Born and raised in Minneapolis, Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 19, soon releasing the albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). He went on to achieve critical success with the influential albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). His sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), was recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, and was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name in which he starred. Purple Rain garnered continued success for Prince and was a major commercial achievement, spending six consecutive months atop the Billboard 200 chart. The soundtrack also won Prince the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released the album Sign o' the Times (1987), widely hailed by critics as the greatest work of his career. In the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros. in 1993, he changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol logo. Hollow circle above downward arrow crossed with a curlicued horn-shaped symbol and then a short bar (known to fans as the "Love Symbol") and was often referred to as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (or TAFKAP) or simply The Artist.
After signing with Arista Records in 1998, Prince reverted to his original name in 2000. Over the next decade, six of his albums entered the U.S. top 10 charts. In April 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died after accidentally overdosing on fentanyl at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was a prolific musician who released 39 albums during his life, with a vast array of unreleased material left in a custom-built bank vault underneath his home after his death, including fully completed albums and over 50 finished music videos. He also released songs under multiple pseudonyms during his life, as well as writing songs that were made popular after being covered by other musicians, most notably "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor and "Manic Monday" by the Bangles. Estimates of the complete number of songs written by Prince range anywhere from 500 to well over 1,000. Released posthumously, his demo albums Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018) and Originals (2019) both received critical acclaim.
Prince sold over 100 million records worldwide, ranking him among the best-selling music artists of all time. His awards included the Grammy President's Merit Award, the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit, the Billboard Icon Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, and was inducted twice into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)
Studio albums
For You (1978)
Prince (1979)
Dirty Mind (1980)
Controversy (1981)
1999 (1982)
Purple Rain (1984)
Around the World in a Day (1985)
Parade (1986)
Sign o' the Times (1987)
Lovesexy (1988)
Batman (1989)
Graffiti Bridge (1990)
Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
Love Symbol (1992)
Come (1994)
The Black Album (1994)
The Gold Experience (1995)
Chaos and Disorder (1996)
Emancipation (1996)
Crystal Ball (1998)
The Truth (1998)
The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale (1999)
Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)
The Rainbow Children (2001)
One Nite Alone... (2002)
Xpectation (2003)
N·E·W·S (2003)
The Chocolate Invasion (2004)
The Slaughterhouse (2004)
Musicology (2004)
3121 (2006)
Planet Earth (2007)
Lotusflow3r (2009)
MPLSound (2009)
20Ten (2010)
Plectrumelectrum (2014)
Art Official Age (2014)
HITnRUN Phase One (2015)
HITnRUN Phase Two (2015)
Posthumous releases:
Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018)
Originals (2019)
Welcome 2 America (2021)
Prince also released two albums credited to Madhouse, three albums credited to the New Power Generation, and one credited to the N.P.G. Orchestra:
Madhouse:
8 (1987)
16 (1987)
The New Power Generation:
Goldnigga (1993)
Exodus (1995)
Newpower Soul (1998)
The N.P.G. Orchestra:
Kamasutra (1997)
For Serbian singer Princ, please use Princ.
Didn't U Know
Prince Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Run to the bag like Julio
She know I know
She just wanna fuck my crew thou
Pull up drop top
Dare a nigga front his move thou
Run up get shot
38 let Like 2 go
You know I know
Run to the bag like Julio
She know I know
She just wanna fuck my crew thou
Pull up drop top
Dare a nigga front his move thou
Run up get shot
38 let Like 2 go
I know You know yeah
this That New Flow yeah
That girl too bold yeah
Through down Nuvo yeah
It go down slow yeah
She went down low yeah
She gave me throught but I would not expose
her
Are you kidding me or are you shitting me
Ima man take care all my responsibility
Got the plan make sure every nigga with me eat
Fuck a job most My niggas got some felonies
Jugg and rob out the trap bitch we got hella keys
We still tryna kick door down in the industry
And every time I switch the flow man they still feeling me
These bitches diggin me
Brown baddie call her Hennessy
You know I know
Run to the bag like Julio
She know I know
She just wanna fuck my crew thou
Pull up drop top
Dare a nigga front his move thou
Run up get shot
38 let Like 2 go
You know I know
Run to the bag like Julio
She know I know
She just wanna fuck my crew thou
Pull up drop top
Dare a nigga front his move thou
Run up get shot
38 let Like 2 go
38 let like two go
Who hit em up who knows
Run to the bag Hulo
Ran up a pack grew more
She tryna kick judo
She tryna link the crew tho
Send her a Lyft Juno
Roll a spliff you know
Said she wanna vibe w the gang
Baby girl if you not a vibe you can’t hang
It get litty in a foreign with ya vibe switching lanes
We was trapping for that paper now we streaming
We was out there in the jungle w them demons
Hit the roads
Drop top
The coupe yeah
finesse out a 2 door
I’m with the trappers the go getters
On the move you snooze you too slow
Couple of niggas I thought was gone ride then watch em switch it’s cool tho
Cause you know
You know
You know I know
Run to the bag like Julio
She know I know
She just wanna fuck my crew thou
Pull up drop top
Dare a nigga front his move thou
Run up get shot
38 let Like 2 go
You know I know
Run to the bag like Julio
She know I know
She just wanna fuck my crew thou
Pull up drop top
Dare a nigga front his move thou
Run up get shot
38 let Like 2 go
The lyrics to Prince's song "U Know" are a mix of braggadocio and danger. Prince raps about running to the money like Julio Jones (Julio is a football player) and daring others to front their moves, putting them in danger. He also talks about women who want to sleep with his crew and the need to protect themselves with guns. The chorus repeats the line "You know I know" several times, signaling that he is aware of the true nature of the situation and is prepared to handle it.
