I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again- there is nothing worse than a bad tribute. All too often award show tributes reflect a who’s who of generic fame (clear ploy to boost ratings) rather than an actual homage to the artist at hand. This exhaustive trend came to a head in 2019 at The Kennedy Center Honors for Earth, Wind & Fire. Somewhere during the transition from Ne-Yo to the Jonas Brothers we slipped into a parallel universe where up is down and record label politics usurp a respectful homage. The closest connective tissue linking Earth, Wind & Fire to the Jonas Brothers is that they are bands of brothers. Otherwise, their sound, historical context, and career trajectories could not be in further contrast. The choice behind booking the Jonas Brothers to close the tribute was glaring as their Happiness Begins album was still in cycle (released six months prior). Someone on behalf of the boy band had clearly pulled strings. No disrespect to the Jonas Brothers…I have a soft spot for them as much as any other woman who came into tweenhood in the early 2000s and I truly believe they have talent, but the best part of their “Boogie Wonderland” rendition was the backing band- unnamed and uncredited- carrying every bit of that performance. Yet again our society rewards white mediocrity over Black talent. I would much have preferred to watch those iconic session musicians reap the attention they deserve while closing the show in a fury of sweat and unparalleled musicianship. What better way to honor the most iconic funk band of all time?
Perhaps Prince wins the prize for worst tribute. In 2018, Justin Timberlake took to the Super Bowl halftime stage for the first time since his blunder with Janet Jackson. Super Bowl LII was set in Minneapolis, lending itself perfectly to honor the late artist who had passed just two years prior. About two-thirds through his set, JT began a rendition of “I Would Die 4 U” as a gigantic sheet expanded to display a projection of Prince performing in unison. Even virtual Prince overshadowed JT’s mediocre performance, reminding us all of the most iconic Super Bowl halftime to date: Super Bowl XLI- when the heavens bent to Prince’s will. One could find JT’s Prince tribute touching if only they did not know Prince explicitly clarified his utter disdain for the use of digital editing so an artist could “jam” with someone from the past. Prince’s statement from a 1998 interview with Guitar World leaves no room for interpretation. “That’s the most demonic thing imaginable” Prince declared. “Everything is as it is, and it should be. If I was meant to jam with Duke Ellington, we would have lived in the same age. That whole virtual reality thing… it really is demonic. And I am not a demon. Also, what they did with that Beatles song [“Free As a Bird”], manipulating John Lennon’s voice to have him singing from across the grave… that’ll never happen to me. To prevent that kind of thing from happening is another reason why I want artistic control.” Prince was notorious for being particular. He carefully held complete control over his image and sound because he knew what he liked, and did not like. Due to his untimely death, it appears no explicit plans were set up for the Prince estate. This void of contractual agreements for Prince’s legacy has allowed his label and estate to run amok milking his name and likeness for all it’s worth including greenlighting a tasteless Super Bowl tribute. Compounded on the fact that JT and Prince had supposed beef, the tribute all but spits on the late icon’s memory.
Since clearly we cannot trust institutions or Justins to properly honor legends (please see: Justin Bieber’s album Justice), I figured the best tribute is through listening to the artists that stand on these giants’ shoulders. From iconic falsettos to his mentees to tracks dripping with effortless, sexual confidence, this playlist features all songs that could never have existed without Prince.
Come on, put your hands up, and thank Prince for all the gifts he left behind.
