The Current’s exclusive broadcast of “CRAZY 2 COOL,” a live medley recorded by Prince and 3RDEYEGIRL last year in France, turned out to be just the kickoff to a weekend-long Chanhassen party that included a James Bond movie screening and the announcement of a solo European tour. On Friday and Saturday nights, Prince opened the…

When we decided to have a little fun this winter and go all-Prince on our Local Current stream as soon as it snows, we had no idea what Prince himself might make of our little stunt. In fact, he loves the idea, and to help everyone get in the Purple spirit, he’s sharing “CRAZY 2…

Jackie Wilson made his singles chart debut; the Beatles played for the Queen; Johnny Nash saw his way clearly to the top of the singles chart; Roxette had another hit in America; and Prince debuted his backing band, The Revolution, Today in Music History.

Michaelangelo Matos revisits the evolution of Prince’s revolution in a recent feature for the Pitchfork Review, spotlighting the seminal 1980 album Dirty Mind. Here are five highlights. Prince insisted on being signed to the Warner Bros. pop roster, not their R&B roster. In the segregated music world of the late ‘70s, it was very difficult to cross…

The bottomless yellow jumpsuit Prince wore to the VMAs in 1991 appears on a new Rolling Stone list of “20 great moments in rock star nudity.” There aren’t any other Minnesota artists on the list, but Minneapolis regular Janet Jackson makes the list with her Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction,” and Rock the Garden alumni Matt & Kim…

It was probably inevitable that someone would rewrite Prince’s infamously dirty Purple Rain track “Darling Nikki” in honor of Nicki Minaj—and it turns out that someone is Beyoncé. Queen Bey sings an a capella verse of “Darling Nikki Nicki” in a new promotional video for a live performance of Minaj’s song “Feeling Myself,” a collaboration that the pair…

Last March, Prince helped release Judith Hill’s debut album, Back in Time, for free. Like many online phenomena, though, the download link was temporary; after a couple of days on the web, the album disappeared. The good news for those who missed it: Prince’s label, NPG Records, re-dropped Back in Time last Friday (this time…

Prince remains firmly committed to supporting the career of Judith Hill, a singer he discovered when she told a European magazine she wanted to work with him. Hill’s dream came true: earlier this year, an album produced by Prince and recorded at Paisley Park was released in an unusual cascade that started with a free…

Some Minnesotans dread the coming of the fall’s first snow, and others look forward to it with excited anticipation. We’ve chosen the latter route. In fact, the first time it snows, we’re going to have a party: a Prince party. When MPR News weather guru Paul Huttner officially certifies that one inch of snow has…

Never mind the Governor’s Mansion: a private Paisley Park party is turning into the Minnesota version of a White House reception. After bashes welcoming the National Association of Black Journalists (in August) and Madonna (last week), Prince helped the Minnesota Lynx celebrate their WNBA championship by inviting them to his Chanhassen studio for a private…