Michael Jackson as the KING,
Whitney Houston as the QUEEN, and
Prince as (of course) the PRINCE
This was cute in a pun-ish
sort of way, but factually inaccurate. In fact, Prince with his unisex,
gender-bending persona could serve as both KING, and Queen of my generations
music monarchy.
Prince and Michael Jackson
both reached their zeniths in the 1980's and after that the comparison should
end. Michael Jackson is a great performer. Prince is a great vocalist,
musician, composer, and performer.
You couldn't tell by the
visual but Prince was a man's man. He played ball, and by most accounts he had
a wicked jumper. Ask Charlie Murphy, he documented it on the Chappelle Show in
2003. Prince loved the skit. He didn't get bent out of shape like many at his
level are apt to do when getting made fun of.
And we must speak on the
fact that Prince was a world class STICK MAN. He “loved”some of the hottest
women of our time. Vanity (of Last Dragon fame), Apollonia, Sheila E., Carmen
Electra, and Kim Basinger are just a few of Prince's muses. And you know you
belong in the STICK MAN hall of fame when they call people you banged muses.
You're first ballot HOF when none of your ex's have a bad word to say about
you.
Side bar... first ballot HOF
Stick Men are Hefner, Clooney, DiCaprio, Jeter, and Prince.
Prince was the Curt Flood of
music. He fought the power and won back his music catalog. He decided to no
longer be a slave to Warner Bro's. He was courageous, irrepressible, original;
an artist in the truest sense of the word.
I went to a Roots concert
last night. They bowed down and paid HOMAGE to his TALENT.
Look man!!!! Do you know how
many babies have been made to Prince? How many people have got their freak on
to “Do me baby” or “Darling Nikki?” How many people have knocked boots to “If I
was your girlfriend” or “Adore?” How many people have grinded wet spots to
“Sexy MF” or “Get Off?”
The man was prolific. Most of the songs I just mentioned were on his B-sides.
There is no comparison to a
TALENT that stands along.
In March...OKC was playing
Golden State. It was a big game. I stayed up late to watch it. Kevin Durant
(2014 MVP), and Steph Curry (Reigning MVP) were in the building. Golden State
was playing terrific basketball, and winning at a record pace. During the first
time-out the TNT camera pans over to the aisle, as his Purple Badness emerges.
This was 32 years after Purple Rain. He parts the sea with a bejeweled cane in
one hand and a dime piece on his other arm (Damaris Lewis aka new muse). Prince
walked in as the baddest man on the planet. The fans gave him a standing
ovation. In the midst of all the stars...he was THE STAR.
The greatest concert I've
ever witnessed happened in the Capital Centre. Prince put on a SHOW that night.
Man played guitar...Man played drums...Man played bass....Man played
keyboard....then he pulled out a trumpet, and tore the house down. I'm getting
chills now just thinking about it. I wanted to run up to the microphone and yell
“Earl playing by hisself man...Earl playing by hisself.”
Some were more iconic, some
more popular, but NONE more TALENTED.
“...if he poured his heart
into a glass and offered it like wine...she would drink and be back in time for
the morning papers”
