The angry song Prince wrote to fire shots at Michael Jackson
One of the most storied rivalries in music history was the one that emerged between Prince and Michael Jackson. While a significant portion of their conflict remained private, certain instances brought it into the public eye. From Prince’s perspective, Jackson was an underwhelming musician who received excessive acclaim, while Jackson, in return, accused the star of being a “meanie”.
While both Prince and Jackson were often forced into the same arena, particularly when it came to which artist possessed the most talent, their upbringings and rise to fame couldn’t have been more different. For instance, Jackson was exposed to the limelight from an early age within the Jackson 5, achieving significant success with hits like ‘ABC’ and ‘I Want You Back’, before his debut solo album, Off The Wall, supercharged his prominence within the mainstream.
On the other hand, Prince worked his way up the ranks while pioneering the renowned ‘Minneapolis Sound’, a distinctive funk subgenre. Following this, he delivered acclaimed albums like Dirty Mind, Controversy, and 1999 before catapulting to genuine stardom with his sixth album and masterwork, Purple Rain, in 1984.
While Jackson had enjoyed superstar status for the majority of his life, solidified by Off The Wall and its iconic follow-up, Thriller, Prince’s success stemmed from his dedicated solo endeavours. As Prince’s prominence surged in the early 1980s, inevitable comparisons arose between him and Jackson.
Both were dynamic performers in their distinct styles, sharing African-American heritage, which naturally led to perceptions of a yin-and-yang dynamic in their relationship. Despite initial speculations about a potential brilliant partnership when Jackson’s Bad production began in 1985, the actual relationship between the two could only be characterised as strained instead of the anticipated collaboration.
While Prince’s general aversion toward numerous artists became a well-known trait, there were occasions when he channelled his frustrations into his music, exemplified by the track ‘My Name Is Prince’, the second single from his 1992 Love Symbol album. Acknowledged as The King, Jackson’s perceived status as a rival to Prince irked him, making this song more of a reactive response to that notion.
Prince collaborated with NPG rapper Tony M. for this swagger-filled funk-rap song where he confidently celebrates his musical abilities. “My name is Prince / I don’t wanna be king / Cuz I’ve seen the top / And it’s just a dream,” the singer quips, criticising the way Jackson’s title isn’t as glossy and perfect as it may seem.
As Tony M recalled to Uncut: “Stuff like, you must become a prince before you’re king anyway, those were direct shots over the bow at Michael Jackson.”
