Prince has always been an interesting character. While he may not be the most loquacious person, The Purple One makes it count when he does share. In a private meeting with 10 journalists at his Minneapolis studio on Saturday night, Prince discussed some of the hot topics on his mind in the music industry. No phones or recording devices where allowed in the studio at all, so only a few quotes managed to escape from the event, but the one that has stuck out the most was Prince's advice to young artists looking to grow. He urges them to not seek out a record contract, but instead stay independent and free because "record contracts are just like—I'm gonna say the word—slavery." "I would tell any young artist...don't sign," Prince continued. He also took the time to defend Jay Z and TIDAL, who he has just signed a deal with.
His reasoning for such harsh words against major label machine was an old one, but one he has had experience dealing with. Prince described typical record company contracts that take away nearly all creative control from the artist, who is turned into an indentured servant. He uses the example of how music is used and disseminated online, notably generating revenue from streaming services, which has been incredibly lopsided towards the majors.
Prince praised Jay Z and everything he has done for the service, creating something for artists. "Jay Z spent $100 million of his own money to build his own service," the artist told the group. "We have to show support for artists who are trying to own things for themselves."
Prince's discussion about TIDAL comes as he just announced an exclusive deal to release his upcoming album HITNRUN on the service on Sept. 7.
