The Urban Daily » prince

?uestlove Airs Out Tina Fey And Prince [VIDEO]

Jonathan Hailey — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:41:04 +0000

Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson found himself in the hot seat on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live. When Andy Cohen asked Questlove if he had ever not been credited for his contribution to an album, he said Prince hadn’t credited him on Prince’s One Night Only album. Apparently, Thompson sat in on drums for a song and didn’t receive any recognition. ?uestlove isn’t tripping though. He later said, “There’s no need to get lawyers involved.”

On the other hand, he wasn’t so nice to Tina Fey. Questo commented that Tina Fey and The Roots haven’t bonded like most Philadelphians do when they meet each other. Check out the clip below. Was Questo right to bring that up on national television or should he have handled that in person?

Questlove On Bachmann Beef: “I Will Still Let The Snark Fly” [VIDEO]

?uestlove: “D’Angelo Taught Me To Embrace Sloppiness” [EXCLUSIVE]

Top 10 D’Angelo Songs

9 Artists Who Changed Their Stage Names

Jonathan Hailey — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 20:35:59 +0000

What’s in a name? To many artists, that’s a loaded question. Most will say it’s not the name that matters and it’s the product is paramount. Others consider the name to be the most important. They reason people are attracted to the product because of the name associated. In some cases, the changing of a name places a public figure in the spotlight in an instant. Ron Artest, anyone? Metta World Peace? Really, dude?!

In the music world, the moniker of the artist holds equal billing to the music they deliver to fans. Mary J. Blige introduced a new name when she decided to start rapping. As a singer, she’s Mary J. Blige. As a rapper, she wishes to be called Brook Lynn. The Urban Daily writers were discussing the people in music who have tried or gone through with changing their stage names and the effect their decision has had on their career. Sound off in the comment section with any other artists who’ve changed their stage name.

Skylar Grey

Billed as Holly Brook was featured on Fort Minor’s single, “Where’d You Go” in 2006. After she made a brief cameo on TRL, Holly Brook faded back into obscurity. That is until Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Diddy asked her to contribute vocals to their hits in 2010. Rechristened Skylar Grey, the Wisconsin singer-songwriter received a Grammy nomination for her work on Eminem’s Recovery and performed with the white rapper and his mentor at the 53rd Grammy awards. Talk about a come up.

Cheri Dennis

One of Bad Boy Records’ many casualties was the R&B singer-songwriter, Cheri Dennis. After appearing on several tracks on Ma$e’s sophomore album in 1999, Dennis signed a deal with Bad Boy. Though fans believed it was the winners of the show, Cheri is actually the person singing the Making The Band 3 opener, “Ooh La La.” Her Ryan Leslie produced single, “I Love You,” failed to put any measurable dent in the charts and she retreated from the spotlight. She has reemerged as Cheri Coke, sporting blue hair and a totally different image. In a recent interview with XI Magazine, she let fans know what she’s been up to since dropping out of the spotlight, “I’ve been working hard, recording and just getting myself conditioned to get back into the whole music thing. I stepped away for a second. I severed ties with the label that I was once at. You all might know me as Cheri Dennis that was signed to Bad Boy, Atlantic. I got my release last February and since then I’ve been kinda restructuring my whole outlook on my career.” So it’s back to the drawing board for the songbird.

Peedi Crakk

The former Roc-A-Fella soldier has been plagued with album delays his entire career. Signed through Beanie Sigel’s State Property, Peedi Crakk had standout guest appearances on Hov’s The Bluprint 2, Freeway’s debut, and The Roots’ Game Theory. As his star began to rise, the Puerto Rican MC chose to change his name to Peedi Peedi to make himself more accessible. The name change had no effect on his rap career. He has yet to release an album and he’s been in the business since 2001. Now he’s signed to the internet based label, Amalgam Digital. When an album will surface still remains the million dollar question.

Killer Mike

Making his debut on the landmark disc, Stankonia, Killer Mike was poised to be the next to blow out of the Dungeon Family camp. Unfortunately, the streets have shown more love than mainstream media. The single, “A.D.I.D.A.S.” hit number 60 on the charts and that is his highest charting to date. Killer Mike left Big Boi’s Purple Ribbon All-Stars fold in 2007. He likened his departure to leaving the Clippers to go play for the Lakers. In his case the Lakers is T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records. Along with the label change, he went from Killer Mike to Mike Bigga. Neither the name or label change has had any effect on his sales because Mike Bigga’s last album went triple aluminum. No shots, just facts.

Ol’ Dirty Bastard

Is it really a surprise ODB landed on this list? The man had more aliases than someone running from the mafia. Though we loved the sheer ridiculousness of his nicknames, Ason Unique was the name he was going to release his last album under. Tragically, before the album was released ODB had passed away due to an accidental drug overdose. There was a lethal amount of cocaine and the prescription drug Tramadol, a synthetic opiate, in his system. Despite his death, The Dame Dash Music Group still has yet to release A Son Unique. In 2009, there was talk the collection would see the light of day on the anniversary of his passing. However, those plans never came to fruition.

