Exploring Prince’s final gift — His book, The Beautiful Ones.
I remember being shocked and surprised when the news broke in early 2016 that Prince was set to write his memoir. Not as shocked and broken as I’d be just weeks later when he passed, but enough to wonder what was going on. It seemed so out of character for a man that prided himself on never looking back, only looking forward.
Of course, we all now know that he was fighting a battle he’d soon lose with a debilitating pain condition that forced him into addiction, seeking out powerful painkillers that would end up tainted and cost him his life. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that he had an awareness that it was time to start making amends, looking back, and tying up loose strings, and the memoir appeared to be part of that.
Sadly, he never lived to complete it. What he did write is captured here, in The Beautiful Ones, out now on Penguin Random House, alongside many previously unseen photos, artifacts, and lyric sheets. It’s a stunning package, but a difficult proposition. It’s not his memoir. It’s partly that. It’s not a photo book, but it’s partly that. And it’s not a no-hold-barred insight into the man himself, although again — it’s partly that.
Our full YouTube video review is below, and we’d appreciate a watch and a subscribe. But the key question is whether you should buy it, and we believe the answer is yes. Prince’s memoir, and the story of how it came about, told by editor Dan Piepenbring, are heartfelt, real words that should be read with care and understanding, and thus it almost doesn’t matter that this book is unconventional. Prince was unconventional. Prince defied normal concepts of time and music. And in this book, we get just enough of a peek behind the purple curtain to leave his mystery intact. Perhaps, in a way, that’s what he would have wanted from this book. Prince’s insights into power, ownership, blackness, music industry conglomerates, and his own troubled childhood are enough for us to understand some of the key tenets of who he really was. And as for the rest? Well — it already exists, in the seemingly endless, iconic, and diverse catalog of music that he released in his 57 years on this planet. And with all the unreleased music in his legendary vault, we’ll still be hearing his story play out for many years to come.
The Beautiful Ones by Prince — Out now on Penguin Random House.
