Celebrating 40 yrs of the Purple Rain Movie TODAY with an #EroticCity40 Symposium Recap🌟
#Come30 Virtual Symposium, #PrinceGold30 Virtual Symposium, What Did Prince Do This Week? #WDPDTW
This will be an epic post for an epic period of time! “OK. I’m warning you!”
We must continue to celebrate the Purple Rain era because that will be the entry point for so many new fans moving forward!
However, it’s important to celebrate Prince in his totality, particularly as a songwriter (who still isn’t in the Songwriters Hall of Fame *&^%$#@!) and producer.
And, that’s why I make sure we shine a light on all of Prince’s output through the symposia.
Prince is FINALLY inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame!
On July 27, 2024, the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain, it was announced that Prince was finally inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame! LONG OVERDUE (an understatement)! I can rest easy now!
Happy Purple Rain Movie Day!
Forty Years Ago TODAY, Purple Rain was released in movie theaters nationwide!
Of course, over my lifetime, I’ve seen this film many, many, many times including the original theatrical release, as a 13-year-old.
However, I’ve seen Purple Rain more this summer than I have in a very long time—at the Prince On Screen conference, at Celebration, and when I got my own 4K copy. The film simply never gets old!
However, my favorite screening this summer was taking my 16-year-old cousin to see it at the Alamo Theater in Manhattan for their movie party. I was relieved! She actually enjoyed it! There was a couple in front of us that made the outing even more special by reciting scenes and singing songs—on key! It was a very memorable occasion introducing my cousin to the film for the first time. And, she got a little insight into my love for him. A week later, after I brought her back to Ohio, she served me chocolate-covered strawberries in a Purple Rain mug. I was so moved that I didn’t even think of taking a photo to cherish the moment. But, this is a memory I will never forget. How thoughtful and intentional she was!
If you haven’t already, definitely watch the newly released 4K version. TODAY would be a good day to do so!
The quality is stunning! It looks SO GOOD!
The film resonates now more than ever, since Prince is no longer with us on this physical plane.
#EroticCity40 Symposium Recap!
I thought I’d take this special day to express gratitude to all the participants, attendees, sponsors, and assistance I received for the #EroticCity40 Prince Symposium on April 12-14, 2024 (Friday-Sunday) at NYU in Brooklyn & livestreamed,
where we celebrated the four albums that defined 1984—Prince’s Purple Rain, The Time’s Ice Cream Castle, Apollonia 6, and Sheila E’s The Glamorous Life, all produced by Prince—alongside the Purple Rain film.
If you want to head straight for the Purple Rain movie content in honor of today, go to Day 2 of the symposium.
While I thought I would have been able to create my own recap video by now, many, many thanks to Vanessa (@webdiva3000) for creating this one right after the symposium! It’s a wonderful overview.
A Concert Like No Other 2 Kick-off the 3-days!
The symposium unofficially kicked off with an incendiary performance by L*A*W at The Triad in Manhattan on Thursday, April 11, 2024, and it was 💥💥💥💥💥💥
✨Do Y’all Wanna Learn a New Dance? Day One of the #EroticCity40 Symposium! ✨
Every day began with a welcome from me, De Angela L. Duff, the symposium creator & curator!
The first panel kicked off with an Ice Cream Castle roundtable featuring the best moderator on the planet Michael Dean of podcast juice, alongside L*A*W, Randy Ferguson of the #NextPowerGeneration, and afternoon host on New York City’s 94.7 The Block Shelley Wade.
This was followed by Ice Cream Castle presentations, which Professor Robert Loss of the Columbus College of Art and Design kickstarted with ‘"Ice Cream Castles in the Air:" Prince + Joni Mitchell = The Time?’
While Musician Chris Rob has performed (spectacularly I might add) at two previous symposia, #TripleThreat40 (2023) and #DM40GB30 (2020), this was his first presentation at a polished solid symposium. And, he did NOT disappoint with “The Road to Ice Cream Castle and Beyond!” Don’t sleep on this presentation!. There was more than one jaw-dropping moment.
