Publication: Minneapolis Star-Tribune [US]
Date: November 13, 1996
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Title: "Prince Delivers to a Huge Audience"
Written By: Jon Bream

For a change, there were no searchlights outside Paisley Park. But about 100 fans gathered at the gates as perhaps 1,000 celebrities and music-business invitees -- plus a worldwide MTV audience -- witnessed the comeback of Prince Tuesday night.

"Free at last," declared the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in a taped speech as a drum unit marched down the runway in Paisley Park's mammoth sound stage. Then Prince emerged, in purple with black-laced trim, to sing "Jam of the Year," a slow-funk tune that got the proceedings off on a good foot.

Prince is set to release "Emancipation," his first album since he was freed from a contract with Warner Bros. that he openly detested; the three-CD, 36-song record is set to arrive in stores next Tuesday. However, in his performance Tuesday night, Prince did not ignore his Warner Bros. catalog. Backed by a four-piece band, he performed "Purple Rain" and "If I Were Your Girlfriend," as well as new material from "Emancipation."

One new number was a version of Joan Osborne's hit "One of Us." The new material was funky and fun, but didn't exactly break new ground. The performance ran about 40 minutes and was carried on MTV, VH1, BET, the Internet and other outlets.

Guests came from the music world (members of Boyz II Men, D'Angelo, Treach of Naughty by Nature, Goodie Mob and Phish). Local scenemakers (St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, Kent Hrbek) were also on hand.