Dearly Beloved. We are gathered here today to celebrate this thing called life.
Happy birthday to the cultural icon and music legend, formerly and always known as Prince. A star who defied race, gender, and sexuality. The one who wore ruffled shirts and high wasted pants like no other. A HELL of a musician. Have you ever tried to karaoke a Prince song? You better warm up your pipes and say a prayer you can follow his vocal range. His falsetto tears through your flesh and his deep baritone sinks into your loins. His music is soul funk rock pop with dips into everything from new wave, prog rock, New Jack Swing, metal, hip hop, synth pop and gospel. All Hail Prince on his birthday and all days! We encourage you to pull out all sides of your self, your sexuality, your essence, and bring it all to the forefront like Prince did. Rock your high heels, circle sunnies, draw on Prince’s signature facial mole & get out there and strut.
If you need help with your Prince vibes, shop our collection at Friends NYC!
Pioneer of The Minneapolis Sound
The Minneapolis Sound is that blend of funk rock and pop that Prince pioneered in the late 1970’s. His career spanned decades and he played around in so many different genres, but you always know when you’re listening to a Prince song. Do you kind of feel like crying and kind of feel like praying and kind of feel like f**king? Yeah, us too.
Purple Rain
If you haven’t watched Purple Rain in a while, seize the day! This 1984 American rock musical drama film is EVERYTHING. And Prince won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1985. Hey, the Academy did something right there before the #oscarsowhite scrutiny. Plus Appolonia! APPOLONIA! Goddess!
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince
Remember when he changed his name to a symbol and people started calling him “the artist formerly known as Prince”? He did that to stick it to the man. It was in protest of his label, Warner Bros. He said he was done being a pawn to make his label money. Eff. Yes.
Prolific to the Max
Prince not only wrote songs for himself, but others as well. Here are some fun examples of songs you may or may not know were written by Prince: “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor. “Manic Monday” by the Bangles. “Stand Back” by Stevie Nicks. “How Come You Don’t Call Me” by Alicia Keys. “When You Were Mine” by Cyndi Lauper. “Yo Mister” by Patti Labelle. And so many more!
I Would Die 4 U
He is truly a transcendent human in so many ways. Transcending all definitions of gender and sexuality. Transcending all musical genres. Transcending all notions of spirituality. A superhuman. A mesmerizing performer. His untimely death was heartbreaking in so many ways. Gone from this earth far too young. But we celebrate as his spirit shines on us in a gorgeous purple hue. Life is just a party and parties weren’t’ meant to last, after all.
