The rivalry that arose between Prince and Michael Jackson is among the most legendary in the history of music. Though much of their dispute stayed behind closed doors, there were times when it became public. Prince thought that Jackson was an unimpressive musician who got too much praise, and Jackson thought that the star was a “meanie.”
Even though Prince and Jackson were frequently forced to compete in the same field, especially when it came to determining which performer had the greatest talent, their backgrounds and ascent to stardom couldn’t have been more dissimilar. For instance, Jackson experienced early publicity as a member of the Jackson 5, scoring hits like “ABC” and “I Want You Back” before making his solo debut album, Off The Wall.
However, Prince advanced through the ranks while creating the well-known “Minneapolis Sound,” a unique subgenre of funk. After that, he released critically acclaimed records like Dirty Mind, Controversy, and 1999 before becoming an overnight sensation in 1984 with his brilliant sixth album, Purple Rain.
Jackson was a superstar for most of his life thanks to hits like “Off The Wall” and “Thriller”. While, Prince’s success came from his hard work as a lone artist. Comparisons between Prince and Jackson were unavoidable as his popularity grew in the early 1980s.
Given that they were both dynamic performers in their own right and shared African-American ancestry, perceptions of a yin-and-yang dynamic in their relationship were inevitable. When Jackson’s Bad production started in 1985, there were early rumours of a potentially brilliant collaboration between the two. But one could only describe their real relationship as strained.
Although Prince was notorious for his general dislike of many musicians, there were times when he used his music as a way to express his frustrations. The second single from his 1992 Love Symbol album, “My Name Is Prince,” is one example of this. Although Jackson was acknowledged as The King, he was irritated by his perceived rivalry with Prince. Which is why this song is more of a reaction to that idea.
For this swagger-filled funk-rap song, Prince teamed up with NPG rapper Tony M., boldly showcasing his musical prowess. The singer jokes, “My name is Prince . I don’t wanna be king. Cuz I’ve seen the top. And it’s just a dream,” mockingly pointing out that Jackson’s title isn’t as shiny and ideal as it might appear.
“Things like, you must become a prince before you’re king anyway. Those were direct shots over the bow at Michael Jackson,” Tony M recalled telling Uncut.
1 comment