Happy Birthday Prince!

THE 5′ 2″ FATHER OF “PUNK FUNK”
TURNS 50!

Five decades ago, Prince Rogers Nelson (or unpronounceable symbol to some…) popped out of his mama and slapped his own ass before letting out a cry that made the delivery room get down. Or at least that’s how some of us imagine his entry into the world. Looking unnaturally youthful and still rockin’ down massive crowds (who else played at Coachella this year?), Prince hits the big 5-0 today, and we at JamBase wanted to raise our hands in the air like we DO care.

The dynamo with a Dirty Mind continues to pump out music at an alarming rate, adding to his cavernous studio vault every year and continually finding new ways to express himself in unique settings like his recent residencies in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The stepchild of Hendrix, Sly Stone and Miles Davis, he is one of the greats and we’re glad to share this world with him. Joyeux anniversaire, you little freak. We love ya!

For those wanting to swath themselves in “purple” today, here’s a few options:

-Prince’s 2007 Super Bowl Halftime performance

-Charlie Murphy’s tale of shooting hoops with Prince and the Revolution

You might also check out the coolest Prince fan site out there, where you find out valuable information like the original line-up of The Time is doing two residencies at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas (June 24 – July 5 and July 29 – August 5) or about last night’s 2nd Annual Prince Family Reunion in Minneapolis. And while in Vegas be sure to catch Purple Reign, the super baddest Prince tribute band going.

Mayhap you can best celebrate His Purple Mounted Majesty by sitting on your butt and watching hours of his videos or maybe just one rippin’ live performance of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.”

However you choose to remember Prince’s birth it will likely pale in comparison with his own revels, which a house elf that’s worked at Paisley Park for years told us may involve peacocks, chaps, baptisms in water from Lake Minnetonka, walks under a cherry moon and a round of “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” Good times, good times…