Ice Cream Castle presentations Q&A, moderated by the one and only, multi-hyphenate C Liegh McInnis! ←Check the bio!
After lunch, we had our 2nd presentation panel of the day with Purple Rain Album/Live presentations with…
the lead voice of The Music Snobs podcast Arthur Turnbull presenting like no other with “Purple Machine: The Enduring Power of Purple Rain.”
Whenever the arm comes out, we know Arthur is about to spit straight 🔥!
UK-based Declan McCarthy’s illuminating ‘“It’s Time We All Reach Out 4 Something New”: Beginnings, Endings, & “Purple Rain,”’ about Purple Rain’s orchestral coda.
and Musician, Writer, Journalist, and Arts Educator Andrew Scott, another first-time presenter at a polished solid symposium, with ‘Unpacking Prince’s Performance Style:Through a Multi Version Analysis of “Purple Rain”.’
The Purple Rain Album/Live presentations Q&A were moderated by Musician, Producer, Emcee, Film Composer, and Multi-instrumentalist Greg Howard.
The Purple Rain album roundtable followed, featuring Moderator and Symposium Regular Tonya Pendleton, who is the Host of Reality Check on WURD Radio, alongside Jeremiah Freed AKA Dr. Funkenberry, Author Matt Thorne, and Prince 365’s Rodney Fitzgerald, all participating for the first time in a polished solid symposium!
This was followed by the daily fashion contest where attendees were encouraged to pledge their fashion allegiance by embodying Purple Rain through wearing the color purple, lace, satin, velvet, pearls, fringe, fishnet, florals, and feather boas or honoring Ice Cream Castle by wearing the color yellow, baggy pants, scarves, silk, and/or Stacy Adams.
Video by Michael Dean
Today’s fashion contest winner for Ice Cream Castle day was C Liegh McInnis.
It was the shoes! Nobody could touch those Stacy Adams…
AND the suit! Man, what a combination—the epitome of “clean” and C-O-O-L!
But, Tammy who is always “Sharpe” was a very close second with a nod to Susan Moonsie of Purple Rain and Apollonia 6!
Erotic City came alive with a live commentary of Purple Rain Syracuse Live and a DIY screening for virtual attendees featuring Filmmaker and Cultural Arts Curator, and Festival Producer Jason Orr, Founder of TAP Creatives LLC Taunja Pegues, Artist Troy Gua, and Author, Poet, and Button Designing Jesse Jenkins. Virtual attendees had to watch as a DIY screening, while listening to the live commentary, simultaneously. DIY stands for Do It Yourself, as we did for the Live Commentary of the DIY Glam Slam ‘92 Screening at the Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe Virtual Celebration #DPSDVC in December.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t upload the video because of copyright issues on YouTube. But, for all of us, in that room or on the livestream, it was a very lively discussion, and that’s understatement!
“Electric word, life! It means forever, and that’s a mighty long time. But, I’m here to tell you. There’s something else… “ Day Two of the #EroticCity40 Symposium!
Day Two Welcome by De Angela L. Duff!
Purple Rain film presentations kicked off day two with Yale Lecturer Adam Reid Sexton’s “Prince, Storyteller: Narrative in the Purple Rain Film and Purple Rain Era Songs.”
Followed by University of Minnesota Professor and Current Member of the International Centre 4 Prince Studies Crystal Wise’s “Prince’s Purple Rain: A World of Never Ending Blackness,” who frames Prince as Black geographer!
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK Professor of Screen and Founding Member of the International Centre 4 Prince Studies Kirsty Fairclough, “It Means Forever & That's A Mighty Long Time: The Cultural Resonance of Purple Rain,” and
Independent Purple Scholar Robin Shumays’ brilliant presentation, “Bluer Than Blue: Purple Rain & the Chromatic Journey from Damnation to Salvation,” about mental health and generational trauma in Purple Rain.
The Purple Rain film presentations Q&A was moderated by the wise and wonderful D Simmons Jendayi, alongside Adam Reid Sexton, Crystal Wise, Kirsty Fairclough, and Robin Shumays.
