Usuku lokuzalwa olumnandi, uPurple One.Youtube Mna noodadewethu sasidanisa kwigumbi elingaphantsi laseMinneapolis de iinyawo zethu zangcangcazela. Ukutsiba ngokuhla ndisiya ku-Ndiza kufa u-4 U, ndicothe kunye nabahle. Ukucula kwiintloko zethu zodoli weBarbie njengee-microphone zesikhashana kwaba yinto esizonwabisa ngayo ngempelaveki. Kwiminyaka emi-5, 6 no-7, uPrince wayeyindoda kwaye Imvula ebomvu yayiyingoma yethu.
Ngeempelaveki sasizakudlula ngakwisitudiyo iPrince's Paisley Park eChanhassen, Minn., Xa sihamba no Makhulu notamkhulu. Kukho istudiyo sikaPrince, bendizothetha ngelizwi lam eliphantsi nelirhabaxa.
Injalo loo nto, uMama angatsho.
Kulapho enza umculo wakhe? Oodadewethu babeza kubuza.
Ewe, kulapho erekhoda khona, uTata angangena.
Masiye apho, ndingacebisa ngovuyo. Kukho isango, jika ngasekhohlo apha!
… Andicingi ukuba singavela nje, uTata noMama bangatsho phakathi kokuhleka.
Okwangoku, ndandiqinisekile ukuba ndandingaphakathi kwezo ndonga, ndixhoma amahobe ndize ndigilana nothixo oMfusa.
Kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi, udadewethu omdala, uAnnie, wadanisa mna nodadewethu ophakathi, uMolly. Sikrobe ukuya Sayina O 'Amaxesha. I-Starfish kunye neKofi, yolutsha kunye nokungakhathali, ndiziva ngathi ndikhanyiselwe lilanga ebusweni bam. Bendingazi ukuba ngekhe ndithathe indawo yoMntu wakho, wayebhekisa kuye, kodwa ke umntu wam oneminyaka eli-9 ubudala wenza umdaniso weenwele okhohlakeleyo xa uPrince ekhwaza, Wayemi ngasemlilweni, oooh wayekhangeleka elungile.
Kwiminyaka ye-90 kwimidaniso yesikolo esiphakamileyo, mna nabahlobo bam sasinayo I-Hits 1,2 kunye ne-B Sides kwi-tow. Sasazi ukuba sineqhekeza elipholileyo kunabanye abantwana abakwiminyaka yethu kwihlabathi liphela, bonwabela iPrince kwidolophu yasekhaya. Sivela kuye wayevela kwaye asizange sivumele nabani na ukuba alibale. Besizokusila ku-Gett Off kunye noDarling Nikki kuba oko kusenze saziva sikhululekile njengeNkosana, hayi kuba sifuna ingqalelo. Wahlala kwenye indawo ngaphakathi kuthi, phantsi kolusu lwethu kwaye sasikuthanda ukuba wayezobe indawo enamandla ngolo hlobo kubuni bethu. 
Umbhali nomhlobo wakhe ngobusuku bePrince's 42th birthday party.(Ifoto: ngoncedo lukaSusie Kantar-Cohen.)
NgoJuni 2000, umhlobo wam osenyongweni uMegan wayesebenza kwimveliso yokuzalwa kweminyaka engama-42 kaPrince. Yayingumbhiyozo weveki ePaisley Park, ujikeleza ngamarhe obukho bakhe kunye nokusebenza okunokwenzeka. UMegan wandibamba amatikiti; Ndinxibe zonke ezimnyama, zinewigi emfusa, ngelixa uMegan ekhetha umbala ohlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Ndadanisa kufutshane neqonga kwaye ndinomdla wokugcina amehlo am ejonge ukubonwa kweNkosana. Akakhange abonise, kodwa ndandinamatikiti kukhenketho losuku kusuku olulandelayo.