Snoop Dogg

When Snoop was getting funky on the mic like an old batch of collard greens, he was known as Snoop Doggy Dogg. Snoop exited Death Row Records in 1998 and left part of his name too. Snoop claimed dropping the “Doggy” meant he was maturing and leaving all the negativity he dealt with at Death Row. After changing his name and image, Snoop Dogg sold 520,000 copies of Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told in its first week. His first effort for No Limit Records stayed within the top ten for the next five weeks. Snoop Dogg’s No Limit debut went double platinum by the end of 1998, but that’s nothing new for the Dogg Father.

Kwame

Kwame was the kid MC discovered by Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor in 1989. Kwame made a name for himself with his second album with hits like, “Oneovdabigboiz” and “Ownlee Eue.” By 1992, Kwame tried to change his image and leave the polka-dots and playful rhymes behind. Neither critics or fans were feeling his sexually charged raps and he soon left the entertainment industry. In 2002, K1 Mil emerged as a music producer. Fans were shocked to learn K1 Mil was Kwame. since switching professions, he’s laid beats for Fantasia, Dru Hill, and LL Cool J. Guess his life wasn’t played out like those polka dots.

Brandy

Brandy is your favorite singer’s favorite singer. Despite having hits on hits on hits, Brandy wanted to explore another side of her creativity. In 2009, she began rapping under the name Brand Nu. As corny as the name was, her rhymes were worse. With raps like, “I’m back like I forgot somethin’,” everybody told her to have a seat. Luckily, Brandy has shelved her rap alternative for now to work on her R&B oriented RCA Records debut. The idea of new Brandy tunes is a welcome reprieve from lines like, “I told you once/ I told you twice/ You got my shoulder cold like a block of ice.” She can keep those for when she’s sitting up in her room–by herself!

Diddy

We already know Diddy runs the city. We also know he’s the king of dumb name changes out of sheer boredom. How a man goes from Puffy to Puff Daddy to P. Diddy to Diddy to Swag is beyond me. I’m beginning to believe every time he has a product to promote, he will make an announcement about amending his moniker. Then again, who really takes Sean Combs’ name changes seriously nowadays? Nobody? That’s what I thought. His brand has become bigger than a name. When you see Diddy, you immediately want to buy whatever he’s selling because his story is what dreams are made of. Going from the streets to multimillion dollar homes across the globe is what the American dream is all about. As for calling him Swag, in the words of Cedric The Entertainer, I’m a grown a** man. That’s not going down.

Prince

When you make music as brilliant as Prince does, you’re allowed to do what you want. After providing the music to steamy bedroom sessions and provoking thoughts with deep lyrics. As The Purple One rode the wave of his success, he began to feel as if his record company, Warner Brothers Records, was stifling his creativity and began acting out. He etched the word “slave” into face. Prince, then, announced he would be going by The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. Actually, he was going by that symbol that nobody can pronounce. Once Prince became The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, he dropped albums in rapid succession to fulfill his contract with Warner Brothers. Once the contract expired, he returned to his given name.

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Brandy Or Monica: Who Really Won The Battle?

Alicia Keys Or Beyonce: Battle Of The Baby Bumps

Jonathan Hailey — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:15:02 +0000

There’s nothing more beautiful than when a woman is cloaked in the pregnancy glow. When you’re the baddest female in the music game, your cup of attractiveness runneth over. Alicia Keys performed a tribute to Prince at the 2010 BET Awards. While she sang, many Beyonce stans felt King B could put on a better show while with child. One male tweeter commented, ” A female singer can get pregnant and some chick will say Beyonce can get pregnant better.” A year and change later, we have the opportunity to see if there was any truth in that tweeter’s jest. Beyonce announced her pregnancy on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards this past Sunday. So

you tell us, whose performance while carrying a bundle of joy was better? Beyonce or Alicia Keys?

Prince hit legendary status because of his incredible musicianship and wild stage shows. In order to give The Purple One a tribute, one must give their performance 300 percent to be half the performer Prince is. Alicia Keys did just that. During her BET Awards set, she sang his signature hit, “Adore.” Although singing in a higher register isn’t her strongest suit, Keys’ performance was still exciting. Alicia climbed on top of a black baby grand piano and writhed like she was auditioning to be the leader of a Vanity 6 reboot. As Alicia did her thing, cameras cut to Prince giving side eye–or was that some concern? Prince is more expressive in song than in his face. Once Alicia Keys made a safe exit stage left, her set was all anyone could talk about. That is until last Sunday.

No one was expecting Beyonce to deliver baby news at the VMAs. Beyonce wore a purple sequined jacket with simple black pants and a tuxedo shirt. Her and her dancers performed the album cut, “Love On Top,” with precision and aplomb. Despite scaling back the performance, it was still chock full of Bey’s signature intensity and vocal gymnastics. After her rousing set, Beyonce went into diva mode. She dropped her mic and popped open her jacket and rubbed her bump with a broad smile on her face. In an example of black love, Jay-Z beamed as his wife brought the crowd to their feet while carrying his seed. The smile on his read, “Yeah, I did that and she still is the baddest chick in the game!”

So let us know what you think. Who’s performance was better? What did you think of the way Beyonce announced the news? Who’s child will follow in their famous parents’ footsteps?

