🟣 🗞️ Maybe Prince Won’t Record Until 1999 – News Article: Apr. 1993

A striking black-and-white portrait of Prince stares out from the page beneath a bold, speculative headline that captured the growing tension between the artist and his label in the early 1990s.

Published on 28 April 1993, this Associated Press wire story reflected the mounting frustration in Prince’s camp during the final years of his Warner Bros. contract.

📰 What the Clipping Shows

A clean, single-column newspaper layout featuring a close-up photo of Prince looking directly at the camera, paired with the eye-catching headline “Maybe Prince won’t record until 1999”. The article details his recent $100 million deal with Warner Bros. and his desire to explore non-traditional avenues for releasing music.

This clipping matters as a snapshot of the growing rift between Prince and Warner Bros. — a conflict that would eventually lead to his famous name change and the “slave” era.

📰 The Story Behind It

By spring 1993, Prince had already released 15 albums since 1978 and achieved massive success with the Purple Rain soundtrack. However, he had become increasingly disillusioned with Warner Bros.’ control over his output and release schedule.

In a startling announcement, Prince revealed he wanted to shift focus toward film, theater, and other media, hinting he might not release new albums until the year 1999. The article notes his frustration with the corporate record industry’s inability to absorb and market his prolific output.

“Prince has released 15 albums in 15 years... He’s afraid of nothing,” the piece observed, highlighting both his extraordinary work rate and his desire for creative freedom.

📰 Publication Details

Publication: Post Bulletin (Rochester, Minnesota)

Date: April 28, 1993

Country: United States

Section / Page: Page 26

Format: News Wire Article / Feature

📰 Related Material

• Related entries on Prince’s Warner Bros. contract battles

• The “slave” symbol era (1993–2000)

• The Symbol Album / O(+> (1992)

Additional material connected to this entry is listed in the tag index at the foot of the page.

📰 Visual Archive

A black-and-white newsprint photograph of Prince with intense eye contact, paired with the dramatic headline “Maybe Prince won’t record until 1999” in bold serif type.

Prince stares out from the April 28, 1993 Post Bulletin — a symbolic image of the artist’s growing rebellion against industry constraints.

📰 Closing Notes

This 1993 clipping perfectly captures Prince at a crossroads — creatively unstoppable yet increasingly restricted by his label. The headline’s cheeky reference to 1999 would prove prophetic in more ways than one, as Prince spent much of the decade fighting for artistic independence. A fascinating time capsule from the beginning of one of the most turbulent periods in his career.

#Prince #WarnerBros #1993 #SlaveEra #TheSymbol #PostBulletin

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