Prince’s legend looms so large that it often feels as if he simply descended from another realm. However, behind the Symbol was a flesh-and-blood human being who was greatly shaped by the city he grew up in. In this episode, we’ll look at Prince’s early life and the start of his career, digging into his family history, his first bands and musical experimentation, and exploring the way his Minneapolis upbringing shaped Prince as a person and influenced his music.

This is the first part of a two part series. Next episode, we’ll pick up where this one left off and follow Prince’s life and career as it takes off.

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Here is the footage of 12-year old Prince, in 1970, we reference during the episode.

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