Top 10 Jay-Z Songs

Swizz Beatz ft. Alicia Keys “International Party” [MUSIC VIDEO]

Kanye West Joins Prince On Stage At Show In Sweden [VIDEO]

jazzyf — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:51:05 +0000

Kanye West joined the legendary Prince on stage in Sweden. Prince allowed Kanye to rock out with him and the The New Power Generation at the way out west festival this past weekend. Several great artist has joined Prince on stage on his recent tour stops. Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Chaka Khan, and Mary J. Blige to name a few.

Check out the video below.

Top 10 Freedom Fighters In Music

Jonathan Hailey — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 14:00:55 +0000

When you hear the term ‘freedom fighter,’ civil rights activists are the images conjured in your brain. This time around we’re turning the term on its ear. The people on our list are artists who’ve fought to be released from their contracts at their record labels. The reasons why musicians and record executives argue range from minute details to the direction of an artist’s career. It’s like a divorce and the mass public is the child. We’re asked to pick sides. After reading, hit the comment section and tell us who’s side you’re on–the artist’s or the company’s.

10. Ciara vs. Jive Records

Following countless delays, Ciara decided she had had enough of the setbacks Jive placed in front of her. She took to her Facebook page to complain about the label’s lack of promotion. Ciara stated she had to pay to promote her single, “Gimme Dat,” out of her own pocket. Jive’s lack of faith in the Atlanta singer/songwriter led her to request for their contract to be terminated. A few weeks later, Ciara’s name disappeared from Jive’s roster of talent and her website, Ciarasworld.com, had been shut down. The virtual erasing of Ciara’s ties with Jive led many to speculate she had been dropped. After all, those rumors were floating around before Ciara decided to blast them on her Facebook page. Inquiring minds are still searching for details concerning the deterioration of their relationship.

9. Jill Scott vs. Hidden Beach Recordings

Our soul sista, Jill Scott has had a seemingly controversy free. Our love affair with Jill almost came to a screeching halt earlier this year when she and Hidden Beach Recordings were embroiled in a nasty lawsuit. The label’s head honcho claimed the neo-soul singer stopped recording for the company before her six album deal had expired. Scott countersued citing Steve McKeever, the label head, cost her millions in profits. Before the situation could get out of hand, the two came to an agreement. Jill was allowed to leave and signed a deal with Warner Brothers Records, which distributed her fourth effort. Hidden Beach will release a 10 song project entitled “Just Before Dawn: Jill Scott From The Vault, Vol. 1.” Why can’t cooler heads prevail in all of these situations?

8. The Clipse vs. Jive Records

In 2003, One of the casualties of the merger between BMG and Sony Music Entertainment was The Clipse. Signed to Pharrell’s Star Trak imprint, the Virginia rap duo was legally forced to stay on Jive when Star Trak moved its distribution deal over to Interscope. Jive, known more for having success with pop acts, allowed The Clipse to finish working on their second album without having any intention of delivering it to the public. Tensions between the group and the label mounted until Malice and Pusha T asked for a formal release. When Jive denied their request, The Clipse took the issue to court. As litigation took place, the duo started dropping the mixtape series, We Got It 4 Cheap. By the end of 2006, Jive relented by releasing Hell Hath No Fury, in conjunction with The Clipse’s Re-Up Records.

7. 112 vs. Bad Boy Records

People question how Diddy can be a label executive when he wants to be an artist himself. That has been the basis of quite a few artists leaving Bad Boy Records. 112 was one of the biggest male R&B groups in the late 90s and early 2000s. After having a hit album with Part III, the boys of 112 decided they were men and needed to take a stand. Slim, Q, Mike, and Daron felt Bad Boy no longer suited the mature adults they’d become. Despite all parties’ calling the decision amicable, many believed 112 signed with Def Soul for more creative control over future projects. Being the legal gangster he is, Diddy worked out a deal to where 112 would be represented by both companies for the release of Pleasure & Pain. Amid rumors of internal strife, 112 parted ways in 2007 and Def Jam dropped them from their roster.

6. JoJo vs. Da Family Entertainment

In 2006, JoJo was at the top of her game. She had a Top 10 hit with “Too Little, Too Late” and was crafting tracks for her next album. By 2009, new songs hadn’t materialized. JoJo posted messages on her Myspace page informing her fans it was Da Family Entertainment who was holding up the new disc. Later that year, she filed a lawsuit against the boutique company. The singer alleged her label wouldn’t let her out of her contract or allow her in the studio to record new songs. An agreement was finally reached in January of 2010. JoJo’s future albums would be distributed through Interscope Records. If you’re wondering where the new album is, it’s slated to hit shelves this coming fall.

5. Consequence vs. G.O.O.D. Music

The beef between Kanye West and Consequence is a personal one that spilled over into business. When Kanye debuted in 2004, Consequence was there. He helped with lyrics and concepts for each of Kanye’s works, save My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. While the squabbles between the two remained under wraps for a moment, Consequence grew tired of playing a secondary role when he was promised a starring one. Cons has alleged he hasn’t received credit for the work he contributed to West’s albums. Another thorn in the side of this relationship is Consequence’s sophomore disc being delayed by Kanye and Q-Tip’s dragging of their feet. Consequence has left G.O.O.D. Music and created his own label called Band Camp. To add insult to injury, he changed the title of his next album from Cons TV to Get Even. I wonder who’s the target for that dagger.