That panel was followed by a special in-person session of "What Did Prince Do This Week?" (#WDPDTW) featuring De Angela L. Duff and Michael Dean.
Attendees got special church fans for the occasion. #WDPDTW regulars know why!
My favorite photo sequence of #EroticCity40 Virtual Attendee Angela Lesaca AKA @dmsr3121 watching What Did Prince Do This Week? #WDPDTW at home!
After lunch, the Purple Rain film roundtable moderated by Duke Professor Mark Anthony Neal with heavy hitters and brilliance galore–princesyllabus.org’s, brilliant Zaheer Ali, NYU Professor and Author Dan Charnas, NYU Professor and Music Journalist Carol Cooper, and C Liegh McInnis.
This was a very, very special occasion. I had asked the legendary Dr. Carol Cooper to participate, every year, since 2018, beginning with the Lovesexy30BK symposium. And, she finally said yes!
Dr. Cooper’s commentary was extraordinary, as I knew it would be. And, following her recommendation, I promptly purchased and watch, The Girl Can’t Help It! (1956), starring with Jayne Mansfield! I highly recommend you watch it, too!
In this moment, I was truly filled with joy and gratitude. Persistence does pay off!
And then the main event of the symposium occurred—the keynote with the singular Vaughn Terry, best known as one-half of the design team duo Louis & Vaughn, who crafted Prince’s iconic looks during the Purple Rain era!
A lot of people told me that this was the best keynote ever out of the seven symposia, so far. And that’s saying a LOT because we’ve had some very, very special guests: Joe Blaney, Jerome Benton, Peggy “McCreary” Blum, Ingrid Chavez, André Cymone, Dr. Fink, Cat Glover, Jill Jones, Eric Leeds, Wally Safford, Rhonda Smith, Chuck Zwicky, Cynthia Horner, Nicolay, and Vernon Reid.
Mr. Terry’s energy and presence is unmatched! He was so generous with us. I’m so happy he agreed to participate. It was very special, indeed!
Mr. Terry’s keynote was followed by the daily fashion contest.
Day Two’s winner was Fashion Designer and #EroticCity40 Purple Rain Film Presenter Robin Shumays with a custom-made Purple Rain bustier.
We ended the day with a private pre-screening, The Story of Jazz Funk Fusion and The Music That Changed The World, for in-person attendees only, as a nod to Musicology‘s 20th anniversary to celebrate “Real Music by Real Musicians.” This was NOT a pre-screening of a Prince documentary, BUT A VERY IMPORTANT ONE.
If you’re in the Atlanta area on August 3rd, you can watch another pre-screening of the film on a double documentary bill alongside FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of a Decade to celebrate 30 years of FunkJazz Kafé, both directed and produced by #EroticCity40 Purple Rain Live Roundtable Panelist Jason Orr.
For tickets, visit https://funkjazzkafe.com.
Love is forever! That's all your life! (Day 3 of the #EroticCity40 Symposium)
The first panel of day 3, the Apollonia 6 roundtable moderated by Maryland-based Audiovisual Archivist and Multimedia Storyteller India Mallard, kicked off with Los Angeles-based Independent Singer/songwriter, Music Journalist, and Social and Digital Marketing Executive Rhonda Nicole, Emmy-nominated, Award-winning, Multi-hyphenate Creator Chinisha Scott, and Brooklyn-born, Visual Merchandising Manager, Stylist, Event Planner, and Creative Designer Tammy Sharpe.
This panel was followed by Apollonia 6 presentations, beginning with Writer Zachary Hoskins’ brilliant, “Nobody Wants to Talk about Apollonia 6” of the Dance / Music / Sex / Romance blog.
Music Journalist Craig Seymour’s “Apollonia 6, Sheila E., and the Making of a Queer Romantic” followed and
Professor Brittnay Proctor-Habil from The New School concluded the Apollonia 6 presentations with her talk, 'Searching for a Femme Erotic: Apollonia 6 and The Starr ★ Company!' She provided a critical inquiry of the album, encouraging us to reconsider its images and messages.
