I know few things in this world. I know that pizza tastes delicious always. I know that even though the internet really loves cats, dogs remains man’s best friend. And I know that dabbing isn’t that cool anymore, yet I still ironically dab, fully knowing everyone can see through my ironic posturing, and that I’m really dabbing because, deep down, it still makes me feel cool. And I also know that Prince’s favorite color was purple. Or at least I thought I knew Prince’s favorite color was purple. Then Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson revealed that we had it all wrong in an interview with the Evening Standard.
Prince’s favorite color wasn’t purple. It was orange.
The stand out piece for me is his orange Cloud guitar. It is strange because people always associate the colour purple with Prince, but his favourite colour was actually orange.
Wait, what? You’re telling me the guy who starred in Purple Rain, wrote the best movie soundtrack of all time called Purple Rain, and recorded one of his signature songs called “Purple Rain,” a track that’s more musical scripture than pop ballad, didn’t love the color purple? You’re telling me the guy who rocked this purple suit, this purple suit, and this purple suit, plus this fresh-as-hell sleeveless, sequined purple hoodie, and whatever the hell you call this dope purple clothing apparatus only Prince could pull off, didn’t consider purple his favorite color?
If I texted 1,000 people what Prince’s favorite color was right now, you know what they’d say? Purple. Even the ones who read Prince’s sister’s comments would be like, “Eh. I know she’s his sister and all but….pretty sure the dude loved purple.”
Please don’t get it twisted. This post does not intend to discredit Tyka Nelson whatsoever. She could be right. And I know some of you reading this might think, Did this weirdo really just write “She could be right” with some higher-minded authority compared to Prince’s sister? Which is totally fair. But I want you to know how incredibly burdensome it was to admit even that. Like I want to throw up. Plus, based on what I ate today, my puke would probably be orange, which would make me want to throw up even more. (Totally unnecessary and disgusting sidebar: Has anyone ever puked purple before? Please at me, if so.)
I know, I know. Some contrary evidence supporting Tyka’s claim exists. When Prince appeared at the Grammys in 2015, he pulled up in this shimmering orange blouse and some fly beads. And when he performed at the Super Bowl in 2007 amidst a damn downpour, he rocked this orange collared shirt (though I’d like to mention he did play his iconic purple guitar). This picture of Prince wearing an all-orange suit getup also exists on the internet, but I’m not particularly happy about it.
You’ve seen the evidence. So believe what you want. I mean, this is the fake news era of media and pop culture, where traditional values and facts just don’t matter anymore. I’m serious. If Prince’s favorite color wasn’t purple I don’t know what to believe anymore.
