1999

Despite the sexual bravado, Prince was intensely private and disciplined.
He rehearsed obsessively, ran tight bands, and expected absolute commitment. The chaos was aesthetic. Behind the scenes was control.

Prince played guitar at a frighteningly high level, but rarely showed off.
When he did, like the famous “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” tribute, it felt less like a solo and more like a reminder. Yes. He could always do that.

Prince deliberately changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol to escape record-label control.
It wasn’t a gimmick. It was a protest against contracts that treated artists as property. The world laughed. Prince got his masters back. Who was right aged better.

Prince released so much music that entire finished albums were locked away in his vault.
Not demos. Not half ideas. Fully recorded, mixed, ready-to-go albums that he simply chose not to release. Productivity level: unhelpful to everyone else.

Prince wrote, produced, arranged, and often played most of the instruments on his records. The credits weren’t ego. They were just accurate. He really was doing all that.