This year, I’ve already bought more CD’s than I did last year. It feels weird yet it symbolized my budget cutting/dissatisfaction with 2011 music. But all the CD’s I bought now are at least 25 years old or older. Consider this my lesson for only downloading singles and having no idea of how they sound in context.
In the last two months, I’ve bought 6 CD’s. All of them between $6-10.
•Prince’s entire output with the Revolution (1999, Purple Rain, Around the World in A Day and Parade)
Last Friday night was a dream come true. I finally got to see Prince in concert for the first time and I've been waiting for this moment for years. All my life, I've heard that he's one of the greatest showmen in music history and I hoped for a chance to see him before he hung up his platform shoes, guitar and great outfits.
That's why 3 weeks ago, George Lopez made the best announcement he's made since he got his late night talk show. Prince was coming on to announce a 21-night tour in L.A. and better yet, he was doing it in my old neighborhood at the Forum. For $25 and great seats, it's the best investment I could've made for a show and for 4 hours, I felt like a kid again going to Lakers game there.
The night started with current Best New Artist Grammy winner Esperanza Spaulding, who surprised me starting out on electric bass before switching to her usual upright bass. She has a great voice and a great vibe but I found her voice overwhelmed at times by her band. Her saxophonist was dynamite and often times overshadowed her with his playing. That said, Spaulding's like a jazzier version of Janelle Monae (who's gonna be opening for Prince this Friday) with a softer voice but just as cool a vibe.
At one point, Spaulding did a jazzy cover of Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It", one of my favorite underrated MJ jams that y'all may know from De La Soul or Fabulous. It was funky as heck and we almost didn't realize that her band had an extra person playing guitar on stage. Turns out it was Prince as he jammed with her on an extended back-and-forth solo.
Dude just sat there all cool and then all of a sudden, bam! He emerged and took over the stage. You could tell Esperanza was as hyped as we were but she totally played along and handled her own well. It set the stage for what came next.
After an intermission, the lights went out. The New Power Generation took the stage and played that superhero intro music that only one man can deserve. With the stage in the center, Prince rose up from the ground, walked around the stage like a maestro surveying the scene and played his new song that he debuted on Lopez Tonight. Everybody went nuts and I've never seen a crowd that electric for somebody.
He started off his hits with my favorite Prince song of the moment "She's Always in My Hair". Can't imagine how happy I was to sing that while looking at my lady and seeing that smile cause I meant every word. Soon after, the stage turned purple and he went ahead and played "Purple Rain", which shocked me cause I expected it later in the night.
That guitar solo was spinechilling and having 13,000 people sing the chorus will be one of my favorite concert memories ever. He turned that song into a soulful jam and ended it beautifully with his backup dancers. He left the stage right after, something he did often during the night. The lights went dark and then all of a sudden, Sheila E. appeared with drum set in tow.
All the ladies in the house probably went more bonkers than the guys but once Sheila started playing and singing "Glamorous Life", she dang near upstagged Prince herself. She did that song like it was the last time she would do it and watching her kill that percussion while singing live was watching grade-A quality go to work. She destroyed the drum set and when she finished, extending the last few notes of her drum solo, the crowd went wild. Now THAT's how you make an appearance.
Sheila stayed on set as Prince resumed his set with "Raspberry Beret". I was shocked that he played "Cream" considering he was avoiding some of his more dirty songs since his 2004 comeback. He toyed with us later on playing the intro to "Darling Nikki" and joked that he couldn't do it since he was in rehab.
By the 1st hour, I was already sweating through my shirt cause it was one big dance party. The best part came when he "covered" The Time's "Cool" and I say covered because Prince wrote and produced that. He sang and owned it with the same swagger I would've imagined 30 years ago. He mixed in MJ's "Dont Stop Til You Get Enough" and it made me think about wishing the two could've collaborated on "Bad". That was the highlight along with jamming to "U Got The Look"
He came back later to play an extended mix of his hits, saying at one point "Do you know how many hits I got!?" I swear 30 years of funk/soul/R&B and rock never sounded so good. You almost wanted him to play the songs even longer cause you can't enjoy "I Would Die 4 U", "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" or "When Doves Cry" in short bursts.
