📰 The Source — Special Tribute Cover: Jun/Jul. 2016

A Special Tribute Cover from The Source (June/July 2016), honoring Prince’s life, legacy, and cultural impact in the immediate aftermath of his passing.

📰 Overview

Published in mid‑2016, this Source tribute issue reflects the magazine’s deep engagement with Black music, culture, and artistry. The cover — one of two variants — features a stark, intimate portrait of Prince, framed by his birth and death dates. The design emphasizes reverence and immediacy, capturing the collective shock and mourning that followed his passing on April 21, 2016.

The issue positions Prince not only as a musical innovator but as a cultural architect whose work influenced hip‑hop, R&B, fashion, and the broader landscape of Black creativity.

📰 Source Details

Publication: The Source

Issue: June/July 2016

Format: Special Tribute Cover (Cover 2 of 2)

Provenance Notes: UK distribution edition; part of the magazine’s commemorative response to Prince’s passing.

📰 The Story

The feature inside the issue reflects on Prince’s legacy through the lens of cultural impact — tracing how his music, image, and philosophy shaped generations of artists. It highlights:

• His genre‑defying approach to funk, rock, pop, and soul

• His influence on hip‑hop aesthetics, sampling, and performance

• His commitment to independence, ownership, and artistic autonomy

• His role as a fashion icon and visual innovator

• The global response to his death and the outpouring of tributes

The editorial tone is reverent and reflective, acknowledging both the mythic scale of Prince’s persona and the deeply personal connection fans felt to his work. The cover’s simplicity — a close portrait, a name, two dates — underscores the magnitude of the loss.

📰 Key Highlights

• Special tribute issue honoring Prince’s life and legacy

• Reflection on his influence across Black music and global culture

• Emphasis on artistic autonomy, identity, and innovation

• One of two commemorative covers released by The Source

• Published shortly after his passing in April 2016

📰 Related Material

• GlamSlamEscape entries on 2016 memorial issues and tribute covers

• GlamSlamChronicles features on Prince’s cultural and artistic legacy

• External references on Prince’s influence across hip‑hop and R&B

• Explore the tags below for connected eras and themes.

📰 Closing Notes

This Source tribute stands as a powerful cultural marker — a moment when the hip‑hop community, and the wider world, paused to honor an artist whose influence transcended genre. It captures the immediacy of grief and the enduring resonance of Prince’s creative spirit.

📰 Sources & Copyright

All original text and images remain the copyright of their respective publishers and creators.

This post is presented for historical, educational, and archival purposes only.

#MusicEphemera #Prince #TheSource #TributeIssue #GlamSlamEscape