Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks

A fascinating, authoritative biography of one of the most commercial, controversial, and influential musicians of all time. In his three decades of recording, Prince has had nearly thirty albums hit the Billboard Top 100. He is the only artist since the Beatles to have a number one song, movie, and single at the same time. Prince's trajectory--from a teenage unknown in Minneapolis to an idol and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer--has won him millions of adoring fans. Prince is the first book to give full treatment to this thirty-year career of epic proportions. Acclaimed music journalist Ronin Ro traces Prince's rise from anonymity in the late 70s, to his leap to stardom in the 80s, to his reemergence in the twenty-first century as both an artistic icon and a star maker. Ro chronicles the music, showing how Prince and his albums helped define and inspire a generation. Along the way, Prince confronted labels, fostered other young talents, and took ownership of his music, making a profound mark on the entertainment industry and pop culture. In this authoritative biography, Ro digs deep to reveal the man behind some of the most important music of our time.