Even better is when Prince chooses to do covers because you know his musical inspirations run deep. Whether it was "Love Rollercoaster" or "Fantastic Voyage", he played them faithfully with as much fun as you can expect. He even played bass on "Fantastic Voyage" and added just the right amount of funk needed to make the song right.
The 3rd encore - more on that later - he came out to "Kiss" and ran that all the way through smoothly while standing on top of his piano. He wrapped it up with "If I was Your Girlfriend" and then he and backup vocalist Shelby J killed "Nothing Compares 2 U" as I sat in awe over their soulful original version. I couldn't believe he added that at the end just to remind folks that Sinead O'Connor got famous off his pen.
Most of the night, Prince showed off why he's one of the most underrated guitarists of the last 40 years. He killed his solos and commanded the stage without saying a word at times. Despite being 50-plus, he still danced and sounded as strong as he always has. To see him reunited with the NPG after 20 years was even better because that's the best band he's had since the Revolution and they played in perfect synergy.
The final encore came after most folks left and the house lights came on and when the NPG. Fittingly ended with another cover that summed up the night. Kool and the Gang "Hollywood Swinging" except the lyrics were changed to "Inglewood Swinging". It was a party in my hometown and we boogied til midnight.
What. A. Show!!!!!! Can't say any better and hopefully I get to see him again at the end. Disappointed he didn't do "Let's Go Crazy" or "Adore" but I'll take what I got and say thank you, Prince.
Whenever I feel like givin' up Whenever my sunshine turns 2 rain Whenever my hopes and dreams are aimed in the wrong direction She's always there tellin' me how much she cares She's always in my hair
I've been vibing to this song all day. This isn't my favorite Prince song but it's in my Top 10. It holds a special place with me because of the lyrics and the synthesizers. Just read the opening lines. Who can't relate to feeling at the end of their rope or just feeling down on themselves and then you get a call or a reassuring word from that special person who knows just what to say.
I love that feeling and I love imagining coming home to someone who builds you up and you doing the same to them. We all want that special someone who has our back and it's a shame today we don't hear too many songs talk about this on the radio.
It's pure pop bliss because like "When Doves Cry", it's mostly drums and synths with a lil bass groove underneath that you can barely hear. Of course Prince has to do a guitar solo around the 2:12 mark that's typical him but this is more of a lyrical masterpiece with musical simplicity. It works well because you can hear the lyrics more as the music doesn't overpower it.
Whenever I feel like not 2 great at all Whenever I'm all alone Even if I hit the wrong notes She's always in my boat She's always there tellin' me how much she cares She's always in my hair
D'Angelo gamely tried to cover this on the Scream 2 soundtrack but it was too much funk and not enough lightness. Ah well, he'll have to settle with Voodoo as his true Prince tribute.
At the end you can hear the joy as Prince wails on and on. I mean dang, can you imagine having somebody that makes you feel so good because they listen? Maybe you already have somebody like that. It reminds me of what Method Man and Mary J. Blige did with "You're All I Need" and Meth talking about that woman rubbing on his back saying baby it'll be okay.
I've been in a Prince mood all week courtesy of some good emails. So indulge me with one of the Purple One's greatest B-sides.
"Music is the air I breathe, the prayer I leave" - Talib Kweli said one of the best lyrics describing how people love music. Good music sticks to your rib and reminds you of the moment when you heard it.
But before this goes into a deep love affair, let's get to Part 3 of my inspirations. These are the artists that have inspired me the most because they resonate with me and speak to me.
(Note: These aren't all my favorite artists and I left some out intentionally. These are just the ones who left a mark on me in the most way)
(A Tribe Called Quest - A reminder to be yourself and "never follow someone else because opinions are like voices we all have a different kind")
(Little Brother - No group impacted me more this decade. "Dope rhymes, dope beats, what more could they want?" Saw them twice and were reminded why I love hip-hop.)
(Public Enemy - Thanks for teaching me to fight the power and not believe the hype. )
(Red Hot Chili Peppers - Thanks for reppin the City I live in, The City of Angels. )
(Prince - doing it all and doing it oh so well. A creative genius who remains a purist)
(Nas - "It aint hard to tell, I excel and prevail." Simple reason why he's the best.)
