His Royal Badness has the left building. The musical genius, who shares my birthday, passed away today. Sili (my Dominican sis/fellow bloguera) sent me a text at 1:09 pm EDT announcing the news.
Me: (1:13pm) “What?”
Sili: (1:17 pm?) “The purple one has died!!!!”
Just like that. TEARS. Not a stream or cute raindrop-shaped droplets. Straight up faucets. I couldn’t talk or move. I’m not starstruck by any means but there are three celebrity deaths that took me out: Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and now Prince.
I’ve been on various online news sources reading with sadness about his tragic death and I don’t want to cry anymore. I’ve listened to his music since I was at least 5 years old. There isn’t a Prince song that I don’t know but rather than mourn his royal badness- let’s show our gratitude for the things with which he blessed us.
5. He gave short men hope.
Let’s face it. The Purple One was only 5’2 but he had the baddest bevy of babes EVER. He did like them light but that’s beside the point. If he could bag Vanity and Apollonia, then the shawties in the hood could surely bag a tall, cutie on the block.
4. His Royal Shade.
When you’ve been in the game as long as Prince, you’ve pretty much earned the right to say, “Fuck your feelings.”And he did on several occasions including award shows and I LIVED! If someone said , light-skinned played put 15 years ago. Shade. If you mentioned him and Michael Jackson in the same breath. Shade. Here a shade. There a shade. Everywhere a shade shade.
3. His ass. No really. HIS ASS.
For the 1991 MTV Music Awards, he decided to bless the world with his ass. Not his presence but his high yellow ass in yellow. Nothing could prepare us for this sight. Not even Jesus himself. It was a sight to behold and he turned it out in the way that only “His Royal Badness” could. “Sexy, muthafucka shaking dat ass! Shakin’ dat ass, shakin’ dat ass!”
2. He made Minnesota cool and gave us kick ass musicians.
Andre Cymone , Vanity 6, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, The Family and Jesse Johnson just to name a few of the artists that he blessed us with. They all incorporated that synthesized funk and most of the songs didn’t receive any airplay. These songs are still bangers today. Any Prince fanatic will know these acts as well. Get your life.
1. He gave us one helluva playlist of which can’t be found unless you buy it. I will just insert my faves. Add to the list. Songs he sang AND wrote for other.
“All The Critics Love You In New York”
“Seven”
“Let’s Pretend We’re Married”
“Free”
“Controversy”
“Alphabet Street”
“The One”
“Thieves In The Temple”
“Sometimes It Snows In April”
“Mountains”
“Youneedanotherloverlikeyouneedaholeinyourhead”
“I Would Die 4u”
“New Position”
“I Feel For You”
“Adore”
“Soft and Wet”
“How Come You Don ‘t Call Me Anymore?”
“Nothing Compares To You”
“Scandalous”
“When Doves Cry”
“Take Me With You”
“Beautiful Ones”
“Under The Cherry Moon”
“Sugar Walls” written for Sheena Easton
“Manic Monday” written for ‘The Bangles’
“Round and Round” written for Tevin Campbell
“Nasty Girl” Vanity 6
***
“Dearly beloved
We are gathered here today
To get through this thing called life
Electric word life
It means forever and that’s a mighty long time
But I’m here to tell you
There’s something else
The afterworld
A world of never ending happiness
You can always see the sun, day or night…”
RIP Prince.
