Citing TheWrap.com, the Star Tribune reports the entertainer’s Paisley Park Studios played host to almost 900 members of the National Association of Black Journalists Saturday (Aug. 8) during the organization’s annual convention.
Despite it being billed as a dance party and the presence of Prince in the building, the four-hour $20 event proved to be a big disappointment among those who expected to see the Purple One perform.
What attendees got instead was a brief chat from Prince , who spent his time promoting Jay Z’s Tidal music-streaming service. According to reports, the struggling company will release Prince’s forthcoming album, “HitNRun,” exclusively.
“Jay Z and I are putting out an album come September 7. He could really use your help and appreciation because he is trying to do something big,” Prince revealed early Sunday morning (Aug. 9)
In addition to chatting about Tidal, Prince gave his opinion on the music business while holding nothing back about what he thinks of record contracts.
“Record contracts are just like — I’m gonna say the word — slavery,” he told a group 10 journalist who assembled for the meeting, according to NPR. “I would tell any young artist … don’t sign.”
From record labels, NPR goes on to mention that Prince touched on Clear Channel with dissing the radio giant as he touted a direct, artist-to-fan model for music distribution.
As for how he plans to get the word out about the model, the singer replied with a laugh as he told the journalists, “That’s why you’re here.”
Overall, the event proved to be less than stellar for the journalists who turned out.
“I’m pissed. I want my money back,” Michelle Singletary, a columnist for the Washington Post, told TheWrap. “I feel bad for the local chapter. I thought it was a little disrespectful to come out and say, ‘Buy my album.’”
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