Free at last: ‘Slave’ Prince takes total control of his music

For the first time, Prince is releasing his music with complete freedom. The man who once wrote “slave” on his face in protest of not being in control of his own music and famously battled and then departed his label, Warner Bros, is now back with the label - under his own terms. After savvy legal manoeuvering, he owns the rights to all of his vast collection of hits, including archival music that Prince fans have been longing to hear for decades. Prince also gained control of the publishing rights to his compositions and has performance rights - which means he completely controls his own musical destiny.

What’s happening now is the position that I’ve always wanted to be in. I was just trying to get here.

Prince

Long a trailblazer for artists’ rights, and for coming up with innovative approaches to break away from the label-structure that he’s viewed as unfair to artists, he sees the way the industry has unfolded as the ultimate “I told you so:” disappearing labels, a streaming system that some music acts say nets them even less profit for the music they made, and an increasing challenge to make money just off making music. His new music is on iTunes and Spotify: But he doesn’t see anything contradictory in that.

It’s about the deal. Anything I’m doing now it’s equitable. I’m happy.

Prince

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