Prince Rogers Nelson, also known as “Prince” and “the artist formerly known as Prince”, inspired generations and challenged society’s preconceived notions of African Americans, sexuality, and gender. He was born in Minnesota on June 7, 1958 and died at the age of 57 on April 21, 2016. His parents were Mattie Shaw and John L. Nelson, and the couple separated when he was young. Both his mother and father have passed away: his father in 2001 and his mother a year later.
During his life, Prince had been married and subsequently divorced twice. The first marriage was to Mayte Garcia and the second to Manuela Testolini. He had a son with Mayte on October 16, 1996, but the baby died soon after from a rare genetic condition known as Pfeiffer Syndrome …show more content…
He stood against labels and authority to convey a message of self-acceptance and love to anyone that listened regardless of gender, sexuality, and race. Prince fought to change the world through his music, and in some ways, he did. The music he wrote inspired and brought people together, all while communicating the different messages he wanted broadcasted.
For the purposes of this paper, the main time period will be the 1990’s. This was a turning point in the world, as the century and millennium ended. People were overcoming past difficulties and trying to see the world in innovative ways, but change was not always fast or easy. There are still many things I do not know about life in the 90’s. For instance, I do not know what the political and economic scene was like then, or how African Americans contributed to either of them.
However, I do know that Prince was and remains, a cultural icon. His death was mourned internationally and had a profound effect on those whose lives he touched. He had numerous hit singles and challenged any given person’s view of masculinity, heterosexuality, gender, and what it means to be black. The artist was also known for his highly sexually suggestive or outright explicit content. His music is part of the reason that the parental advisory label
During his life, Prince had been married and subsequently divorced twice. The first marriage was to Mayte Garcia and the second to Manuela Testolini. He had a son with Mayte on October 16, 1996, but the baby died soon after from a rare genetic condition known as Pfeiffer Syndrome …show more content…
He stood against labels and authority to convey a message of self-acceptance and love to anyone that listened regardless of gender, sexuality, and race. Prince fought to change the world through his music, and in some ways, he did. The music he wrote inspired and brought people together, all while communicating the different messages he wanted broadcasted.
For the purposes of this paper, the main time period will be the 1990’s. This was a turning point in the world, as the century and millennium ended. People were overcoming past difficulties and trying to see the world in innovative ways, but change was not always fast or easy. There are still many things I do not know about life in the 90’s. For instance, I do not know what the political and economic scene was like then, or how African Americans contributed to either of them.
However, I do know that Prince was and remains, a cultural icon. His death was mourned internationally and had a profound effect on those whose lives he touched. He had numerous hit singles and challenged any given person’s view of masculinity, heterosexuality, gender, and what it means to be black. The artist was also known for his highly sexually suggestive or outright explicit content. His music is part of the reason that the parental advisory label