(Rage Against the Machine - They remind me never to be comfortable and always fight for my beliefs along with injustice.)
(Kirk Franklin - For updating gospel music in my era without watering down its message, he's a reason I believe gospel music will always stays fresh musically. )
(Jimi Hendrix - A reminder that creativity knows no bounds)
(Incubus - Lyrically beautiful/thought provoking, musically challenging. California goodness)
(Ice Cube - You Know How He Does It. One of the best writers/storytellers in hip-hop and a reminder that being real means speaking your mind. Favorite album of his.)
(dc Talk - Showed me Christian music isn't soft and poppy as well never being afraid to evolve without compromise. Christian music needs to challenge its audience while uplifting them.)
(Kanye West - I hate what he's become but every now and then, he reminds me why his songs relate to me like they did on this album.)
(The Clash - Working Class Heroes who inspire me to stay vigilant)
(OutKast - Thank you for reminding me that the South always has something to say)
It started on Facebook yesterday when I posted as a status that as much as I love MJ, I feel that Prince is the greatest musical genius of the past 30 years. I got great feedback from my friends on there, including my cousin, and inspired me to try to tackle one of the hardest debates ever.
Who was better: Michael Jackson or Prince. For years I thought this was one-sided and now, I'm not so sure. I won't answer the question but I'll just create some talking points based on what I know about their careers.
First let's get this out of the way. Over the last 30 years, few artists have had the musical influence that both have had. It astonishes me that both were born in 1958 and before they were 30, they produced some of the greatest music ever. Maybe because I'm now starting to reach the same age they were in their prime, it's mindboggling what these guys did.
MJ has his imitators (Usher, Justin Timberlake), Prince has his (D'Angelo, The-Dream). They both changed the sound of R&B and pop music - MJ gave it polish and edge, Prince gave it rawness and creativity. And I say imitators with respect to how they carried on the legacy.
Both of them studied James Brown/Jackie Wilson and other greats and meshed their own style with that. MJ was influenced by the legends of Motown around him, Prince by his father's jazz background and the various funk bands of the 70's. Both were/are incredible showmen that are some of the best live acts music has produced.
So now let's break down the argument. I'm not the best judge on both careers but I'm gonna try based on what I know.
PRIME (1979-1993)
Both Mike and Prince made a splash in 1979 ("Off the Wall" album and "I wanna be your Lover" single). That started off them owning the 1980's and making some New Jack swing albums in the early 1990's.
(If you want, you can argue that Prince helped influence New Jack Swing. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis co-wrote some of the biggest NJS hits of the day and they were former members of The Time - the greatest Prince affiliate ever.)
Prince made more albums, MJ had more hits. You can argue that MJ didn't make any missteps during this point except maybe his own stardom and making each album an event. Some of Prince's albums aren't good from this time but just when relevance passed him by, he rediscovered it.
What may give Prince an edge here is that he didn't just promote his career, he promoted other people as well. During this time, he wrote hits for Morris Day & The Time, the Bangles, Sheila E. and others (not to mention Chaka Khan and Sinead O'Connor covering his songs to No. 1 on the charts).
But then again, Michael Jackson only became the biggest star on the planet, reunited with his brothers, introduced the moonwalk, had the biggest selling album ever, performed at the Super Bowl and broke down racial barriers on MTV and co-wrote one of the biggest selling singles ever ("We Are The World") which also raised money for charity. Tough call, and we haven't even broken down their own music.
ALBUMS
Michael Jackson changed R&B forever with "Off the Wall" - a mix of dance songs, ballads and maturity that set the stage for what he'd do with Thriller. Thriller changed music forever because of great songs, great videos, outstanding production, and a perfect storm that had been building since he was in the Jackson 5.
There isn't enough room to describe how great this album is. Still remember the excitement of buying it in 2002. The 20th anniversary edition.
I loved Bad for the hits and Dangerous because I grew up with it - but critics say they weren't as good as the first two. Whatever man. Bad had 5 No. 1 hit singles (most ever on 1 album) not counting Smooth Criminal. Dangerous was a great New Jack Swing album with Teddy Riley that still crossed genres and showcased his stellar writing.