Ndihambe iiholo ezingcwele ndincoma iindonga zemizobo epeyintiweyo. Kwakukho ukuzola phakathi kwesiphithiphithi semvumi yenene eyachitha ixesha elininzi ngokudala apho. Njengokuba bendiyifakile yonke, ndikhathalaza ngengqondo zonke iinkcukacha, ndiye ndacinga ukuba ndikwisakhiwo apho uPrince adlale khona kwaye acule, aphuhle kwaye enze. Ukufika kwam kwimeko yeglasi, nantso ikhona. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yegolide: IBhaso lakhe lokuFunda Imvula emfusa. INkosana uRogers Nelson, ngo-1984.
Emva koko, ndabuliswa ngamahobe. Ewe, eneneni kwakukho amahobe ngaphakathi ePaisley Park, ejinga kwikheyi yegolide. Andizange ndibuze malunga naloo nto, kodwa ndiyaqikelela ngoku ukuba loo mahobe ayenekhaya elinegolide eqinileyo.
Kumgangatho ophezulu, sangena kwigumbi lokurekhoda. Kwakukho imakrofoni ecekeceke enye kwidokodo elijikelezwe yiglasi. Inkokeli yezokhenketho yathi, Kulapho uPrince abhala khona amazwi akhe. Akukho mntu uvumelekileyo kwigumbi ngelo xesha. I-tsunami yeengoma zam endizithandayo zadlula engqondweni yam: Zisixhenxe, iidayimani kunye neeperile, amaphepha okusa, angoneliseki. Ngaba badalwa kweligumbi?
Lwakugqitywa ukhenketho, ndaphuma kweso sakhiwo saya kumoya ofumileyo waseMinnesota. Bekuncangathi ndihamba ndisiya emotweni. Ndadlala iingoma zePrince indlela yonke egodukayo, ndibanjiswe ziinkumbulo zamahobe kunye nemizobo eseludongeni.
Oko kuwa kwangoko ndafudukela eNew York ukuya kwiziko lokubambela.
Ngeempelaveki, ndisebenzisa isazisi sakudala sikadadewethu kuba ndandingekabineminyaka engama-21, ndandisela ndize ndidanise kwigumbi lokuhlala elingaphezulu kwendawo yokutyela ebumelwaneni. U-DJ wayeyithanda iNkosana njengam, kwaye ubusuku obuninzi ndafunyanwa ndixhonywe kwibhokisi yakhe, sincokola ngomculo esabelana ngawo. Khange sihlangane kakhulu, kodwa ndaqhubeka nokudanisa kwigumbi lokuphumla endilithandayo, ndimamele umculi endimthandayo phantse rhoqo ngeempelaveki. Ndade ndazisa abazali bam ngelixa babetyelele bevela eMinneapolis. Ulawulo lwePussy Control lwePrince lwakhwaza ngezithethi utata wam wajika wajonga kum wathi, Uyaziva ezi ngoma? 
INkosana.Ifoto nguKristian Dowling / Getty Izithombe zeLotusflow3r.com
Ngenye ingokuhlwa uDJ wanditsalela umnxeba wandibuza ukuba ndiyafuna na ukumkhapha ukuya ethekweni apho uPrince ekhupha umculo kuphela kwi-intanethi. Nditsalele uMegan umnxeba, ndiya kweli theko lePrince, ndinemincili! Ndiva ukuba angakhona!
Unxibe umbala oqaqambileyo, waqala. Xa ndandisebenza kwimveliso, saxelelwa ukuba utsaliwe ngemibala eqaqambileyo.
Ndaphosa ibhulukhwe yam emnyama egobileyo kunye nepinki eshushu, enemikhono emide. Ukuphosa ibhatyi yam yasebusika, ndema emgceni no-DJ. Yayibubusuku obubandayo eNew York, kodwa kwakungekho ndawo yokungcangcazela, kuphela yimincili. Umgca ufakwe ngaphakathi kwaye amagama ethu atshekishwe kuluhlu. Iindwendwe ziyaphithizela, kudlalwa umculo, umculo kunye nezinto ezithengiswayo, endiye ndazigcina kwangoko.
