Prince’s own original draft in pencil for the essay that appeared in the Lovesexy tour program, two pages, 8.5 x 11, signed at the conclusion, "Prince '88." In the margin, Prince’s tour manager Alan Leeds wrote notes for how the essay was to be divided among several pages in the program book with ideas for spacing and colors. The essay tells the story of Prince (through his alter-ego 'Camille') creating The Black Album, his decision to not release it, and the subsequent development of Lovesexy. It begins, in part: "Time upon a once there was a boy named Camille. Now this boy named Camille didn't know how 2 feel. Sometimes he was lonely, sometimes he was sad but most times he just took 4 granted all the nice things that he had…So, naive & terrifically in need Camille started looking 4 answers. His paintbrush the questioner, his canvas the arena, Camille set out 2 silence his critics. 'No longer daring'—his enemies laughed. 'No longer glam, his funk is half-assed… One leg is much shorter than the other one is weak. His strokes are tepid, his colors are meek.' So Camille found a new color. The color Black: strongest hue of them all…Stroke after stroke callin' all others a joke. Superfunkycalifragisexi. Camille rocked hard in a funky place. Stuck his long funk in competition's face. Tuesday came. Blue Tuesday. His canvas full and lying on the table. Camille mustered all the hate that he was able. Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his game. Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his name. 'Tis nobody funkier—let the Black Album fly.' Spooky Electric was talking, Camille started 2 cry. Tricked. A fool he had been. In the lowest utmostest. He had allowed the dark side of him 2 create something [crossed out: catastrophic coast 2 coast] evil…Love life, Lovesexy—the feeling u get when u fall in love, not with a girl or boy but with the heavens above. Lovesexy—endorphin. Camille figured out what 2 feel. Glam Slam Escape—the Sexuality Real. Tonight we make love with only words. Girls first. This feeling's so good in every single way. It can quench every thirst. God is Alive. Let Him touch u and your own Lovesexy will be born. I wish u Heaven." A few small edits and changes have been made throughout the text. Includes an original 1988 Lovesexy tour book in which this is published; it appears essentially verbatim, with some changes to the last few lines. In fine condition, with a few corner creases. From the collection of Prince's assistant tour manager Gwen Leeds and accompanied by a letter of provenance. Gwen is the wife of Alan Leeds.
Prince famously withdrew The Black Album one week before its scheduled release after he became convinced it was 'evil' during a religious epiphany. He followed this by recording Lovesexy—an album with a more upbeat, religious slant. This semi-coherent story-poem, published in the Lovesexy tour book, essentially explains Prince's experience in creating The Black Album, canceling its release, and developing Lovesexy, which was recorded in just seven weeks from mid-December 1987 to late January 1988. Filled with metaphor and playful language, this essay is quintessentially 'Prince,' and it exists as an important quasi-autobiographical record of his productivity during this period of his musical career.