Apollonia 6 presentations Q&A moderated by Writer and Editor Chris Aguilar Garcia, who has my favorite Prince tattoo bar none!
Video by Michael Dean
After lunch, the Glamorous Life roundtable was moderated by the brilliant Zaheer Ali of Princesyllabus.org, alongside De Angela L. Duff, Author and Music Journalist Miles Marshall Lewis, and University of Minnesota Professor and Author Elliott H. Powell.
Unfortunately, Anil Dash wasn’t able to join us for the first time ever as he wasn’t feeling well, but he was sorely missed.
Having conversations with my brothers in Prince never, ever, ever gets old! This was our 12th consecutive conversation.
Our final panel for the day and for the symposium was the Glamorous Life presentations, starting with Mauriciere de Govia’s “Rhythmic Reverie meets Fierce Femininity Sheila E.’s Percussive Artistry in The Glamorous Life!”
and Karen Turman, who killed it with their amazing presentation, “A Long Fur Coat of Mink:” Semiotics of the Fur Coat in Sheila E.’s The Glamorous Life. This presentation was filled to the brim with knowledge.
Glamorous Life presentations Q&A were moderated by the fabulous Tonya Giddens.
“Iron sharpens iron!”
And we ended with our final, daily fashion contest with themes of teal blue, pearls, sequins, lamé, and cheetah print for The Glamorous Life and magenta for Apollonia 6. And, then, I gave my closing remarks!
There was no competition! Tammy Sharpe slayed! And got first place on day 3 of #EroticCity40!
However, Zach Hoskins was a close second with this amazing purple velvet suit!💜
But, Karen Turman was no slouch! Loved seeing The Glamorous Life represented with the teal blue!
And, Rhonda Nicole is stunning er’ry day! She doesn’t need a special occasion!
However, IF Troy Gua would have worn either one of these planned outfits (that he did not wear :( to any of the three days, he would have won the daily competitions. Hands down!
But, we got these AMAZING photos instead. So, I’m not complaining. But, I would have loved to have seen these in person!
However, I’m very sad that no one channeled their inner Billy Sparks over the three days!
Chinisha Scott hosted Music Video Jam: Prince Edition at That Bar in Brooklyn on Sunday, April 14!
For participants and attendees who wanted to keep the party going, they headed over to That Bar, 47 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY, on Sunday, April 14, after the symposium for Music Video Jam: Prince Edition, hosted by Chinisha Scott (#EroticCity40 Apollonia 6 roundtable panelist) with djFRiTZo & DJ Monday Blue (Doyennes of Disc), spinning music videos and deep cuts in the mix all night.
It was an awesome way to bookend the symposium with music! Many, many thanks 2 L*A*W, Chinisha Scott, djFRiTZo & DJ Monday Blue for coordinating their events to align with mine. I am forever grateful. This is what it’s like in the Dream Factory, when the purple community comes together.
I wish I could have joined you, but I was EXHAUSTED!
The #EroticCity40 symposium was FREE, but please consider donating to the Purple Playground, a 501(c)3 nonprofit fan-based group formed in June 2017 to honor Prince’s legacy and create their Academy of Prince music program for teens. To learn more about the Purple Playground, visit purpleplayground.org.
MASSIVE THANKS 2
Mable Ivory for giving me the confidence to produce my own Prince events!
Luke DuBois, D Simmons Jendayi, Dr. Deborah Willis, and Dr. Lisa Coleman for your unwavering support!
to our wonderful sponsors: NYU Tandon, NYU Integrated Design & Media (IDM), NYU Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation (OGI), NYU Liberal Studies, NYU Photography & Imaging (DPI), NYU Institute of African American Affairs and the Center for Black Visual Culture (IAAA & CBVC), NYU Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality (CSGS), and NYU Clive Davis Institue of Recorded Music (CDI)
to the small, but mighty #EroticCity40 team, Event Manager & Admin Support Tracy Figueroa, Sam Jackson, Elton Kwok, and last but definitely not least Community Manager and De Angela Whisperer Krysta Battersby! Words truly fail to express how grateful I am for all three of you! I could NOT have done it without you!
