Prince Album of the Day (Day 3): The Black Album

Prince Album of the Day (Day 3): The Black Album (1994)

Standout tracks: When 2 R in Love, 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton, Rockhard in a Funky Place

This album is probably more infamous than any of His Royal Badness's catalogue. Originally intended for release in 1987, Prince withdrew the album only days before it was to hit the shelves. Rumors at the time revolved around all kinds of crazy ideas, one I remember was that the album was too dirty for the label to release it. (It's dirty, but not too dirty.) A few promo copies got out and the album was bootlegged to high heaven (my first copy was a bootleg I bought at Off the Record in Royal Oak), but The Black Album did not receive an official release until 1994. Shortly after, Prince stopped being Prince for awhile and was spotted around town with the word "slave" written on his face. Warner Brothers' decision to release this album may have played a part in all that, along with many other things. That said, the album is a funk paradise, with great grooves everywhere. The only clunkers are the profane, bizarre, unnecessary Bob George, and a rap (of sorts) called Dead on It. Everything else is gorgeous, from the funky Le Grind that opens the record all the way to the bumpin' Rockhard in a Funky Place. 2 Nigs... is a super mostly instrumental jam with some wicked instrumentation, including a bass solo that would make Les Claypool blush. The sole ballad, When 2 R in Love, is stunningly beautiful. (That track was released on Lovesexy in 1988, which came out as a replacement for The Black Album.) A very good album, definitely one to brighten the mood, but skip the two clunkers. They bring the overall score down.

Rating: 3 1/2 copies of Smell the Glove (out of 5)