Listen, y'all. There are some days you just CANNOT function. When Prince died? That was one of them. Like, I literally called my boss and said, "I'm not coming in today because...Prince." And they UNDERSTOOD. That's how you know someone was legendary.
Prince wasn't just an artist. He was THE artist. The blueprint. The standard. The everything.
You think you know talent? Prince played 27 instruments. TWENTY-SEVEN. I can barely play a kazoo without embarrassing myself. He wrote his first song at SEVEN years old. At seven, I was still trying to figure out how to tie my shoes without the bunny ear method.
And can we talk about how this man INVENTED his own color?! Purple wasn't just purple after Prince. It became something else entirely. Something royal, something mysterious, something that made you want to party like it's 1999 even when it was just a random Tuesday.
Remember how he changed his name to a symbol and had everyone confused? That wasn't just eccentric behavior—that was a man fighting for artistic freedom. Prince taught us that sometimes you gotta get weird to get free. And I respect that level of commitment.
The way Prince moved on stage? Honey, in those heels?! The splits?! The spins?! All while playing guitar like he was born with it attached to his hands. Meanwhile, I trip walking up stairs in regular shoes.
But what made Prince truly extraordinary wasn't just his talent—it was his audacity. This man really said, "I'm going to be exactly who I am, wear what I want, create what I want, and the world will adjust." And we did. We had no choice.
Prince represented possibility for all artists. He showed that creativity has no bounds. That we could ALL be eclectic, eccentric, electric, and unapologetic.
So yes, taking a day off when Prince died wasn't dramatic—it was necessary. Some losses hit different. Some artists leave holes that can't be filled.
On this anniversary, let's remember not just what we lost, but what we were blessed to experience: a once-in-forever talent who painted our world purple and taught us that sometimes the most beautiful flowers are the wildest ones.
Rest in purple power, Prince. We're still not over it.
Remembering the Purple Reign: A Tribute to Prince