When news of the posthumous Princely release Welcome 2 America dropped in April, it seemed a lifetime away. Waiting for the first full, unheard album proper from the legendary vault of Prince was like waiting for Christmas in February. Now, some two months later, a new taster arrives to further whet the appetite for the incendiary, landmark album that arrives on July 30th.
“Born 2 Die” lands with a story attached. Morris Hayes (a stalwart friend/collaborator of Prince) tells the tale of Prince watching an interview with Dr. Cornel West, during which he professed to a love of Prince but commented that he was “no Curtis Mayfield.” Stung into action, “Born 2 Die” was the rebuke that Prince recorded.
While it is clear that some of the constituent parts of Curtis Mayfield’s work are present, it is undeniably filtered through Prince’s production template at the time of recording, imbuing it with a lighter, jazzier feel than Mayfield’s glorious work. With just seven weeks left to wait until the album drops, “Born 2 Die” cranks up the anticipation for fans of a purple persuasion—take a listen below.
PRE-ORDER Welcome 2 America from Prince’s Official Store
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