2001 October 16: Rainbow Children

Mellow was made available as a free digital download on January 14, 2002, exclusively for America Online members via AOL.com. The track, originally the seventh song on Prince’s 24th studio album The Rainbow Children, marked one of his earliest experiments with mainstream digital distribution outside the NPG Music Club. The Rainbow Children, released in late 2001, was Prince’s first album issued under his reclaimed name after retiring the “O(+>” moniker, and Mellow stood out a

The song, a warm and intimate ballad from The Rainbow Children, showcased Prince’s softer, jazz‑inflected songwriting during a period defined by spiritual themes and renewed artistic independence. Alongside the digital release, the track also appeared as a CD‑R promo in both France and the United States, making it one of the earliest promotional singles of the post‑symbol era.

This 2001 promotional advert announces Prince’s new album The Rainbow Children, featuring a striking illustrated portrait and highlighting the album as his controversial new release. Publication: Promotional Advert (Magazine / Print) Date: 2001 Country: United States Location: NPG Records / Redline Entertainment Section: Full-page album advertisement THE STORY The advert showcases an intense, painted portrait of Prince with dramatic makeup, a tall black hat, and a purple fur-

The Rainbow Children is Prince’s twenty-fourth studio album, a conceptual work with strong spiritual and religious themes influenced by his Jehovah’s Witnesses faith. It was his first album released under the name Prince since 1996. RELEASE DETAILS Artist: Prince Label: NPG Records / Redline Entertainment Catalogue: 70004-1 Format: 2×LP Country: Worldwide Released: October 16, 2001 (NPG Music Club download) / November 20, 2001 (retail) Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Jazz, Gospel L

Release Date: July 7, 2001 Label: NPG Music Club including Van Gogh, S&M Groove, Hypnoparadise and Instrumental (a reinterpertation of The Holy River), videos of Endorphinmachine (live, Nulle Part Ailleurs, 1995), and One Song, It also included the full NPG Ahdio Show #6 with live clips from Prince: A Celebration 2001. Full Tracklist (in order): 00:00 … Baby spoken intro - Morris Hayes & Baby — 00:08 … We Gon’ Make It Funky - Maceo Parker & Prince — 00:53 … The Light [Live] -

The June 14, 2001 edition of the Star Tribune features a full-page advertisement for Prince & The New Power Generation performing at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Saturday, June 16, 2001, as part of the “Prince a Celebration of ‘The Rainbow Children’” event. A second show was added due to overwhelming demand Publication: Star Tribune Date: June 14, 2001 Country: United States Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Section: Entertainment / Concert Promotion THE STORY The bol

This is the debut (and only) studio album by Fonky Bald Heads, a funk/hip-hop group featuring longtime Prince collaborators Kirk Johnson, Kip Blackshire, and Mike Scott. Artist: Fonky Bald Heads Label: Kitchen Records Date: June 11, 2001 Catalogue: none Format: CD Album Country: USA Genre: Funk / Hip-Hop Style: Funky rap / R&B Written by: Various (Prince co-wrote “Rowdy Mac”) Produced by: FBH Productions / Kirk Johnson TRACK LIST Introdukshun Soundasame Under The Same Clouds

The Very Best Of Prince is a career-spanning compilation focusing on Prince’s Warner Bros. era hits from 1979 to 1991. Released in 2001, it became one of his most successful compilations and a popular entry point for new fans. RELEASE DETAILS Artist: Prince Label: Warner Bros. Records Catalogue: 9362-47975-2 Format: CD Country: Worldwide Released: May 21, 2001 (UK) / July 31, 2001 (USA) Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Pop Length: 73:18 THE STORY This 17-track compilation presents P

A tour‑only funk gem from the early 2000s, sold exclusively at concerts and later at the Celebration festival RELEASE DETAILS Date: April 14, 2001 (tour-only) Catalogue: 260F3 7135 SUPERCUTE Format: CD Single Country: United States (tour-exclusive) A-Side: “Supercute” – 4:18 / 4:19 B-Side: “Underneath The Cream” – 4:00 / 4:01 THE STORY Supercute was first made available on April 14, 2001 at Prince’s Hit N Run Tour performance at the Atlanta Civic Center. Sold exclusively at c

A tour‑only NPG release from the early 2000s, originally intended for the unreleased Peace album RELEASE DETAILS Date: April 14, 2001 (first available at concerts) Catalogue: 24RV3 7135 THEDAISY Format: CD Single Country: United States (tour-exclusive) A-Side: “The Daisy Chain” – 6:15 B-Side: “Gamillah” – 3:18 THE STORY The Daisy Chain was first made available on April 14, 2001 at Prince’s Hit N Run Tour performance at the Atlanta Civic Center. Sold exclusively at concerts al