Ndahamba ndijikeleza ndikhangela uPrince, ngokungathi uza kuhlala esidlweni, esela i-champagne, ephola nje. Emva kweyure okanye njalo, ndiyekile ukuba nethemba lokuba uza kuvela kwitheko lakhe. Ndiyathetha, ngaba wayengaziwa ngokungabonakali ngo-4 ekuseni okanye akunjalo? Emva koko ndajonga ngasekhohlo.
Nanko emi, eme emva kwesahluleli esimnyama, enxibe ezimnyama kunye nee-intshi ezine-intshi izithende, iinwele ezigqibeleleyo, awazisusa ngobuso ebusweni bakhe. Omnye unogada omninzi ngesiqhelo wamnika iselfowuni. Uhambile ethe chu ngapha nangapha, isingqisho emzimbeni wakhe ngokungathi ufudumeza iwaltz. Wayejongeka emnandi njenge symphony, ethe chu kodwa elungele ukuthatha isantya nangaliphi na ixesha.
Ahlangana ke amehlo ethu. 
INkosana.IBERTRAND GUAY / AFP / imifanekiso kaFetty
Uye wabuyisela umnxeba kwisecurity yakhe wancuma ubanele kodwa eneentloni ukundijonga. Emva koko wajonga kude, esancumile kwaye eneentloni wandidubula kwakhona. Ndandiqinisekile ukuba amabhabhathane abhabha phezu kwentloko yam okomfanekiso wekhathuni. Ndinqwenela ukuba ndikhumbule ukuba yeyiphi ingoma edlalayo kuba emva koko ndingabhekisa kule njengexesha uPrince andicule ngalo.
Usingise ngakwindlela yokuphuma kwaye ndihambe ngesantya ukuzibeka kumkhondo wakhe. Njengoko wayedlula kwigumbi elinabantu abaninzi, wayengayeki ukuthetha naye nabani na, ngaphandle kukaJay Z. Baye batshintshiselana ngamagama ambalwa emva koko waqhubeka nendlela yakhe.
Uxolo, ndiqale. INkosana yajonga ngaphaya kwam yaza yathambisa watsho ukuba wayesiya esiphelweni kwaye wayeqhubeka ehamba. Ndivela eMinneapolis, ndaqhubeka.
Uye wema uPrince ngequbuliso wandibamba ngesandla. Ungqiyame ngoncumo, wathi kwelona lizwi likholisayo, Ewe, uza kubuya kulo nyaka.
Uye wema uPrince ngequbuliso wandibamba ngesandla. Ndikhule ndikumamela, kwaye bendikwitheko lakho lokuzalwa kunyaka ophelileyo ePaisley Park. Ngoku iNkosana, icinezela isandla sam siqinile, ndoyame ngoncumo, ndatsho ngelona lizwi lakha lalikhulu, ilizwi elalihlala isithethi ngasinye endakha ndasiphatha, Kulungile, wena ubuya kulo nyaka.
Kwaye wayengekho. Khange ndikwazi ukujika ndibukele xa ehamba kuba bendixakeke kakhulu ndisajonge isandla sam esisangxolayo. Khange ndilale kakhulu ngobo busuku.
Kwiminyaka emininzi kamva ndafudukela eLos Angeles ndasebenza kwisebe leVIP kweyona mijuxuzo yasebusuku eshushu.
INkosana yayihlala iza kuhlala ngokuzolileyo kunye nelinye, okanye amabini, okanye amantombazana amathandathu amahle anolusu lomnquma. Wayeza kucela ukuba abasebenzi bakhulule iibhalbhu zokukhanya ngaphezulu kwetafile yakhe kwaye bavale ikhusi ukuze kungabikho kukhanya kuye. Ndandinamathuba amaninzi okudibana naye kwakhona, kodwa ndakhetha ukugcina intlanganiso yethu yokuqala ingowokugqibela; kwakumnandi ngaphezu kwentsasa yasentwasahlobo.
