Why didn Prince want the album released?
Rumors spread in 1987 that The Black Album was kept from release because it was too raunchy and violent for radio (this is true), and the distributor was squeamish about its content (this is also probably true). But the real reason for holding the album back, Prince later told some of his friends, was that after finishing it he had a dream in which he experienced a religious vision. “It was like a born-again thing,” recalls a close associate. “He felt this music was way too dark and said if he died, he didn’t want this being the last thing representing him.” So instead, Prince released Lovesexy in 1988 (Warner Bros. 27493-2), a sin-and-redemption song cycle in which he placed God and sex on equal footing. Anyways, Prince wanted to release it anonymously. Contrary to Prince’s request however, The Black Album was advertised as the New Prince Album. Upset by this, Prince scrapped the entire project, buying back all copies of the CD, LP, and Cassette before they were shipped and ordered th
