Prince Inside the Music and The Masks

Essay by summagurlsHigh School, 11th gradeA, October 2014

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Upton 1

Summer A. Upton

Mrs. Downes

Comp. II Report

October 23, 2014

Prince: Inside The Music and The Masks

Prince Rogers Nelson was born June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to John L. Nelson and Matti

Shaw. His father was a pianist and songwriter, and his mother was a jazz singer. He was named after his

father, whose stage name was Prince Rogers, and who performed with a jazz group called the Prince

Rogers Trio. John would later state in a Current Affair interview, "I named my son Prince because I

wanted him to do everything I wanted to do." In 1963 Prince saw his dad perform on stage in front of a

live audience for the first time. This was the first time Prince said in quote, "From then on I think I

wanted to be a musician."

After the birth of Prince's sister, Tyka Evene, in 1960, Prince's parents gradually drifted apart.

At

age ten, Prince's parents separated and divorced. When his father left the home, he also left his piano

which Prince enjoyed playing more often. When Prince's mother got remarried to Hayward Baker,

Prince didn't like Baker and eventually ran away from home. Seeking for refuge with his father, he

moved to John's small apartment. It was during this time that he began to have an interest in playing the

guitar, since he no longer had a piano where he lived. Eventually Prince's father ran out of patience as

well, after he caught Prince having a intimate relations with a female friend of the family. At thirteen

years of age, Prince's father had had enough and threw him out. Prince moved in with his Aunt Olivia,

although Olivia was just as strict as his dad. Olivia eventually kicked Prince out and he settled in with...