Ndimbonile, nangona kunjalo, ndambona ekhonsathini amatyeli amabini. Ukuqala kwakhe ukoyiswa kwaye wacula enye yeengoma zam endizithandayo, Akukho nto ithelekisa 2 U. Wayejoyinwa nguChaka Kahn; Ukubukela iNkosana kuyibukele kwakufana nokubukela umzobi ejonge kwiziko lakhe lobugcisa.
Ngexesha lesibini, ndathatha uMegan kubusuku bakhe bokuzalwa obungama-21 ngobusuku bakhe bokuzalwa. INkosana yadlala zonke iingoma: I-Raspberry Beret, uKiss, impikiswano, Usana oluyiNkwenkwana, xa kukhala amahobe. Ngesinye isikhathi, wadlala ii-chords zokuqala zikaDarling Nikki kwaye sonke sahamba ngobundlobongela. Uye wema kwangoko wathi, andinakudlala loo nto! Ndikwimo yesiqhelo, ewe! Emva kwexesha, wakhupha uSheila E kwaye balikrazula iqonga. Uthando olungamangalisayo lwarhola igumbi. Kodwa kuxa wayecula olona hlobo lude lwePurple Rain endakha ndeva ukuba ndavele ndema bhunxe kwaye andinakwenza nto ngaphandle kokubukela ndimamele. 
RIP INkosana.Youtube
Ndonwabile, ndandikholelwa ukuba iNkosana ingunaphakade kwaye iyakuphila ngonaphakade.
Ukusweleka kwakhe ngo-Epreli kwakothusa; Nangona kunjalo, ngaba umntu uyafa ngokwenene xa umculo wabo uthungelwe kwiindawo zoluntu amashumi eminyaka, uphawu lwabo olushiye kwimiphefumlo engenakubalwa?
Kungaphelanga mizuzu yokuqhekeka kweendaba, ndafumana iminxeba kunye neetekisi zibuza ukuba ndilungile na. Kwakungathi ndinguhlobo oluthile lobukhosi obumfusa kwaye ukufa kwakhe yayiyilahleko yam. Kungekudala emva koko, abahlali baseMinnesota bashiya amanqaku kumasango ePaisley Park, bebulela iNkosana ngokungazichazi ngokungazenzisiyo nangokuzithoba ukunikela kwabo ezikolweni nasekucebiseni ngobomi babo.
Ewe bendikhathazekile kwaye ndiwaxabisile amazwi enkxaso nothando, kodwa endaweni yoko ndikhethe ukumhlonipha nembeko yakhe emangalisayo. Ndikhethe ukubhiyozela ukuba udlale ngaphezulu kwezixhobo ezingama-27 kwicwecwe lakhe lokuqala. Nge-19, wanikwa ingxelo yokurekhoda, kwaye wayenza yacaca gca into yokuba uya kwenza umculo yena, kwaye nguye kuphela, awayefuna.
Ndiyayithanda loo ngcangcazela inyuka ngomzimba wam xa ndicinga ngokungeniswa kwakhe kwiRock-N-Roll Hall of Fame, esenza eyakhe inguqulelo yobugcisa ngelixa i-My Guitar Silila. Ndonwabile ukuba ngalo lonke ixesha ngaphandle kokusilela, ngoku nangoku, xa ndisiva umculo wakhe andinakukunceda kodwa ngumdaniso.
Kakhulu, ndibhiyozela i-grin esabeke ubuso bam xa ndikhumbula uncumo lwakhe kunye nendlela awayebambe ngayo isandla sam ngobo busuku kwiminyaka eli-16 eyadlulayo. Enkosi, Nkosana. Nangona uyekile ukubhiyozela usuku lwakho lokuzalwa, ndisawubhiyozela owakho. Usuku lokuzalwa olumnandi.