4. Faith Evans vs. Bad Boy Records

As one of the flagship artists on Diddy’s label, Faith Evans wasn’t as big a name she should have been. Faith recorded some of the biggest R&B hits for the company. the issue for her was the same issue 112 had with Sean Combs. She felt there was a conflict of interest. How could the person supposed to guide your career do their job effectively when they were trying to be and artist themselves? After the moderate success that was the Faithfully album, Faith made history by becoming the first contemporary R&B singer contracted to Capitol Records.

3. The Lox vs. Bad Boy Records

When you talk about being out of place, The Lox signing with Bad Boy Records is prime example. The Lox found themselves fighting to be rid of the Bad Boy image. Shiny suits and big budgeted video didn’t fit the rugged outlook of the Yonkers rap trio. Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch wanted to work with Ruff Ryders label because they had a harder image which fit The Lox’s attitude. After venturing down all legal avenues to no avail, they took it to the streets. The group started a grassroots movement with t-shirts emblazoned with “Let The Lox Go.” Diddy relented, yet kept some of their money from their future earnings.

2. Michael Jackson vs. Sony Music

Michael Jackson’s last full length album he recorded was the 2001 disc, Invincible. Before its release, Jackson and Sony were at odds over the artist’s master recordings. Michael was supposed to receive the masters to all of his work in 2000. However, there were clauses in the agreement which made sure Jackson didn’t get his masters for another 20 years. MJ discovered the lawyer representing him in the matter also worked for Sony. After unearthing the shady practices of Sony Music, Michael sought an early exit from his contract. When Jackson informed the label he was leaving the company after Invincible was finished being promoted, Sony suspended all promotions for the project.

1. Prince vs. Warner Brothers Records

Prince has never been one to shy away from controversy–be it rocking chaps with the butt cut out on national television. One of the most attention grabbing moments in Prince’s career was when he etched ‘slave’ in his face when he began to feel Warner Brothers was stifling his creativity. When Warner Brothers wouldn’t let Prince out of his contract, he began dropping albums in rapid succession to fill the requirements of his deal. How’s that for there being more than one way to skin a cat?

THEN & NOW: 1980s Music Icons

Iliana Rabun-Wood, Associate Managing Editor — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:33:41 +0000

Last week we brought you Then & Now: 1990s Music Icons and this week we have the 1980s up next! Take a look back at all the reason why you loved (or maybe hated) the 1980s in our then & now gallery of celebrities from the decade. You’ll see Whitney Houston before the drama, LL Cool J when he was a B-Boy in a Kangol and Prince‘s Paisley Park. Don’t forget, we have the now pictures of some of artists who make you say, “what happened to them?”

Check it out:

Happy Birthday Prince! His 10 Best B-Sides Of All Time

Shamika Sanders — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:04:48 +0000

In light of Prince’s 53rd birthday, popcrush.com put together a list of his best “B-Sides” of all time! “The following B-Sides are listed in chronological order starting with the 1982 release of ‘How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore’ and closing with the 1989 release of ‘I Love U in Me.’ Enjoy!”

Top 10 Prince Songs

Prince Only Charging $25 For Los Angeles Concerts [VIDEO]

Can A Man Go To A Prince Concert By Himself? [VIDEO]

‘How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore’

Released: Sept. 24, 1982; B-side of ’1999′ Single Prince recorded this B-side at Sunset Sound Studios in L.A. during the making of the ’1999′ album. This one is a beautiful four-chord progression acoustic piano ballad that showcases Prince’s vocals and lyrics. A touch of jazz and a healthy dose of Gospel make this an instant Prince classic. Although a B-side, Prince performed ‘How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore’ live during the 1999 and Purple Rain tours and continues to play it today.

‘Irresistible B—–’

Released: Nov. 23, 1983; B-side of ‘Let’s Pretend We’re Married’The original version of ‘Irresistible B—–’ was recorded in December 1981 soon after Prince started exclusively using the Linn LM-1 drum machine. The song begins with a 40-second instrumental funk of bass and drums before Prince begins to share all the things he likes about this irresistible girl. He can’t stop thinking about her — even though his friends suggest he let her go — as he explains, “they don’t know the things you do to me when we’re alone.” A great, sparse Prince funk track with a stellar bass line. Not only a Top 10 Prince B-side, but a Prince classic.

Click here, for the rest of the best B-Sides from Prince…

BLACK MUSIC MOMENT #74: Prince Records His First Album, “For You.”

Alvin Blanco — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:53:11 +0000

Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare)
Record Plant Studios
2200 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94966

When: Oct 1 – Dec 22, 1977

What: Prince Rogers Nelson signed to Warner Bros. and demanded that he write and produce his debut album himself. In an unprecedented move for an unproven artists, Warner agreed.

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Top 10 Prince Songs

The Urban Daily — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:08:08 +0000

It’s hard to argue that Prince is one of the most talented and versatile musicians to ever set foot in a recording studio. Since 1978, he’s released over 30 albums, had dozens of hit singles, a few movies, and sold out concert venues from his hometown of Minneapolis to Japan.

