By Kwamesha Joseph
Prince’s death offers an opportunity to celebrate his life that was filled with talent and gender-bending roles that changed music. (Courtesy of Flickr)
On April 21, the world unexpectedly lost another legendary musician: Prince.
For most people, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear Prince’s name is his album, Purple Rain, which, according to Billboard, went platinum a whopping thirteen times. For others, he is acknowledged for all of his talents such as being a multi-instrumentalist, writing songs and being an artist like no other. Either way, it goes without saying that the Minneapolis native, Prince Rogers Nelson, was a mysterious man who wore many hats.
As the son of a jazz musician, Prince always made music a part of his young life. Prince’s childhood was difficult due to his parents’ separation, which led him to find refuge in music. He mastered a number of instruments before he was 18, when he was signed to the Warner Bros’ record label and began his journey to stardom.
One of the reasons that Prince reached icon status is because of his obvious passion for music. In 1989, Rolling Stone said: “Perhaps more than any other artist, Prince called the tune for pop music in the ’80s, imprinting his Minneapolis sound on an entire generation of musicians both black and white.” He was a true musician whose music reached the ears of many people across racial borders and the world.
Prince was one in a million, effortlessly play a guitar behind his or her back, while blindfolded, in the pouring rain, in front of thousands of people. The late icon was known to say that music kept him alive. With the talent he shared with the world over the years, such a statement comes as no surprise.
One of the many things Prince has left behind is the political impact he made over the years. By performing in anything from high heels to bikini bottoms, Prince is commended for redefining masculinity within the black community through his own genderfluidity. Prince’s fashion has been a topic of trending conversation since the late ’70s.
His flamboyant personality, combined with his explicit lyrics and comfort with his own image, set him apart from other stars. Through his fashion, Prince was able to push, challenge and diminish boundaries between what society deemed as masculine and feminine by showing no concern for gender conformity.
Aside from his extravagant dress and dramatic makeup, Prince is also known for using his talents and his passion for music as a means of addressing social justice issues. In a recently released song entitled “Baltimore,” he commemorated the deaths of many African-Americans that have been stolen by the police.
He said in this music video, “The system is broken. It’s going to take the young people to fix it this time. We need new ideas, and new life.” He also, many years ago, spoke out about injustice in Wall Street through the song “Ol’ Skool Company.” While the list of Prince’s politically charged music is far too vast to account for, it is clear that he was very honest about his opinions in his music.
Prince’s death left many fans distraught. One mourner even went so far as to alter the ‘Prince St.’ sign on the platform in Brooklyn, NY, to ‘Prince RIP’, a matter of hours after the announcement of his death. Other mourners found their way to the streets of Manhattan to boisterously play the music many of his fans have grown up on.
The icon’s musical talents and his pristine winged eye liner have touched the hearts of many people across the world. His music has a way of bringing people together in a judgment-free space to genuinely enjoy great music. The kind of self-established freedom he exuded throughout the years laid a platform for others to feel liberated in their own skin.
The legend’s death marked the end of an era. Prince made a statement to the world, one that expressed freedom, fearlessness and passion. And for that, he will definitely be missed.
