Prince is more than a legendary artist who left an impact in the music world. He is what defines Minnesota.
When you think of Minnesota, you think of the cold and Prince. He once told Oprah that he likes living in Minneapolis because “the cold keeps the bad people out.” But he had a protected love and admiration for the people of our city. He was untouchable. He was a genius. He was and will always be ours.
When a tragedy hits Minnesota, we immediately come together and pay our respects – everyone from residents to big and small businesses. The same thing happened when the I-35W Bridge collapsed in 2007. It was tragic and devastating, but we are a city that rides and dies together. That’s why I love and am proud to say that I grew up in Minneapolis, we care about one another so much. As one, we are a stronger community. So when I say I am proud of my Midwest values, I mean in the sense of caring, nurturing, understanding, hard-working and seeing the good in people.
I will never forget the times I spent at First Ave Nightclub dancing to Prince’s songs and watching live bands try and make it big. This is where Prince was first discovered in Minneapolis in the 1980s. For those of you who are Los Angelenos, its equivalent to what The Viper Room is on Sunset Blvd.
I first had the opportunity to tour his studios, Paisley Park, with my mom in 2002 and later saw him perform at Northrup Auditorium by the University of Minnesota. I wanted to surprise her with an early Mother’s Day present and that was her gift! This was the first time Prince had ever opened his studios to the public and we lived 20 minutes from the studios. I wish I had photos but we were prohibited from taking them.
What I remember was the lobby being painted with a sky full of clouds and his eyes looking down. I remember going down a long hallway and on the left there were concert posters of him from different years. The very last poster had Prince’s hand sticking out and the tour guide told us that every time Prince walked by it, he would give it a high five.
There were 3 different studios in Paisley Park where Prince recorded. I remember the studio where he recorded the “Sign ‘O’ the Times” album and a photo of his mother on a stand. There was also this funky spiral chair for two people to sit on.
Prince loved coming back to Minneapolis and telling everyone in maybe a 24 hour notice, Hey, I’m in town and I will be performing at Paisley Park! We would all line up at his studio to get in and watch him in this huge warehouse, garage-like space with a performing stage. There would be a table where upcoming musicians would leave their demos in hopes that Prince would listen to them. He would also let the public know when he was having album release parties to come and celebrate. He was mesmerizing to watch and always kept the crowd entertained and begging for more.
When he performed at First Ave 2007, it was a magical, memorable moment because it had been the first time that he performed there since 1987. I remember he went past the 2 a.m. curfew and the cops finally told him to stop or he would get fined!
Prince’s signature song is “Purple Rain,” which is a comforting song, but I think my favorite songs of his would have to be a toss-up of “Little Red Corvette” and “Raspberry Beret.” I’ve always enjoyed the beat and melody to both of them. For my favorite club song, it would definitely have to be “Pussy Control.” It was his music that got me into Pop, R&B and Hip-Hop.
It does pain me that I can’t be back home to celebrate Prince’s amazing life and career with my fellow Minnesotans, but seeing all of the incredible photos, videos, news updates and mostly seeing the people of Minneapolis come together is what comforts me. I am there in spirit.
Long live the artist!