With a catalog as vast as his, picking his ten best songs is no easy task. We’re still not sure that this list is complete. We’ve left off quite a few songs. There’s no “I Wanna Be Your Lover” on the list. “Uptown?” That didn’t make it either. “Let’s Go Crazy?” Not this time.

Samples of History: Inheriting Prince’s Funk

10. When You Were Mine
Prince’s third album, 1980′s Dirty Mind, was what most people would call a “departure” record. Gone were the disco influences that shaped songs like “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and “Soft & Wet.” In their place were shades of the punk rock and new wave scenes that were beginning to take hold of America at the time. “When You Were Mine” manages to combine the new wave influence with an admitted Beatles-esque sensibility that provides the soundtrack to Prince’s obsession with an ex.

9. Pop Life
In 1985, Prince followed up the massive success of the Purple Rain album and film with Around The World In A Day, a psychedelic pop record that only someone as weird as Prince could make. Despite its many nods to psychedelia, one of ATWIAD’s best songs was “Pop Life,” a song that addresses social issues like the dangers of drugs.

8. Adore
Influenced by R&B ballads by singers like Anita Baker and Luther Vandross, one of Prince’s biggest songs that never became a single was “Adore,” the final song on Prince’s sprawling 1987 double album, Sign O’ The Times. Prince toes the line between the sacred and profane with the song’s churchy instrumentation, and erotic lyrics. The song also is home to the classic lyric “You could burn up my clothes / Smash up my ride / Well maybe not the ride…”

7. Purple Rain
We all know this song, which probably owes more to the traditions of country music than to R&B. The nearly nine-minute album version is a revelation with Prince’s extended guitar solo. There’s a reason why Prince performs this song at nearly every concert he does.

6. Kiss
Originally intended for a group called Mazarati that Prince signed to his Paisley Park Records label, “Kiss” started off as a simple 90 second demo. Prince gave the demo to his engineer, David “Z” Rivkind who managed to take Prince’s extremely rough sketch of a song, and turn it into one of the funkiest songs His Royal Badness ever touched. Mazarati recorded a version of the song, which Prince is rumored to have taken to a popular outdoor basketball court in Minneapolis to get feedback. The feedback was so positive that Prince decided to keep the song for himself. Mazarati weren’t left completely in the dirt though. Their background vocals remain on the track.

5. If I Was Your Girlfriend
“If I Was Your Girlfriend” was released as the second single from Prince’s 1987 album, Sign O’ The Times. Despite a warm reception from black radio at the time, the song stalled on the pop charts, mainly by those who were confused by the song’s premise. Using a sped up vocal to simulate a woman’s voice, Prince is actually singing to his then-girlfriend, Susannah Melvoin about how he wishes that he had a closer relationship with her, like that of one of her girlfriends. Of course, things get kinda freaky as the song goes along, but this is Prince we’re talking about.

4. Joy In Repetition
A relatively obscure track to casual fans, “Joy In Repetition” appears on the soundtrack to Prince’s 1990 film disaster Graffiti Bridge. The song’s narrative vividly details Prince walking into a club where “four-letter words are seldom heard with such dignity and bite.” Inside the club he sees a woman on stage singing the same two words over and over again as he falls in love with her, dragging her from the stage and running out of the club arm in arm. Prince rarely goes into narrative mode to the extent that he does in this song. Plus, he straight up murders the guitar solo.

3. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
“The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker” is another one of those rare narratives in Prince’s discography. A deceptively simple song, the song features little more instrumentation than a drum machine, keyboard, guitar and bass. In the song, Prince tells the tale of meeting a waitress, the titular Dorothy Parker, who starts flirting with him. He leaves the restaurant with her even though he admits that he’s seeing someone. But as the song ends, he reveals that Dorothy “didn’t see the movie cuz she hadn’t read the book first.”

2. Little Red Corvette
With those opening synth chords, and the opening lyric, “I guess I shoulda known by the way you parked your car sideways that it wouldn’t last,” Prince hit critical and commercial pay dirt. Prince works the fast woman as fast car metaphor for all its worth on this song, which was reportedly written in between cat naps while riding in the car of one of his band members. “Little Red Corvette” has the distinction of being one of the first videos by a black artist played on MTV.

1. When Doves Cry
The last song written for Purple Rain, “When Doves Cry” is a pop music masterpiece. The opening guitar riff grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until the sparsely arranged song comes to an end. “When Doves Cry” helped propel Purple Rain, the film and album, to classic status.

Whitney Houston Banned From Prince’s Concerts

Kevin Eason — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:00:34 +0000

Whitney Houston has lost her Prince privileges … because sources tell TMZ the Purple One’s people became so fed up with her erratic behavior and constant ticket demands … that she is no longer allowed at his shows:

According to our Prince sources, Whitney attended several Prince concerts in the last few weeks and appeared to be “intoxicated” at each show — though our sources never saw Whitney drink alcohol or take drugs.

Sources say Whitney was constantly badgering Prince’s staff to let her up on the stage … but Team prince shot her down every time because P’s people “didn’t want her to embarrass herself.”

Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Follow him on Facebook.

Chaka Khan & Whitney Houston Perform At Prince Concert [VIDEO]

Shamika Sanders — Sat, 07 May 2011 14:12:48 +0000

Not one legend but three! Chaka Khan and Whitney Houston performed at Prince’s concert at the L.A Forum last Thursday! The divas performed “Tell Me Something Good” side by side!

