My Pilgrimage 2 Prince’s Home

I found out about Prince when I was 14. I watched him on American Bandstand with my uncle E-Woo, and played the “For You” & “Prince” albums in his room. Although he doesn’t remember buying them. Maybe Earl or one of the twins brought them over. I wouldn’t know. I just know they were there. I became a serious Prince fan when I was 16 (35 years ago). Devouring his lyrics, trying to find hidden spiritual messages to convince my parents that he wasn’t the antichrist. 🙄 When I was 17, my mom passed and I had no siblings to look up to, so I latched onto his spirit and never let go. Unfortunately I was unable to bear anyone who reminded me that my mom was gone, so I distanced myself. Therefore Prince has been my mentor, my heart, and my soul for what seems like an eternity.

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#PrinceDay

Today is the anniversary of the day God placed Prince on the path to be my spirit guide and mentor. ✨ For me, the celebration will never end. Towards the end, because of his spiritual beliefs, he didn’t celebrate his birthday, but I always celebrated. I saw a post on Twitter from Prince’s friend L Londell McMillan, asking that everyone share a special memory that we have of him. I decided to share the day that was the first time I met him face-to-face.

On the Outside, Looking In

My daughter cried all day when I told her I was going to meet Prince at Tower Records and she was too young to go. She was 8. I finally caved in to her tears. We spent the night before at the house of a friend, who lived close to the store. I was writing a story to give to him. The story was called “On The Outside Looking In“. It’s about what it was like 4 me, being a Prince fan.

That night my daughter and I, and several others, slept on the concrete in front of the store. When the news reporters came that morning, I thought I would be reported to the child investigation bureau. Thankfully I wasn’t, and we got to meet my mentor and give him the book I wrote. My daughter was more interested in checking out his shoes. 👢😂 I was slightly embarrassed because she kept looking under the table. I didn’t know why at first. Then she looked up at me and said I wanted to see his shoes. I’m glad he thought that was funny. I also gave him a novelty condom lollipop. I guess it was my way of telling him to stay safe. He and his girlfriend, and later wife, Mayte laughed about the lollipop. He was gracious for the book and asked me if I wrote it. He flipped through the pages smiling, and said thank you. With a gold sharpie, he signed his symbol on the magazine I had. I floated out of there on the same Purple cloud that has been keeping me close to The One for over 30 years.

That was the first time I met Prince. The second time I came face-to-face with him… well not actually face-to-face, since I’m 5’8” 😂, but practically a foot apart, was on 6/17/06 at Butter Restaurant. He was performing there but, there was no stage. So there I was just standing there on the floor in front of him, uncomfortable and nervous. He made fun of me twice that night. Once for not realizing I was standing on his mic cord, and the second time for not being able to properly execute the 3121 hand signals he had the audience doing. But I had been a fan long enough to know his sense of humor. His loyal fans actually got to see a different Prince than the one the media often presented. He had a wonderful sense of humor and would make fun of you at the drop of a dime, if he felt comfortable with you. It was an amazing ride and I never wanted to get off.

I am blessed to have shared space with him on several occasions. For me, every day is #PrinceDay 💜 ✨ 🙏🏽 🎧

Integrity – A Prince Music Petition

My mentor was quite litigious. He was quick to launch a lawyer through your bathroom window if he so much as thought you were even thinking of stepping out of line with his *isht. I found it annoying and slightly bonkers that someone with little if any trust in the government or judicial system had so many lawyers in his back pocket. But they were there and always ready to pounce in defense of his art.

I initially thought, why waste so much money paying people to ward off access to any chance of attracting a new fan base? How could we convince all of these young listeners of how great he was when their target was YouTube, and that avenue was off limits? Every time we approached that type of platform, we were shot down, and all of our ammo was confiscated. But I started to think, maybe for him, it wasn’t so much about getting the money, as it was about not being taken advantage of. He wanted it to be known; This art does not belong to you to do as you see fit. And you will not profit off of me sharing my story without discussing it with me first. I believe that is how he strongly felt. That’s just a matter of respect. Anyone would want that. I get that, but it has made it difficult to share the reason for our love and devotion with newbies. So over the years, long-time Prince fans have become very protective of the charms he has cast, and the blessings he bestowed upon us. This is why I jumped ready, finger on the trigger, when I received the link to this petition.

Petitioning The Estate Of Prince Rogers Nelson – Please handle any posthumous Prince releases with care.

I’m signing this petition because it would be seen as disrespectful and even blasphemous for anyone to add an extra brush stroke to a Monet, Picasso, Degas or Dali, and I feel that it would be equally desecrating to defile Prince’s art with the creative whims of another.

No matter who they are, or how good a musician or engineer they are, they are not, and never will be Prince. In his art, he was the creator, and for me, if his creation is altered in any way by another, it is rendered contaminated and no longer pure–thus its value diminished. Please know that this is not acceptable. I want his words and music, not someone else’s interpretation of them, touted as his. I would rather stick with what I already have, because I at least know he approved of its existence.

We can like and respect other artists who have worked with Prince. We may even love and appreciate them as individual artists, but please know that even that is an individual choice, with no promise of automatic universal acceptance. In plain English, we were not here 4 U. And just because he liked you, by no means are we obligated to. I loved everything Prince was, even the things I didn’t like. Everything was defining, not just the music. I valued his spirituality, thoughts, ideas, ideals, dreams and aspirations. And he shared them all through his music. Therefore, the slightest change could stray from his original message.

I beg that you please uphold the integrity of his art, and not allow one word to be altered or a single note to be tarnished.

-Live 4 Love 💜

A World of Never Ending Happiness

The circumstances behind Prince’s passing are still being mapped out, and I’m still waiting for closure. I saw a post on Twitter from QuestLove saying that we should read every single word in the song “Let’s Go Crazy”. Prince has always been seen as cryptic, but it’s just so intense right now. Given the current state of things, it’s actually rather haunting.

 

Let’s Go Crazy Lyrics On Google Player

 

I’ve listened to this song thousands of times, and even mulled over the lyrics back when it was released. We always talked about his cryptic nature, and I was ok with that. I did my best to decipher everything, and try to understand–make sense of it in my own way.

4/21/2016 I Lost My Mentor Prince

4/21/16

I just wanted 2 say thank U 2 everyone who offered their sentiments about my mentor Prince. I apologize 4 not being able 2 receive ur communications right away. At the moment I am still unable 2 conjure my own existence 2 speak on his. 💔 Without knowledge, this wonderful man has held me down since my mom passed when I was in my teens. I’m in my 50’s now. The fruits of his tree have nourished my spiritual journey 4 over 3 decades.

I’m so earthshakingly devastated that I can’t breathe. I waited 4 a response 2 my tweet 2 him, that would allow me 2 breathe again, but it did not come. I have not taken a sacred breath in 5 days because I felt the centrifugal force he talked about in “One Song”, shifting him back to 1.

I am broken now. But all that I learned from him is still with me. I will never let go. In my world mentor, U R 4ever. My love is 4ever. 💜
“It won’t be long before the second coming… All of God’s children must learn how 2 love.” -Prince 1982

Thank u 4 sharing so much. ✨

“Sacred is the prayer that asks 4 nothing, while seeking 2 give thanks 4 every breath we take. Blessed are we inside this prayer, 4 in the new world we will be there. The only love there is, is the love we make.” -Prince 1996

😢 So devastated and damaged.

Choice Quote

The quote that changed my life