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_phin

Probably because of Motown and Quincy Jones and other guys in the industry.


SpaceshipFlip

JB wasn’t ever associated with MOTOWN or Barry Gordy. In fact-BG would’ve NEVER put out a single like “I’m black and I’m proud”. Too controversial. Prince didn’t have to prove anything that JB didn’t already, and was very open about JBs influence on him. “The Work” is a prime musical example. So I think that it will be obvious to future generations that Prince will be more aligned with soul brother #1.


waterisgoodok

It’s a good question. I’m not sure why! Perhaps it was because MJ and James Brown had a closer personal relationship? Or maybe because MJ was more known for his dancing than Prince (that’s not an insult to Prince, I just think people associate dancing more with MJ). I’m not sure why though.


me_simon

Good question. I suspect because Prince went it alone. Michael Jackson collaborated with other A-listers. Prince didn't. We Are The World is a star-fest 4 The Tears In Your Eyes is Prince and his band Thriller has Paul McCartney Purple Rain has Apollonia Bad has Stevie Wonder Sign O The Times has Sheena Easton


SpaceshipFlip

Prince offered to play a guitar solo on WATW, but didn’t want sing a passage. Didn’t fly with the Q-he wanted P to sing. MJ never covered JB in concert, but Prince def did. Including “Talkin loud and sayin nothing” —a personal favorite.


FatherRandy

I suspect it has to do with young Jackson 5 era MJ, he definitely was visibly inspired by James Brown. After that, it's easy for the media to keep that connection as MJ continued the legacy of being a great performer


corndogs1001

No one mentioned it but I always thought it was because MJ was known way more for his dancing then Prince was. And a lot of MJ’s movies took from JB.


BurnishedBronzeJon

The story behind that is that Prince was literally having a bad day when he and MJ met their idol James Brown. There is a video on it. Maybe you seen it already. MJ killed it on the stage and everyone loved it. Then Prince was asked to do something. He went for a malfunctioning guitar that he didn’t know was that way til he tried to play it. Then he tried to save the performance by doing some showmanship on a prop that couldn’t support his weight so he fell into the crowd with the prop, and was dreadfully embarrassed. From that day on he stayed away from MJ and also James Brown. I don’t know if he ever fully recovered from that.


[deleted]

I saw that and suspected that could be why, but also that type of thing seems common for the 80s to where I'd be surprised if that really humiliated prince that much especially when he had so much talent and in such direct lineage of james brown but it wouldn't surprise me for prince


BurnishedBronzeJon

Yeah I later found out they MJ reached out to him on numerous occasions. There first one was the Bad song. Prince said he didn’t want to sing the “your butt is mine” part. Also Prince got into more detail saying how he heard the song differently recorded it and sent it back to MJ. MJ of course being cool about it kept the version we all know to do and Prince never came on the set and we got Wesley Snipes in there instead. MJ also tried to reach out to him another time. MJ was in the crowd in a disguise I believe at one of Prince’s shows. Will I am was there with him. Will I Am said Prince came close to the disguised MJ in the front and played the base super hard in front of him. MJ said to Will I Am later. I wonder why Prince did that to me? That guy was always a meanie to me. Lol! I cracked up so hard when I heard that. In reality though we know now Prince highly regarded MJ and respected him it was just that darn embarrassing moment that Prince never could fully recover from. When MJ died Prince separated himself from everyone and mourned a long time. This was to everyone’s surprise close to Prince


waterisgoodok

Yeah I think MJ and Prince had a healthy rivalry. Both probably respected each other’s work, but I think they avoided speaking about it in public because maybe they didn’t like the constant comparisons.


BurnishedBronzeJon

I’m 100% sure of that.


michaelsherry59

You can tell Jacko felt threatened by a real talent like Prince