On 29 July, 1978, when Prince Rogers Nelson first entered the R&B charts (with the single Soft & Wet), he was just 20 years old. At that time, few imagined that this 5’2” Minneapolis native would become the bearer of the funk flame throughout the 80s. The bearer of a certain kind of funk, that is: his own. Like any self-respecting genius, the little Prince, born 7 June 1958, was a precocious child. He learned to play the piano at 7 and the guitar at 13. For him, music was a refuge from a turbulent family life. He soon formed his first group, Grand Central (a tribute to Larry Graham's Graham Central Station), which was renamed Champagne not long after. The band Flyte Tyme was also one of the pillars of the local scene. All of Minneapolis's champions passed through these groups at various points: Morris Day, Terry Lewis, Andre Cymone, etc. At the time, Prince was working with one Linster Willie, better known by the pseudonym Pepe Willie, for whom he played guitar in 94 East. Approached by Polydor, who financed a few singles, 94 East never really took off, but Prince made the most of his time with the group, learning the secrets of recording and production. He put together some funky demos that caught the ear of Owen Husney, a Minneapolis agent. Realising that he had acquired a nuclear bomb, he won over Warner Brothers, who signed Prince in March 1977. The musician was not yet 19 years old, and this contract allowed him little artistic freedom, but his uniqueness and undeniable talent stunned the label. Prince even persuaded Warner Brothers to let him produce his first album alone!
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