Includes bibliographical references and index.

Celebrated journalist, TV personality, and award-winning author Touré investigates one of the most enigmatic and fascinating figures in contemporary American culture: PRINCE. Drawing on new research and enlivened by Touré?s unique pop-cultural fluency, I Would Die 4 U relies on surprising and in-depth interviews with Prince?s band members, former girlfriends, musicologists, and even Bible scholars to deconstruct the artist?s life and work. Prince?s baby boomer status allowed him to play a wise older brother to the latchkey kids of generation X. Defying traditional categories of race, gender, and sexuality, he nonetheless presents a very traditional conception of religion and God in his music. He was an MTV megastar and a religious evangelist, using images of sex and profanity to invite us into a musical conversation about the healing power of God. By demystifying the man and his music, I Would Die 4 U shows us how Prince defined a generation.

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