1994 August 15: Come Era

Mayte’s debut single — a tender, Prince‑produced reimagining of a song he first wrote in 1979, completing the full lineage of “If I Love U 2 Nite.”

A fascinating two-page mail-order flyer from Prince’s New Power Generation that reveals the vibrant, independent ecosystem he built during his mid-90s battle for creative freedom. PUBLICATION Publication: New Power Generation Official Mail-Order Catalogue / Stock List Date: Circa 1994–1995 Country: United States Section / Pages: Full two-page flyer Title: NPG In Stock Items List THE STORY This densely typed leaflet served as the official direct-to-fan catalog for Prince’s NPG

Prêt-A-Porter (Ready To Wear) is the official soundtrack to Robert Altman’s 1994 fashion-industry comedy film. It features a wide range of artists, with the New Power Generation (Prince) contributing the track Get Wild. RELEASE DETAILS Artist: Various Artists (Prince / New Power Generation) Label: Columbia Records Format: CD, LP Country: Worldwide Released: 6 December 1994 Genre: Funk, R&B, Pop, Rock Length: 66:31 THE STORY A diverse soundtrack reflecting the glamorous and ch

The official 1994 limited-edition release of Prince’s legendary withdrawn album The Black Album, finally made available after years of bootlegging and speculation. RELEASE / PUBLICATION DETAILS Artist: Prince Title: The Black Album Date: November 22, 1994 (Limited Edition) Label: Warner Bros. Records Format / Type: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition Country: Europe Catalogue: 9362-45793-1 TRACK LIST Side A Le Grind Cindy C. Dead On It When 2 R In Love Side B Bob George Superfu

The official 1994 limited-edition CD release of Prince’s legendary withdrawn album The Black Album, finally made available after years of bootlegging. RELEASE / PUBLICATION DETAILS Artist: Prince Title: The Black Album Date: November 21, 1994 (Limited Edition) Label: Warner Bros. Records Format / Type: CD, Album, Limited Edition Country: Europe Catalogue: 9362-45793-2 TRACK LIST Le Grind Cindy C. Dead On It When 2 R In Love Bob George Superfunkycalifragisexy 2 Nigs United 4 W

pace is one of Prince’s most atmospheric mid‑’90s creations — a sensual, floating groove that blends obsession, cosmic metaphor, and remix‑era experimentation. The Universal Love Remix, with its spoken‑rap outro and rewritten lyrics, gave the single a distinct identity separate from the Come album version.

This introspective and funky mid-tempo track marked the lead single from Prince’s 15th studio album Come, signaling a shift toward a more raw and independent sound as he navigated his final years under the Warner Bros. contract. Released just a week before the album dropped, “Letitgo” showcased Prince’s continued evolution while maintaining the core elements of his signature Minneapolis funk. Artist: Prince Label: Warner Bros. / Paisley Park Date: September 27, 1994 Catalogue

The 28 August 1994 edition of The Los Angeles Times carries a full-page advertisement for the Damon Wayans film Blankman, highlighting its soundtrack which includes music by the New Power Generation. Publication: The Los Angeles Times Date: August 28, 1994 Country: United States The advert promotes the comedy film Blankman starring Damon Wayans with the slogan “HE’S HERE TO SAVE YOUR BUTT!” A large illustration of the title character stands atop the film logo. Credits list th

The 26 August 1994 edition of The Flint Journal features a record review of Prince’s album Come, headlined “No-name Prince stays in groove.” Publication: The Flint Journal Date: August 26, 1994 Country: United States The review notes that just as listeners were getting used to thinking of him as the Artist Formerly Known As Prince, along comes Come, a new album of generally naughty numbers credited to Prince. It states that according to the official line the tracks date from

This Miami Herald review by Leonard Pitts Jr., published in August 1994, examines Prince’s album Come and its accompanying single Letitgo. The critic explores Prince’s creative transition following his “retirement” from Warner Bros., praising his brilliance while noting uneven moments across the record. Publication: The Miami Herald Date: August 17 1994 Country: United States Under the headline “When Prince Is Good, He’s Very, Very Good,” Pitts Jr. opens by recounting Princ

Released: 16 August 1994 (USA) Length: 73 minutes Country: United States Language: English Label(s): Paisley Park / Warner Reprise Video (US) Director(s): Paisley Park (Prince), Sotera Tschetter, Parris Patton, Randee St. Nicholas Produced by: Paisley Park Starring: Prince and The New Power Generation Music by: Prince Distributed by: Warner Reprise Video Related: Love Symbol (album) 3 Chains O’ Gold is Prince’s longform visual companion to the Love Symbol album, weaving toge

A sleek, minimalist one-page advertisement announcing the upcoming release of Prince’s new album Come, featuring a striking black-and-white photo of the artist in front of the historic gates of the Gótico building in Barcelona. PUBLICATION Publication: Magazine / Press Advert Date: August 15, 1994 Country: United States Section / Pages: Full-page advertisement Title: The New Album from Prince is Come THE STORY This elegant advert promotes Prince’s album Come with a powerful b

