In this part 2 of 3 part SEGMENT 9, we continue to follow Prince as he creates the "Purple Rain" music, that will make him an international star.  

Since the “Purple Rain” movie wrapped, Morris is openly defiant and angry with Prince and after the tense wrap-party, leaves town. 

Sound engineer, Susan Rogers comes to Minneapolis to set up some studio equipment that Prince purchased in Los Angeles, after having been hired by Cavallo, Ruffalo, and Fargnoli to work for Prince.  We will briefly talk about the “role” of sound engineers with Prince in these first “7” years.  We will discuss this more later in the series, but just know that it is never an accident what individuals are entrusted to work in the studio alone with Prince.

Prince starts to work with Apollonia in the studio, but the staff and Prince soon realize that she may not have the vocal talent to carry it off without a lot of coaching and work with Prince.  Dez Dickerson’s group “The Modernaires”, sign a deal with Prince’s management in the hopes of getting a record deal with Warner Brothers. 

At this time in 1983, Sheila Escovedo (Sheila E) is on tour with Lionel Ritchie, but she says that Prince began to “woo” her again.  She says that he began hinting at taking their friendship to the next level. 

Prince was at Sunset Sound in LA constantly at this time working on the music for “Purple Rain” in LA preparing for the “Purple Rain” tour.  He called Sheila to Sunset Sound and asked her to sing on a new song, “Erotic City”.  This led to Prince suggesting Sheila make an album, that of course he would produce. 

Prince, Susan, Brenda, and Apollonia record the Apollonia 6 album, while Prince is recording and finalizing the music for the “Purple Rain” album.  Prince is also writing songs for Sheena Easton, The Bangles, and others.

Morris returns for work on the The Time’s next album, “Ice Cream Castles”, and he and Prince are still butting heads and arguing, mainly because Morris doesn’t like the new members of the band that replaced Jimmy, Terry, and Monte, and the fact that after 3 years in The Time, he still had very little money. 

Jill Jones and Dez Dickerson were disappointed to learn that their songs recorded for the movie, would now be removed from the album.  Jill was especially upset, since the scene of her performing the song, would also be cut from the movie. 

Sheila’s album 1^st album, “The Glamorous Life” was quickly recorded within one week in March of 1983, and Prince flew her to Minneapolis and began introducing her around as “his new artist, Sheila E”.  “The Glamorous Life”, the first single from the album would go on to be a Summer of 1984 Top 10 hit.

Prince was producing so much music at this time, he began storing it away in a “Vault”.  We are all familiar with “The Vault” and have always heard varying tales on what is actually in The Vault.  Well, we will discuss this more fully later in the series in the mid 1990s when Prince seeks to leave WB and moves into the “Independent” phase of his career or the 2^nd “19” years of his career.  But there was definitely another reason why Prince stored music away in The Vault, away from WB eyes and ears, not to be heard until a later time when the collective was ready to hear it. 

And even as Prince has not yet mastered and completed the “Purple Rain” album, he has already started working on the NEXT album.  At this time, Prince also began recording music for the next album that would become “Around the World in a Day”. 

“When Doves Cry” is released and becomes Prince’s 1^st #1 hit on the Pop, Black, and Dance charts, and will be the biggest selling song of 1984. 

Prince asks the managers to negotiate for his own record label under WB Records, and thus Paisley Park Records was born.  Prince signs “Mazarati”, a group that Mark Brown had been working with on the side, as the first band to his new label.  Then, from the remaining fragments of “The Time”, Prince formed a new group, “The Family”, also signed to Paisley Park Records. 

The “Purple Rain” album is released and immediately goes to #1, and so does the next single, “Let’s Go Crazy”.  Sheila E and Susannah Melvoin, who didn’t even know each other were now both in love with Prince and pursuing him romantically. 

-8 Unreleased Prince tracks from the episode for patrons on the "Lovesexy" Tier of support and higher.