Invincible was pretty much an album people loved or hated. A comeback that made waves but didn't have many hits that impacted the radio. But Butterflies was a great R&B jam.
It would take way too long to list all of Prince's albums. To me his downfall was doing too much instead of quality control. But his significant ones to me are Dirty Mind, 1999, Purple Rain, Sign O' The Times, Diamonds and Pearls, Love Symbol, and Musicology.
Dirty Mind and 1999 made Prince a star before Thriller came out. Purple Rain was his "Thriller" - one of the greatest movie soundtracks ever. A mix of funk, rock, R&B, computerized love and angst that made him a superstar.
Sign O'The Times was a risk because he fired The Revolution and did it all himself. One of the great double albums ever - it crossed so many genres (jazz, R&B, rock, pop, 50's pop, funk), lyrically hit on many issues of romance and the issues of the day. An underrated classic IMO.
Diamonds and Pearls/Love Symbol were great New Jack Swing albums and like MJ, it showed how he could update with the times and still be unique. And Musicology to me was a great comeback album that showed him aging well and still being able to make music that hit the masses.
If you use Rolling Stone's barometer of their 500 Greatest Albums list. Prince has 4 on there and MJ has 3. Dangerous to me >>>>> Diamonds and Pearls/Love Symbol (the songs on Dangerous hold up better in my opinion although I love Gett Off, Sexy MF, Diamonds and Pearls). But Musicology >>>> Invincible as far as a better comeback album.
Thriller and Purple Rain are even. Off The Wall and 1999 are too. So you're left with Bad vs. Dirty Mind and Sign O' The Times. Not a bad debate to break down in depth one day (and I forgot about Prince's Black Album)
SINGLES
Let's accept that "Billie Jean" is Michael Jackson's most critically acclaimed single. Let's accept that "When Doves Cry" is Prince's most critically acclaimed single. You want to break those songs down, be my guest.
Take MJ's best 10 singles and put them up against Prince's? Let's just pick 10 hypothetically.
MJ: Billie Jean, Beat It, Off The Wall, Bad, Smooth Criminal, Human Nature, Man In The Mirror, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, Black or White, Heal The World
Prince: When Doves Cry, 1999, Kiss, U Got The Look, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Little Red Corvette, Let's Go Crazy, Raspberry Beret, Gett Off, Sexy MF
Some of the best R&B/pop of the last 30 years. Think about how many songs I didn't include. (MJ: Dirty Diana (my fave), Rock With You - Prince: If I Was Ur Girlfriend, I Would Die 4 U).
Prince's songs span more genres, Michael's made you dance and think. Prince's introspection pre-Musicology (Strange Relationship, Sign O'The Times) doesn't get as much credit just like MJ's ballads (Break of Dawn, Lady In My Life) probably don't.
OVERLOOKED SKILL
Prince - his guitar playing. We all know about his virtuoso musicianship and sometimes that overlooks how he can hold his own with some of the best. Listen to his solos on "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man", "Little Red Corvette" and especially The Time's "777-9311" if you don't believe me. He owned "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" when he was inducted into the Rock'N Roll Hall of Fame. I won't dare say Prince is one of the greatest guitarists of the last 30 years but he can shred with anybody to prove that he can play.
Michael Jackson - his songwriting. This was rediscovered in depth after his passing but MJ had the ability to write on a range of topics. For all of his superstardom, he never lost that ability to see beyond himself to write about the world around him as well as within. I watched the Jacksons "American Dream" and I saw a point where MJ said he had stories that he wanted to tell away from his brothers. Safe to say he brought us closer to him and I can't say this enough - he WROTE AND PRODUCED "Billie Jean" himself.
I can go on and on breaking this down but let's face it - this blog has already gone on long enough and I've made my point. Prince might be the greatest musical genius of the past 30 years but Michael was the greatest entertainer in that time period. Both of them are icons and while MJ has passed us on, let's appreciate Prince while he is making more accessible, grown folks music.
Makes me wonder what if they actually did collaborate on "Bad" - a dream we'll never know. But here's a treat I found on Youtube last year
