✦Graffiti Bridge – Album: 2024

Prince’s ambitious 1990 soundtrack returns in a newly remastered CD edition — a kaleidoscope of funk, pop, rock and spiritual storytelling

SUMMARY

Released in the US in 2024 by NPG Records / Warner Records (catalogue: R2 27493 / 603497837663), this CD reissue brings Prince’s 1990 soundtrack Graffiti Bridge back into circulation with refreshed audio and restored artwork. The 17‑track album blends pop rock, funk, soul, contemporary R&B, pop‑rap and cinematic elements, serving as both a sequel to Purple Rain and a bridge into Prince’s 1990s sound.

Originally conceived as a multimedia project — film, soundtrack and narrative universe — Graffiti Bridge features contributions from The Time, Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples and George Clinton. The 2024 edition preserves the eclecticism and spiritual ambition of the original release while offering improved clarity and presence.

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Released 2024 (US CD reissue)

• Catalogue: R2 27493 / 603497837663

• Remastered edition of the 1990 soundtrack

• 17‑track album blending funk, rock, R&B and pop‑rap

• Features The Time, Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples and George Clinton

• Made in USA (back cover) / Germany (CD)

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TRACKLISTING

Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got

New Power Generation

Release It

The Question of U

Elephants & Flowers

Round and Round

We Can Funk

Joy in Repetition

Love Machine

Tick, Tick, Bang

Shake!

Thieves in the Temple

The Latest Fashion

Melody Cool

Still Would Stand All Time — 5:23

Graffiti Bridge

New Power Generation (Pt. II)

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PRODUCTION & CONTEXT

Produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince.

Art direction: Tom Recchion

Cover illustration: Steve Parke

Logos: Margo Chase

Prince portraits: Bob McNamara

Graffiti Bridge was originally released in 1990 as both a soundtrack and a narrative continuation of Purple Rain. Recorded between 1987 and 1990, the album spans genres and themes — from spiritual introspection to Minneapolis funk revival — and marks Prince’s transition into the New Power Generation era.

The 2024 CD reissue preserves the original sequencing and artwork while offering a refreshed master for modern listeners.

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— LEGACY

Graffiti Bridge stands as one of Prince’s most eclectic and spiritually charged works — a colourful blend of funk grooves, rock energy, pop hooks and cinematic ambition. Though the film divided critics, the soundtrack has grown in stature, with tracks like Joy in Repetition, The Question of U and Thieves in the Temple now regarded as essential Prince classics.

The 2024 CD edition reintroduces the album to a new generation, reaffirming its place as a pivotal moment between the 1980s and the dawn of the NPG era.

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✦ PRINCE 1990 MINI‑TIMELINE — THE GRAFFITI BRIDGE ERA

✦ Early 1990

Prince completes work on the Graffiti Bridge film and soundtrack, blending new material with songs dating back to the late 1980s.

✦ August 1990

Graffiti Bridge is released as Prince’s twelfth studio album and film soundtrack, featuring collaborations with The Time, Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples and George Clinton.

✦ Late 1990

Thieves in the Temple becomes a major hit, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the R&B chart.

✦ 1990–1991

The New Power Generation emerges as Prince’s new band identity, shaping the sound of the coming decade.

✦ 2024

Graffiti Bridge receives a remastered CD reissue, bringing renewed attention to one of Prince’s most ambitious projects.

This period captures Prince at a creative crossroads — blending spirituality, funk, narrative storytelling and the early DNA of the NPG.

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✦ GLAM FLASHBACK — GRAFFITI BRIDGE (1990 ORIGINAL) VS. GRAFFITI BRIDGE (2024 CD REISSUE)

✦ 1990 Original Release

• Bold, eclectic, genre‑blending soundtrack

• Mixes film narrative with standalone songs

• Early NPG energy emerging

• Classic tracks like Joy in Repetition and The Question of U gain cult status

✦ 2024 CD Reissue

• Refreshed audio with improved clarity

• Restored artwork and credits

• Reintroduces the album to modern listeners

• Highlights the album’s spiritual and experimental depth

Together, the two versions show how Graffiti Bridge continues to evolve — from a misunderstood soundtrack to a celebrated cornerstone of Prince’s transition into the 1990s.

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✦ SOURCES

Personal archive knowledge

Prince Vault

Discogs

AllMusic

Rate Your Music

Wikipedia

BBC Official Charts Company

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