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Widely portrayed in the media as a hypersexualized wildman, Prince left an indelible mark on popular culture with his out-of-this-world character and peculiarities. Much like David Bowie, Prince was a wellspring of material for fellow entertainers and fans alike.

On Censorship

With such an adamant stand on who he was as an artist, it may come as a surprise that Prince was no stranger to censorship. Prince’s 1984 album Purple Rain was already carrying a warning sticker from his record label for containing “language which might be unsuitable for minors.” Thanks to being top on the list of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC)’s Filthy Fifteen, a list of songs that the board found objectionable or inappropriate for audiences, Prince helped birth the black bars proclaiming that a music album had explicit content.

But did this faze him? Not in the least.

A Rare Breed of Artist

Apart from his signature falsetto, Prince was known as the rare breed of natural musician, the kind that can not only play any instrument, but also manages to be the kind of artist who arranges, produces and writes all of his own material—at a prolific level, no less.

Another lesser known fact about Prince? He was one of the best guitarists of our age. Just check him out in this clip, starting from the 3:28 minute mark.

Identity and Integrity

The man was a master at asserting his dominance—whether it was over his artistic freedom on concerns with his label, public perception of him, or how he dealt with other artists. He was, despite his oddities and means, an artist like no other, and the world is much poorer for the lack of him in it.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” Rest in peace, Prince.

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