Come is Prince’s fifteenth studio album and the final album of new material released under his name while under exclusive contract with Warner Bros. Often described by Prince as a contractual obligation, it was released in August 1994. Come features a mix of extended funk jams, sensual ballads, and experimental tracks. Most material was recorded in 1993, with some earlier tracks reworked. The album includes the epic title track and the hit single “Letitgo.” RELEASE DETAILS Ar

This Tennessean review from August 1994 assesses Come, the final album Prince recorded before adopting his symbolic moniker. The piece praises its boldness and emotional range, describing it as a restless, hard‑edged work that reaffirms Prince’s mastery as songwriter, performer, and producer. Publication: The Tennessean Date: August 15 1994 Country: United States The review opens by noting that Come was the last album Prince completed before “glyphing out” — changing his na

This Oregonian article from August 1994 reviews Vibe magazine’s cover story on Prince, exploring his decision to change his name to an unpronounceable symbol. The piece examines the artistic, personal, and business motivations behind the transformation, while reflecting on the public’s confusion and fascination with his evolving identity. Publication: The Oregonian Date: August 15 1994 Country: United States Under the headline “Vibe Magazine Tries to Shed Light on the Unpro

1‑800 New Funk is a compilation of music largely written and produced by Prince, recorded by other Paisley Park Records / NPG Records artists. Some tracks had been released previously, but most were previously‑unreleased and did not subsequently appear on other releases, although the booklet showed images that may have been intended as album covers for each artist. Other than George Clinton’s contribution Hollywood, all songs contained either writing or other musical input fr

A vibrant, collage-style one-page advertisement promoting Prince’s 1-800-NEW-FUNK telephone order line, offering exclusive music, merchandise, and releases directly from the NPG during his independent era. PUBLICATION Publication: Magazine / Press Advert Date: August 12, 1994 Country: United States Section / Pages: Full-page advertisement Title: 1-800-NEW-FUNK – Call Now! THE STORY This colorful flyer advertises Prince’s direct-to-fan 1-800-NEW-FUNK hotline. The eye-catching

Blankman is the official soundtrack to the 1994 superhero comedy film starring Damon Wayans. It features the New Power Generation (with Prince) performing the track Super Hero (featuring The Steeles). RELEASE DETAILS Artist: Various Artists (Prince / New Power Generation) Label: Epic Soundtrax / Sony Music Format: CD, MC (Cassette) Country: Worldwide Released: 9 August 1994 Genre: Funk, R&B, Hip-Hop, Soul Length: 48:45 THE STORY A fun, upbeat soundtrack mixing hip-hop, R&B, a

Letitgo was the first single issued from Prince’s 15th full-length album Come. It appeared one week before the album (on the same day as both the Blankman soundtrack featuring Super Hero and the Super Hero single, both credited to the New Power Generation featuring The Steeles). The single was released worldwide. The B-side Solo was also taken from the album. A maxi-single followed later with several remixes of Letitgo; none were created by Prince or anyone working for him. N

A major world-exclusive cover story and in-depth interview in Vibe magazine where Prince (O(+>) finally breaks his long silence, speaking candidly about his name change, identity, the Warner Bros. battle, and his vast unreleased music. PUBLICATION Publication: Vibe Magazine Date: August 1994 Country: United States Section / Pages: Front Cover + Multi-page Feature Title: ♫ Breaks the Silence THE STORY This powerful Vibe cover features a striking close-up portrait of Prince in

Publication: The Forum  (Fargo, North Dakota) Date: Thursday, July 21 1994 Country: United States Section / Pages: Rise – Page 5 Title: The Performer Formerly Known  As Prince Finally Offers An Explanation Author: Chuck Klosterman This mid‑1994 feature captures Prince’s public attempt to explain his name change and artistic reinvention. The the article situates Prince within the broader pop‑culture landscape, referencing his recent interviews and magazine appearances in Vibe

Publication: Newsday (New York, NY) Date: Friday, July 15 1994 Country: United States Section / Pages: Arts / Music Feature Title: The Prince Is Dead, Long Author: David Herndon – Staff Writer This mid‑1994 feature reviews Prince’s transformation into TAFKAP  and his benefit concert for the Dance Theater of Harlem at the Palladium, Manhattan. The article opens with the line “Prince is dead,” marking his symbolic rebirth under the unpronounceable glyph identity. Critic David H

This early‑summer 1994 feature documents Prince’s public appearance at Club USA in New York City, shortly after his name change to the unpronounceable symbol. Publication:  Staten Island Advance (New York) Date: Tuesday, July 12 1994 Country: United States Section / Pages: The Name Game Feature Title: (a.k.a.) Prince The article describes his attire — a black lace and silver one‑piece pantsuit with halter top and open back — and his clear glass cane filled with gold nuggets,

This short syndicated item reports on Prince’s interview in the July 1994 issue of Vibe magazine, where he publicly addressed his decision to change his name to the unpronounceable symbol. Identified as TAFKAP , he explained that the change followed “the advice of my spirit” and reflected a desire to move beyond his old persona and explore new musical directions. Publication: Star‑Gazette  (Elmira, New York) Date: Tuesday, July 12 1994 Country: United States Section / Pages: