Prince, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, reportedly compared record contracts to "slavery" during a rare meeting with the media over the weekend.
"Record contracts are just like — I'm gonna say the word — slavery," Prince told a group of journalists Saturday night at his Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis,
NPR reported. "I would tell any young artist . . . don't sign."
Prince explained that he would be releasing his new album, "HitNRun," exclusively on Jay-Z's Tidal streaming music service because it is artist-owned, unlike Apple Music, Spotify, and other competitors.
"Jay Z and I are putting out an album come September 7," said The Purple One. "He could really use your help and appreciation because he is trying to do something big."
"Once we have our own resources, we can provide what we need for ourselves," he continued, referring to Tidal. "Jay Z spent $100 million of his own money to build his own service. We have to show support for artists who are trying to own things for themselves."
The Wrap reported that a large group of reporters, editors, producers, and photographers visited Paisley Park as part of the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention, and that many were disappointed Prince did not perform.
"Billed as a dance party, NABJ president Bob Butler announced Wednesday that the event would be taking place. Convention attendees were required to register online for the gathering, then pick up tickets. The day of the event they were told to show their tickets to board shuttle buses from downtown Minneapolis, present their registration badges at the door, then pay a $20 cover to enter the facility," reported The Wrap.
The party started at 11 p.m., and Prince addressed the gathering roughly two hours later after a DJ entertained guests.
"I’m pissed. I want my money back," said Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary. "I feel bad for the local chapter. I thought it was a little disrespectful to come out and say 'buy my album.' It just confirms what we hear about artists being selfish. I will not buy his album."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.