The second verse is a continuation of the first, with Prince rapping about his responsibility as a man to take care of his crew and make sure they all eat. He admits that most of his crew has felonies and they resort to illegal activities like "jugg and rob out the trap" to make money. He also talks about switching up his flow and still being received well by his fans, which boosts his ego. Prince's lyrics are a reflection of the dangerous and sometimes violent life in the streets, but also showcase his determination and loyalty to his crew.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I know
I am aware that you are aware
Run to the bag like Julio
I am making moves to secure the bag like the famous NFL receiver Julio Jones
She know I know
She is aware that I am aware
She just wanna fuck my crew thou
She desires to engage in sexual activities with my crew
Pull up drop top
I arrive in style in a convertible
Dare a nigga front his move thou
I challenge anyone to try and stop me or make a move against me
Run up get shot
If anyone tries to attack me, they will be shot
38 let Like 2 go
I am armed with a .38 caliber weapon and am ready to use it
I know You know yeah
I am aware that you are also aware
this That New Flow yeah
I have a unique, fresh flow in the music industry
That girl too bold yeah
She is very confident and forward
Through down Nuvo yeah
We are drinking Nuvo, a luxurious vodka
It go down slow yeah
Things progress at a slow, enjoyable pace
She went down low yeah
She performed oral sex
She gave me throught but I would not expose her
She performed oral sex on me, but I will not reveal her identity
Are you kidding me or are you shitting me
Are you joking or being serious?
Ima man take care all my responsibility
I am a responsible man who takes care of all my duties
Got the plan make sure every nigga with me eat
I have a plan to ensure all of my associates are successful and taken care of
Fuck a job most My niggas got some felonies
I don't rely on regular jobs and most of my associates have criminal backgrounds
Jugg and rob out the trap bitch we got hella keys
We engage in illegal activities such as theft and drug dealing, and have a lot of access to illegal substances
We still tryna kick door down in the industry
We are still attempting to break into the music industry and make a name for ourselves
And every time I switch the flow man they still feeling me
Every time I change my rhythm or style in my music, fans still appreciate and enjoy it
These bitches diggin me
Women are attracted to me
Brown baddie call her Hennessy
There is an attractive woman with a dark complexion who goes by the name 'Hennessy'
38 let like two go
I fire multiple shots from my .38 caliber weapon
Who hit em up who knows
No one knows who committed the shooting
Run to the bag Hulo
I quickly move to secure the money
Ran up a pack grew more
I obtained more money by making successful business deals
She tryna kick judo
She is attempting to engage in sexual activities
She tryna link the crew tho
She is attempting to connect with me and my associates
Send her a Lyft Juno
I order a car from a ride-sharing service for her to leave
Roll a spliff you know
I am rolling a marijuana cigarette
Said she wanna vibe w the gang
She desires to spend time with me and my associates
Baby girl if you not a vibe you can’t hang
If you are not compatible with our group dynamic, you cannot join us
It get litty in a foreign with ya vibe switching lanes
Things get exciting when we switch our style of music in a foreign country
We was trapping for that paper now we streaming
We used to sell drugs to make money, but now we make money from streaming our music
We was out there in the jungle w them demons
We endured difficult circumstances and challenges with dangerous, negative influences
Hit the roads
We are traveling
Drop top
We are riding in a convertible
The coupe yeah
We have a luxurious sports car
Finesse out a 2 door
We exit a two-door vehicle in a stylish manner
I’m with the trappers the go getters
I am with successful individuals who work hard and take risks
On the move you snooze you too slow
If you are not constantly moving and taking action, you will fall behind
Couple of niggas I thought was gone ride then watch em switch it’s cool tho
I had friends who I thought would always support me, but they changed their minds. I understand and accept it.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Antoine McBride, Jamar Rowe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheVioletReality
We're back with the 5th video in our series! Enjoy, and don't forget to like, comment and subscribe! Let us know what you think!
@sirfriendzone1228
Are you doing the Madhouse 8 and 16 albums at some point?
@SirDLee
There's a short snippet of that video with Prince in jean and T-shirt on Instagram 🤘 posted by Indian82 on Jan 5th
@onekoolfella
My friends that are into Prince's music still debate which double album was better, 1999 or Sign of the Times, both were monumental.
@jimmellenberger8505
This was my "transition" album, from heavily country to funk, R&B, and Rock and Roll. My senior prom featured "Little Red Corvette," and 1999, and life was never the same again.
@dennisbarrie2909
“Let’s Pretend Were Married” is ICONIC
@rondempesmeier1845
Still my favorite album by Prince. Also was the one that brought him to my consciousness. More songs must be released!
@asharma4490
D.m.s.r. Is my favorite track from this record. I can’t believe it was removed from so many versions of the album.
@targetprincedreamer
My favorite album is Purple Rain but 1999 is the 80s album of the decade... the Minneapolis Sound infested the music all over from popular artists: David Bowie (Day In, Day Out), MJ (Dirty Diana), Phil Collins (Sussudio) to unknown artists: Ready For The World (Oh Sheila), Shalamar (Dancing In The Sheets) and many, many others. If you listen carefully these songs you will find the Minneapolis Sound printed on them.
@b.rodclark7349
When I bought the cassette, the cashier crushed any hope I thought I had when he said, 'Don't think about going to the concert cuz it's sold out!' That Detroit show @Joe Louis Arena was exactly what I missed out on...damn; I'm still grateful to this day that my very 1st Prince concert was the Controversy tour opened by Evelyn Champagne King & The Time @The Joe 12/4/81!