Just saying Prince was a major pop icon doesn’t seem to do the late singer-songwriter justice. Prince was a LEGEND in his own right, from When Doves Cry to Purple Rain to the hilarious Dave Chappell impersonation of him (more on that later), Prince will always be remembered as one of the greatest artists that ever lived. Here are just a few reasons why he is just that.
1. Prince wrote "slave" on his face and changed his name to a symbol in protest of his Warner Bros. Record label.
In 1993, Prince had disputes about his record contract with Warner Brothers claiming his contract paralleled to slavery. His argued that Warner Bros. felt that since he was signed to their record label, they had sole rights over his name and the profits that came with said name.
In his defense, he hilariously changed his name to that a symbol that no one could pronounce that at the time was referred to “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” He then proceeded to take his case public and write the Slave on his face at various concerts. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to break his record deal until years later but we will always remember his public protest and standing up for himself.
2. The Prince, Michael Jackson, and James Brown Alliance
Back in the 80s, Prince’s biggest rival was no doubt another great legend, The King of Pop himself. Both had similar styles of music and dancing and (arguably) both shared similar fame status, so it was no shock that the two would eventually bump heads. James Brown even chimed in on the action claiming Prince’s footwork and guitar skills were a direct copycat of the Godfather of Soul’s performance.
However, they shocked the music industry in 1983 when all three came together to perform at the Hollywood's Beverly Theater to perform a memorable performance. Watch it here.
3. Prince Makes PMRC’s Flithy15
In 1985 Tipper Gore (yes, the former Second Lady) founded the Parents Music Resource Center after catching her 11-year-old daughter listening to Prince's sexually explicit song "Darling Nikki". From that moment on, Gore used the PMRC to pressure the record industry to censor some of its more suggestive songs by using its "Filthy 15" list as a weapon of shame. This list included some of dirtiest, most sexually explicit songs that were out in that time. However, of course this plan backfired majorly as "Darling Nikki" and other songs on the list saw skyrocketing sells, as apparently kids like to listen to things that are banned from them. Who knew?
4. Purple Rain
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the iconic 1984 film Purple Rain. A semi-autobiopic tells a story about a young musician known as "The Kid" who in hopes of escaping his turbulent home life, sets out to become a rock star. The film went on to receive numerous accolades including the prestigious Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. Tracks from the film topped charts and many say that this film skyrocketed Prince’s career and shot him into fame.
5. Prince's Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show 
In 2007, Prince was able to hold down the Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show through a rain and windstorm. Opening up the set with Queen’s iconic song "We Will Rock You," he quickly drew the audience into the exhilarating performance. He immediately launched into "Let's Go Crazy" while strutting around with his fast paced dance style. Even including a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s song "All Along The Watchtower." Keep in mind guys, it was pouring rain. Watch it here.
6. Prince Guest Stars on 'The Muppets'
Want to see Prince putting on a country accent and running away from an alligator dressed by a dog? The 1997 Muppets episode has all of that. He shows off his musical and whimsical abilities by being hilariously adorable for the kids and incredibly melodic at the same time with his catchy tune about breakfast food called “Starfish and Coffee.” Watch this adorable skit here.
7. BONUS: Dave Chappell’s True Hollywood Stories
Wonder what it would be like to go up against Prince on the basketball court? Dave Chappelle showed us just that in his 2004 sketch True Hollywood Stories. In the sketch Charlie Murphy describes a moment in time when he and brother Eddie Murphy were invited to Prince’s home, played a game of basketball with him, and ate pancakes after Prince destroyed him. It’s a must-watch and will definitely put a smile on your face.