to NYU Media Team Adam Johnson and .
to all the student workers, Kaia Baker, Syed Moeez, Kianna Eddy, Anya Nagasubramanian, and Kadi Ba before and during the symposium with very special thanks to Rashi Chaudhary for working with me all year on all of this and more, especially populating the website!
to our keynote speaker Mr. Vaughn Terry for his generosity of his time and spirit in making the symposium one to remember!
to Michael Dean for making a serious commitment to What Did Prince Do This Week? #WDPDTW and putting up with me every week!
to every single presenter, roundtable panelist, moderator, and daily fashion show contestant.
to the Four You Crew (formerly known as the Core 4): Zaheer Ali, Anil Dash, Miles Marshall Lewis, and Elliott H. Powell who have been with me from the beginning! And, we don’t stop! I am eternally grateful!
to all of my The Art of Gathering Students
to Chris Alvarez and his Transcendent Enterprise team André Goncalves for the livestream. They were not responsible for the tech glitches. The software company was. They ALWAYS have impeccable service.
to Elena Olivo for the beautiful photography
to Rev3rend for the amazing symposium graphics!
to all the attendees who took time out of their lives to join us in celebrating Prince and four amazing albums and one singular film for #EroticCity40 symposium!
to all the other speakers and attendees from the past seven years of symposia and other @polishedsolid events.
to my Mama and family for putting up with Prince world, all day, every day for decades!
and to Prince Rogers Nelson for your endless source of joy and inspiration! We MISS U SO MUCH!
I’m sure I forgot somebody, but I hope you will forgive me!
The Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson is not affiliated, associated, or connected with the “Prince #EroticCity40 Symposium,” nor has it endorsed or sponsored the “Prince #EroticCity40 Symposium.” Further, the Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson has not licensed any of its intellectual property to the producers, advertisers, or directors of “Prince #EroticCity40 Symposium.”
#EroticCity40 is a polished solid production curated by De Angela L. Duff!
Upcoming Prince Symposia
UP NEXT #Come30 Virtual Symposium August 10-11, 2024
The 2-day #Come30 Virtual Symposium will celebrate 30 years of Prince’s fifteenth full-length studio album Come on August 10-11, 2024 (Sat-Sun)! For more info visit, https://come.polishedsolid.com.
Subscribe to the #Come30 virtual symposium newsletter to register for FREE and be kept abreast. In the meantime, save the dates!
#PopLife40 Symposium April 2025
In April 2025 Date TBD, we’ll celebrate 40 years of Prince's Around The World In a Day, The Family, and Sheila E's Romance 1600. I haven’t determined if this will be in person yet. It might be virtual.
#TheGoldExperience30 Virtual Symposium September 2025
In September 2025, we’ll virtually celebrate 30 years of Prince’s The Gold Experience, an album that gets a whole lottta love from the fams.
If you want to be kept abreast of new polished solid event announcements, subscribe to the newsletter below:
✨And Until Then… Join us for What Did Prince Do This Week? (#WDPDTW) ✨
Created by De Angela L. Duff and co-hosted by the one and only Michael Dean, What Did Prince Do This Week? (WDPDTW) is an interactive, virtual book club, where we are reading Duane Tudahl's entire Prince Studio Sessions book series very slowly. It's not just a book club; it's also a Saturday salon, echoing the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance and inviting discussions that delve into every aspect of Prince's purple world and music in general!
📅 Mark Your Calendars! Every Saturday is our “Noon Rendezvous” (ET).
Here’s one of our latest episodes with an interview with Andrea Swensson discussing her new books, Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years, released on May 18, 2024, and Deeper Blues: The Life, Songs, and Salvation of Cornbread Harris, released on August 12, 2024.
Here’s a recap of the entire 1st year of #WDPDTW–over 100 hours squeezed into less than an hour... if you want to see what you’ve been missing! But, we hope that you’ll join in on the fun, every week or when your schedule permits!
If you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! Yes, you!
If you want to stay informed about upcoming, polished solid Prince symposia and events, subscribe to polished solid’s event announcements below!