Whitney Houston Spotted Out On The Town [PHOTOS]

Original Cast Of “Waiting To Exhale” Confirmed For Sequel [VIDEO]

Prince & Alicia Keys Perform “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” Together [VIDEO]

The Urban Daily — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:34:53 +0000

Prince is several days into his 21 night stand at the Los Angeles Forum for his Welcome 2 America tour and brought out Alicia Keys on Friday night to duet on his classic 1982 b-side (remember those?) “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore.”

Keys scored a hit with her own version of the song in 2002 from her debut album, Songs In A Minor.

Prince’s run of shows in Los Angeles has been well received and star studded with Sheila E and the Escovedo Family and Mint Condition guesting on stage. Concertgoers who stuck around after the house lights came on at Friday’s show were treated to a bizarre sight: Prince riding around the venue on a bicycle.

Source: Dr. Funkenberry

Prince Only Charging $25 For Los Angeles Concerts [VIDEO]

The Urban Daily — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:21:09 +0000

Prince stopped by Lopez Tonight to promote his upcoming string of 21 concerts at the Los Angeles Forum, which begins tonight. Prince and host George Lopez announced that the majority of tickets for the show are only $25!

“Well, I’d like to give props to Live Nation for that,” Prince said. $25 is what we used to pay for concerts, then somebody called Ticketmaster came in, and now we’re showing them who the real ticket master is.”

Prince later performed several songs, “Laydown” from his last album 20ten, a cover of D-Train’s 80′s boogie classic “You’re The One For Me,” and his own classic “The Beautiful Ones.” Keep an eye out for Sheila E.

Interview

Laydown / The Beautiful Ones / You’re The One For Me

Source: Mr World Premiere

RELATED: Top 10 Prince Songs

Prince To Play 21 Concerts In Los Angeles Beginning Next Week [VIDEO]

The Urban Daily — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:45:11 +0000

Prince made a surprise phone call to George Lopez during the taping of Lopez Tonight yesterday to announce that he’d be doing a run of 21 shows at the Forum in Los Angeles beginning on April 14th. The shows are the latest in his Welcome 2 America tour which has already done multi-night runs in New York City and the Carolinas.

Before the concerts start, Prince plans to “rehearse” by making an appearance on Lopez Tonight.

Check out Prince’s call to Lopez below!

Bulls Boozer Has Playoff Ticket For Prince

The Urban Daily — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:31:46 +0000

Back in 2006 Chicago Bulls Forward Carlos Boozer rented his home to Prince and the Grammy award winning singer and guitarist almost found himself on the wrong side of a NBA beat-down.

From Hellobeautiful: NBA All Star Game 2011 Eye Candy

According to Boozer’s good friend Jay Williams his Purple Badness went H.A.M on Boozers Beverly Hills mansion turning blue water fountains purple and branding the front gates with his famous androgynous logo. “Booz was livid. So pissed off, so angry,” Williams told ESPN’s The Waddle & Silvy Show. ” Booz was like, ‘I was getting ready to go over there and beat this little man down.’ And dude was just like ‘Here, Boozer, here is a little check for about a million, it’ll take care of everything, get it back the way you want it.’ And Booz was like, ‘This little man is cool as hell.’”

With the Bulls leading the NBA’s Eastern conference and a playoff appearance secured (57-20) Boozer was asked if he had any tickets reserved for Prince, an avid Basketball fan.

“If he wanted a ticket, I have one waiting for him,” Boozer said Wednesday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000. “Good dude, man. Great dude. I can’t go into detail with what happened, but he’s a great guy. Good tenant. Paid his bills on time. He’s a very gentle dude, very humble. Very big on family. I’m proud to have him as a friend.”

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Prince Sued For $3 Million Over Canceled Ireland Concert

The Urban Daily — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:46:47 +0000

It’s not a good week to be Prince Rogers Nelson. After being hit with a $700,000 lawsuit earlier in the week from his lawyers, the Purple one is now being sued for $3 million for failing to pay the settlement in a previous lawsuit over a cancelled concert in Ireland.

This or That: Prince or Michael Jackson?

Inheriting Prince’s Funk

Prince canceled the 2008 concert in Dublin 13 days before it was supposed to happen, forcing the promoters, MCD, to refund 55,000 tickets. MCD sued Prince for damages, and they reached a settlement. Prince was to pay $2 million in damages and $1 million in legal fees. Apparently Prince missed the March 2010 deadline and didn’t pay up.

Prince Sued For $700K By Former Lawyers

The Urban Daily — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:45:52 +0000

Prince is being sued by New York based law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler for unpaid legal fees dating back to 2006. The firm handled Prince’s 2006 divorce from Manuela Testolini.

Samples of History: Inheriting Prince’s Funk

The legal team has handled several cases for the superstar musician in California, New York and Ireland. They say Prince has ponied up $125,000, but still owes them $700,000.

