While Michael Jackson is often credited at Beyoncé's biggest influence. It's no surprise that the global superstar feels a particular affinity for Prince. The two performed together at The Grammy Awards in 2004, and Beyoncé has long included music from the The Time, a group Prince assembled and wrote for, in her live shows (See: The Beyoncé Experience).
In Dallas on Monday, Beyoncé covered "The Beautiful Ones" during the Formation World Tour. The song appears on Purple Rain. She first performed the cover in 2011 at the Glastonbury Festival in England, and this longer version was equally spectacular.
Jazmine Sullivan possesses one of the most dynamic voices of her generation. The 29-year-old Philly Native used her incredible gift to pay tribute to the passing of an icon. Jazmine and her background singers brought down the house with a beautiful cover of "Adore."
Before Misty Copeland became a ballet superstar and the first Black principal dancer at American Ballet Theare, she appeared in the 2009 video for Prince's "Crimson and Clover" and accompanied him on tour in 2011.
Copeland had been dancing with ABT since 2000 and a soloist since 2007 when she got a call one morning in 2009. It was Prince. She told New York Magazine, "I was asked if Prince could have my cell number...I was literally still waking up. ‘What? Prince who?'"
The next day she headed to Los Angeles for the video shoot.
Years later, she accompanied him on select dates of the Welcome 2 America tour where she blended her classical ballet foundations with improvisation.
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She told 92Y that Prince made her listen to "The Beautiful Ones" repeatedly so she could get an intimate feel for the music.
The result of that work can be seen when she joined Prince to he perform "The Beautiful Ones" for the first time on television in 2011.
Prince even got his good friend Tavis Smiley to interview Copeland for his talk show. Producer Neal Kendall told TheWrap, “It was not about him, it was about how he could help someone he felt was worthy gain attention.”
Nelson George shared on Facebook that Prince was critical to funding his 2015 documentary on Copeland "A Ballerina's Tale." The film documents Misty's road to making history while recovering from a shin fracture in 2014.
The world is mourning the death of pop/funk superstar, Prince, who died yesterday in his Paisley Park residence at age 57. But in a rare 1998 interview with Mel B - aka Scary Spice, of Spice Girls fame - Prince suggested that for him, this would be a time of celebration.
When asked about his distaste for birthdays he responds: “We came here not knowing we were going to die, somebody told us that. If we never knew we were going to die we wouldn't celebrate a birthday.” He said instead, “I'll celebrate the day I die.”
Prince, who was known for avoiding interviews and maintaining his privacy, described this session as “the best interview I ever had.” He and Mel B seemed more like old friends as she asked the musical genius about his then upcoming tour, his musical inspirations, the future of the internet and music industry.
We see a wise yet playful side of Prince as he imparts wisdom about sex, spirituality, and confidence in his deep, majestic voice while the two share laughs and compliments. They even venture out to a playground outside of the mansion together.
We should take a note from the iconic singer and honor his legacy with a celebration of his music. Check out the interview below.
In "A Story of My Love Affair With Prince,” poet Alyesha Wise professed her love with the artist formerly known as Prince, or as she called him in this piece Prince Roger Nelson. “Dearly beloved,” she says. “We are gathered here today as a figment of my hopeful imagination.” Wise speaks about how her love for Prince started when she was 13 and continues on today.
