Host 1: In the wake of Prince’s death yesterday, the world stopped to love him. In Brooklyn, New York last night movie director Spike Lee celebrated the life of Prince.
Host 2: Lee held a dance party last night at his studio 40 Acres & a Mule to celebrate the life of Prince. 100’s came out to sing along to his verses…. on the streets of Brooklyn……Jaki Johnson says everyone there had a story to share.
Johnson: One of the first things I learned was that everybody loved Prince and each for their own reasons. He was so many things to many people. Heidi Garner was one of them.
1JOHNSON_PRINCE_GARNER: “He was little, he was big, he was talented, he was smart, he rocked harder than anyone else and he was beautiful and everyone from every culture, race, gender loved him.”
Johnson: It was clear that Prince meant so many things to many people, particularly for the black community. Longtime fan Rasheeda Robinson said she appreciated the positive energy that Prince exuded:
2JOHNSON_PRINCE_ROBINSON – 2: He was the wonderful black male that showed me that black women were beautiful. And he wanted to let everyone know that you are who you are . Love it! Because 30 instruments, a beautiful bravato, a beautiful soprano, everything about him was beautiful…
Johnson: Actress Erica Alexander from the hit 90’s sitcom Living Single was also at the dance party. She sang along and said Prince influenced black people on and off the screen.
3JOHNSON_PRINCE_ALEXANDER – 3: Prince, I grew up with Prince like a lot of people did. But he was like an atlien set from another planet down to earth to show us the true meaning of rock and roll, funk and soul. As far as I am concerned, he did more than his job, he empowered not only musicians, singer/songwriters like himself, women who he wrote most of his lyrics for, groups but he also empowered black people. He was like Harriett, he was trying to show us the promise land.”
Johnson: There were so many people there wearing purple shirts, purple jackets, shirts from tours and one in particular who stood out was Antoine Nimblett who wore his favorite prince shirt.
4JOHNSON_PRINCE_NIMBLETT – 4: “This sweatshirt is from the Emancipation tour. It’s got Prince face, it’s all black, it’s just Prince’s silhouette in the front in white, so it’s just the impact, you don’t need to say anything else other than you look at the face and that’s everything.”
Johnson: I spoke with Jim McGuinn, program director of Minnesota Public Radio’s show, The Current and he shared how Prince impacted his hometown of Minneapolis when the station threw a local concert at First Avenue, the club from Purple Rain, the movie.
5JOHNSON_PRINCE_MCGUINN – 5: “He came down and the thing that he said to me was so amazing: ‘I’m here because you guys are here for the community and I want to support you because you support the musicians in this community.”
Johnson: Prince will be remembered all over the world by everyone and his generosity, love and commitment to music will live on. Funeral arrangements haven’t been released yet.
Jaki Johnson, Columbia Radio News….