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Prince: The Legend Of ‘Purple Rain,’ And Matt Damon And Sting’s Reflections On The Artist

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 04:26 PST, Jul 21, 2016

Legendary musician and actor Prince passed away in April at the age of 57. The iconic and versatile artist was a singer, songwriter, and actor whose unconventional stage presence and extraordinary vocal range left his fans captivated. Prince was meticulous about his work, and every detail and every movement of his live shows was carefully planned. He was able to use his vision to bring an astonishing level of perfection and delight to every performance.

Born in Minneapolis, Prince was credited with releasing 39 studio career over the course of his career. In 2015, he released two of his last known works: HITNRUN Phase One and Two. Although he has sold over 100 million records worldwide, Prince will always be remembered for Purple Rain, the 1984 iconic film that inspired the soundtrack and music album of the same name. The soundtrack album sold over 13 million copies and is considered Prince’s beloved masterpiece.

Purple Rain featured the legendary Prince, who played the role of Kid, a struggling Minneapolis rocker who fights with his father, hurts his loving girlfriend and locks horns with his zoot suit wearing rival. The movie is considered one of Prince’s nerviest acts as he dared to be perceived as an image-conscious star who comes across as fragile and occasionally cruel in a mainstream film.

Additionally, Purple Rain was very special for the legendary singer as the film was loosely based on his real life. Esquire reports that Prince purchased the white little Minneapolis house where the iconic movie was filmed.

The two-story, 1,348 square foot house was where Prince’s character in the iconic movie was attacked by his abusive father. The famous house, located at 3420 Snelling Avenue in Minneapolis, is a rather plain home that has three bedrooms and two baths. Though the house occupies special significance in movie history, it was initially put up for sale for only $110,000, despite being advertised as the historic home where Purple Rain was filmed. Unbeknownst to most, the movie set home was quietly sold to Prince’s NPC Music Publishing. Apart from owning the Minneapolis house and the Paisley Park estate, Prince also bought a number of other properties around the area.

Additionally, Prince had also owned more than 200 acres of land in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The Paisley Park estate, the place where the music icon died, may soon be converted into a museum dedicated to the artist’s life and career.

Apart from being a music legend, Prince was also known to write down his philosophical thoughts consistently and fearlessly in an attempt to break down tired conventions. According to People magazine, Hollywood star Matt Damon experienced the wit of the philosophical musician when the two stars met during the premiere of the Bourne Ultimatum in London.

Prince invited the cast to see him perform in concert, and when the cast of the Bourne movie met Prince after the show, Matt Damon casually inquired as to whether Prince stayed in Minnesota. People magazine reports that Prince promptly replied with a witty answer.

“I live inside my own heart, Matt Damon.”

Like many of his legendary contemporaries, Prince has been a source of inspiration for many artists. Sting, a legendary musician in his own right, has dedicated a ballad to the Purple Rain star. The ballad titled “50,000” will feature on 57th & 9th, Sting’s upcoming album. According to NME, Sting looked up to Prince, and his untimely demise made him contemplate the very nature of death.

Sting spoke about how inescapable death is at times and how unimportant hubris seems at the end.

“Mortality does rear its head, particularly at my age; I’m 64. It’s a comment on how shocked we all are when one of our cultural icons dies.”

[Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images for NPG Records 2015]

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