEMBERING PRINCE FOR ALL THE GOOD THINGS HE HAS DONE
While Prince should not be idolized, because no human being should be, he is greatly admired. No one was more concerned about being idolized than Prince who knew that all praise and glory should be given to God. He preferred to call those who followed his every move “Fams,” instead of “fans.” Fans to him, was short for fanatic, a word he found troubling and negative. For this reason, he even stopped signing autographs.
So while there are many things for which we should be thankful, for purposes of this page, the focus will be on Prince for all that he has done for other musicians and society at large.
We may look at the music and say that Prince lived his best life doing what he did and, while this is true, he also had to endure so much derision from those who did not understand his rationale for changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol, among other things. It would be more truthful to say that the majority of people were baffled by this decision, the objective of which became more apparent over time.
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HE PLACED HIMSELF ON THE ALTAR OF SACRIFICE
His public battle against Warner Brothers, primarily for control of his output, followed by the desire to control his master recordings, is another one of those David versus Goliath encounters he endured at great personal risk. With the stances he took, he placed himself on the altar of sacrifice, facing the brunt of the assault so that all artists/musicians who came after him would be able to more responsibly take matters into their own hands.
Anita Baker said in an interview with Ebony Magazine, "When he showed me the vault, he talked about ownership of masters [recordings] and how they’re parlayed into a real business. I think I got scared. He overwhelmed me. He was trying to explain things in the music business that I would have to subsequently experience in order to understand.
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ANITA BAKER: “HE WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIMES AND COULD SEE BEYOND ALL BARRIERS AND FALSE BOUNDARIES.”
“He taught me so much and asked nothing in return. He was ahead of his time and could see beyond all barriers and false boundaries. He saw a place where art could support the artist who created it via ownership and licensing. I call him my sensei.”
There are many artists who have launched their own labels and manage their own output, having been mentored by Prince. Even today we see artists fighting to regain control of their master recordings, as Prince was able to achieve after a long-fought war, with the assistance of attorneys Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins and Van Jones. That must have weighed heavily on his heart.
THEN CAME EMANCIPATION: HE CRIED TEARS OF ELATION
According to “Prince: A Life in Music,” by Matt Carcieri, “The deal was a joyful triumph for Prince. The injustice was vanquished. The rights to all of his creations—so central to his identity—were fully his own. Jones reported that, when the deal was inked, Prince hugged him and Ellis-Lamkins and cried tears of elation.”
All of us have personal struggles, but not in equal measure, and some do not recover sufficiently enough to accomplish even greater things in the aftermath. While struggling with a personal crisis, it is sometimes not possible to show even a modicum of normalcy, but when Prince lost his precious Amiir, as much suffering as he (and Mayte) endured he continued with his commitments, touring, making public appearances, and enveloping himself in work. This may have saved his life.
The book continues, “Shortly thereafter, he launched his “Emancipation” three-CD-set described as “swooning with love (like “Soul Sanctuary” and “Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife”) and anticipating the arrival of his baby. One song (“Sex in the Summer”) used an ultrasound recording of the baby’s heartbeat as its rhythm line.
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WORKS OF CHARITY
Add to all of this his charitable works, mentorship, and personal involvement in social issues via performances, fundraising and donations, you realize that he is possibly among only a handful of people who really exhibited a genuine concern for others both in words and deeds. Certainly there are many who contribute greatly to worthy causes, some in private, and mostly in public, and with all the money they possess, this is what is expected. With Prince, it seemed to be much more personal, not done for recognition, but out of a genuine spiritual need to uplift and empower his fellow man.
Finally, his Piano & A Microphone was his way to saying “thank you” to all those who had supported him over the years, in good times, and in bad. His is a legacy that will grow stronger over time.
(Written by The Iconic Prince/Justine Walpole photo)