Spotted @ HipHopWired.com

Can A Man Go To A Prince Concert By Himself? [VIDEO]

Royale Watkins — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:42:15 +0000

In the first installment of “Buttnaked Fridays” comedian Royale Watkins asks if it’s cool for a grown a$$ man to purchase a single Prince ticket and treat himself to a Prince concert? Those tickets are expensive and if a man can’t find a woman worthy to take why not go dolo? But that’s just our opinion. Hit him up on Twitter @RoyalWatkins and let him know how you feel, or leave a comment right here below.

“I can say I’m almost gay for Prince, not all the way…but almost.” –Royale Watkins

The Women Of Paisley Park: Prince’s Ex-Flames [PICS]

Prince Kicks Kim Kardashian Off Stage [VIDEO]

Man Gets Beaten Up At Prince Concert After Catching His Guitar

The Urban Daily — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:15:03 +0000

An Oakland, CA man was having the time of his life at Prince‘s concert in Oakland this week when the superstar threw his guitar in the crowd and it landed in his hands. Almost immediately, a crowd of fans mobbed him and beat him.

The man escaped the mob with bruises, a few cuts, and the guitar, but was told by one of Prince’s stagehands to return the guitar immediately. He was given a guitar pick branded with Prince’s trademark symbol.

Apparently the man wanted to keep the guitar, and wants the guitar back…

Watch his story below, courtesy of abc7news.com:

The Women Of Paisley Park: Prince’s Ex-Flames [PICS]

The Urban Daily — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:41:11 +0000

Over the course of his 33 year career, Prince has been linked with some of the most beautiful women in the world. Their relationships would inform some of his best work.

Samples of History: Inheriting Prince’s Funk

Check out our (more than likely incomplete) gallery of women Prince has officially (or rumored to be) involved with like Susan Moonsie of Apollonia 6 and Vanity 6, who is reportedly was the inspiration for Prince’s classic single “When Doves Cry.” Also included is Susannah Melvoin, the twin sister of Prince’s guitar player in the Revolution, who inspired the bulk of Prince’s golden era love songs, and actress Kim Basinger, who was rumored to have had a fling with Prince in the late 80s when she starred as Vicki Vale in Batman. Basinger also appeared on the 12″ single for Prince’s steamy ballad “Scandalous.”

Why Did Prince Shut Eric Benet Out Of Essence’s Pre-Grammy Party?

The Urban Daily — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:53:49 +0000

Diddy wasn’t the only one who got dissed by Prince at Essence’s Black Women In Music party last week in Los Angeles. Eric Benet, best known as Halle Berry‘s ex-husband, found his invitation to the event revoked after Prince was named as a special guest at the event.

But why?

Organizers of the event say it’s because Benet recently announced his engagement to Manuela Testolini, who just so happens to be Prince’s ex-wife. Prince and Testolini were married in 2001. She filed for divorce in 2006.

Source: New York Post

Who Is Esperanza Spalding?

The Urban Daily — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:29:58 +0000

In the one true surprise at last night’s Grammy Awards, jazz singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding took home the award for Best New Artist, beating out Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence & The Machine, and Mumford & Sons. But who is she and where did she come from?

Spalding was born in Portland, OR in 1984. By the age of five, she was a self-taught violinist, already playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. She picked up her signature instrument, the bass, at age 14. Though she’s very skilled at many other instruments, once she began playing bass, it became her sole focus.

Esperanza left school at age 16, got her GED, and enrolled the music program at Portland State University on a scholarship where she was the youngest bass player in the program. She later enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music and received a full scholarship. Spalding became one of the youngest professors in the school’s history being brought on to teach immediately after graduating at age 20.

Though she won Best New Artist award, Spalding has released three albums over the course of her career, beginning with 2006′s Junjo. She began getting notoriety outside of jazz music circles with her 2008 release, Esperanza. Her latest album, Chamber Music Society, was released in 2010.

Spalding has also received co-signs from some of music’s most influential. The Roots asked Spalding to perform at their annual Roots Picnic in 2008. Prince asked Spalding to open for him on his recent string of shows in the New York City area. Spalding also paid tribute to Prince at the 2010 BET Awards, performing his song “If I Was Your Girlfriend” on the show.

Prince Leaves Diddy Hanging At Essence Party

The Urban Daily — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:00:28 +0000

Prince is on a roll lately. After shooing Kim Kardashian off of the stage of his Monday night concert in New York City, His Royal Badness left Sean “Diddy” Combs outside the velvet rope at Essence’s Black Women In Music celebration on Wednesday night.

The two superstar entertainers were on hand at Los Angeles’ Playhouse Hollywood nightclub for the event which was honoring Bad Boy records artist, Janelle Monae. Monae was also one of the performers handpicked by Prince to open for him on his recent string of “Welcome 2 America” shows in New York City.

A source tells the New York Daily News that Diddy and Prince were seated at adjacent booths in the nightclub. Though Diddy had the larger booth of the two, Prince’s was blocked by a velvet rope and four bodyguards. During Monae’s performance, Diddy and Prince exchanged a handshake and a hug, but that’s as far as things went. The source says that it was obvious that Diddy wanted to join Prince and his date, American Ballet Theater dancer Misty Copeland.

“You could see that Diddy wanted to hang out, but Prince was very cold,” says the source. “He didn’t have his security take down the velvet rope,so that Diddy could pass into the inner sanctum and join him”

A spokeswoman for Diddy denied the story to the New York Daily News, though she did confirm that the two exchanged greetings.

Prince Donates $1 Million To Harlem Children’s Zone

The Urban Daily — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:45:27 +0000

After wrapping up the New York dates for his “Welcome 2 America” tour on Monday night, Prince donated $1 million dollars to Harlem Children’s Zone, a local children’s organization. The superstar also donated $250,000 each to the Uptown Dance Academy and the American Ballet Theatre.

Prince also donated the custom gold-plated Fender Stratocaster guitar that he used during the New York shows to raise money for Harlem Children’s Zone. The guitar was auctioned off after he performed at an afterparty at New York City club The Darby.

“I want to thank Prince. I am touched and blown away by his generosity,” said Harlem Children’s Zone President and CEO Geoffrey Canada. “This is unprecedented in my lifetime to see an artist come forward and invest in today’s children.”

Prince plans to take the “Welcome 2 America” tour across the country as he identifies more organizations in need of help.

Source: JonesMag.com

Gwyneth Paltrow To Cover Prince’s “Kiss” On “Glee”

The Urban Daily — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:55:28 +0000

Gwyneth Paltrow will reprise her role as substitute teacher Holly Holiday on FOX’s hit television show “Glee” for the March 8th episode. During the episode, Paltrow will cover Prince‘s classic 1986 single “Kiss” in a duet with series regular Matthew Morrison.

Paltrow’s character returns to McKinley High to fill in for the school’s sex-ed teacher. Things will heat up between her and Morrison’s characters as they sing the sexy tune together.

On Paltrow’s last highly-publicized appearance on the show, she covered Cee Lo Green‘s “Forget You.’

Source: TVLine.com

Prince Kicks Kim Kardashian Off Stage [VIDEO]

The Urban Daily — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:49:21 +0000

Prince fulfilled the wish of many Americans last night by kicking Kim Kardashian off of the stage during the final show of the New York leg of his “Welcome 2 America” tour at Madison Square Garden. After bringing Kardashian on stage to dance, Prince almost immediately booted her from the stage when she failed to dance with him.

“Get off the stage!” Prince quipped to the reality TV star as she just stood there while his band played the classic song “Controversy.”

After leaving the stage, Kardashian tweeted “I was so nervous I froze when Prince touched me!!!!” She later was called back on stage, this time with a group of people, and redeemed herself by dancing.

The Kardashian incident was just one of many highlights of the night as Cee Lo Green opened the show, informing the crowd that Prince wouldn’t let him curse just before he launched into his hit single “F*** You.” Green later joined Prince on stage to perform Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” a song Prince has been covering on his own during shows.

As expected, the stars were out in droves, as Chris Rock, ?uestlove of The Roots, Reverend Al Sharpton, Naomi Campbell and many more were spotted dancing in the sold out arena.

Prince performed a late night aftershow at NYC club Darby, taking to the stage just before 2am, with Talib Kweli freestyling. Prince ran through a ton of fan favorites and cover songs in the small and extremely packed club, calling it a night shortly before 3am.

This or That: Prince or Michael Jackson?

Leigh Davenport, Editorial Director — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:37:32 +0000

We asked The Whispers, Prince or Michael Jackson? Take A Look! Kyte.Embed.path="http://media.kyte.tv";Kyte.Embed.altpath="http://www.kyte.tv";window.kyteplayer=new Kyte.Player("",{appKey:"default",width:420,height:685,p:"6361",s:1146870,tbid:"10"}); Read more..

Corinne Bailey Rae Wants To Be Your Lover [AUDIO]

The Urban Daily — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:06:40 +0000

English chanteuse Corinne Bailey Rae will release a digital-only EP of cover songs on Valentines Day entitled The Love EP.

The five-track release features covers of Doris Day’s “Que Sera Sera” (done in the style of Sly & The Family Stone’s 1974 cover), Paul McCartney’s “My Love,” Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Is This Love,” Belly’s “Low Red Moon,” and Prince’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover.”

Check out Rae’s cover of “I Wanna Be Your Lover” below!

Prince Makes Surprise Appearance On “The View” [VIDEO]

The Urban Daily — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:00:30 +0000

Prince made a surprise visit to the set of ABC’s “The View” today to promote his upcoming series of concerts in New York City.

His Royal Badness strolled on stage in the middle of a discussion the hosts were having and presented them with tickets to one of the many shows he is doing in New York City throughout the month of December as part of his “Welcome 2 America” tour.

Sherri Shepherd, co-host of morning talk show, seemed most surprised by Prince’s presence and brought the Purple Rain star’s appearance to an abrupt end when she admitted that she’d wanted to have sex with him ever since she was a girl.

Video source: Gawker.com

Get A Discount On Prince’s “Welcome 2 America” Tickets From Centric

The Urban Daily — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:55:00 +0000

When Prince goes on tour, it’s always one of the hottest tickets in the country. Tickets to Prince’s shows usually sell out in minutes, so getting your hands on one is not always easy.

Fortunately our friends over at Centric have the hook-up!

Join Centric’s online community to get a special discount code on tickets when they go on sale Saturday, October 30th!

Click here for more information!

The “Welcome 2 America” tour is slated to feature special guests ranging from Janelle Monae to Sheila E to Mint Condition and kicks off in December.

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