Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
What do you do when you’re the biggest pop star alive and your record label can’t keep up? If you’re Prince, you declare war on your own name.
In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott and Blake trace how the hitmaker behind Purple Rain became an unpronounceable symbol in 1993. After signing a massive $100 million deal with Warner Bros. Records, Prince chafed at their glacially slow release schedule.
Sitting on a mountain of unreleased music, he decided to engage in a legendary act of defiance. He abandoned the name Prince for an unpronounceable glyph—the Love Symbol #2—and wrote “slave” on his cheek at public appearances.
The media, baffled, dubbed him “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” Warner had to send out floppy disks so journalists could even type the symbol.
Prince by carpet-bombed them with albums until he fulfilled his deal, then released Emancipation on his own label. By 2000, he’d reclaimed his name and his masters.
Did Prince carve his name in music history by deleting it altogether? This is one of pop’s wildest branding stunts—and one of its boldest victories.
Hit play and learn about one of the shrewdest branding moves in music history.
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Stringjoy is a boutique guitar string manufacturer located in Music City—Nashville, TN. Through innovative designs, first-rate materials, and labor-intensive winding techniques, we make it our mission to craft the finest strings in the world, bar none.
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This YouTube video and all associated audio-visual content are provided under license from Tone Mob LLC. Any reproduction, redistribution, public performance, or other use beyond personal viewing is prohibited without the express written permission of Tone Mob LLC.
What do you do when you’re the biggest pop star alive and your record label can’t keep up? If you’re Prince, you declare war on your own name.
In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott and Blake trace how the hitmaker behind Purple Rain became an unpronounceable symbol in 1993. After signing a massive $100 million deal with Warner Bros. Records, Prince chafed at their glacially slow release schedule.
Sitting on a mountain of unreleased music, he decided to engage in a legendary act of defiance. He abandoned the name Prince for an unpronounceable glyph—the Love Symbol #2—and wrote “slave” on his cheek at public appearances.
The media, baffled, dubbed him “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” Warner had to send out floppy disks so journalists could even type the symbol.
Prince by carpet-bombed them with albums until he fulfilled his deal, then released Emancipation on his own label. By 2000, he’d reclaimed his name and his masters.
Did Prince carve his name in music history by deleting it altogether? This is one of pop’s wildest branding stunts—and one of its boldest victories.
Hit play and learn about one of the shrewdest branding moves in music history.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL: youtube.com/stringjoy?sub_confirmation=1
SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAIL LIST: manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/subscribe?a=UemY8r&g=VmVi9a
WHAT'S OUR DEAL?
Stringjoy is a boutique guitar string manufacturer located in Music City—Nashville, TN. Through innovative designs, first-rate materials, and labor-intensive winding techniques, we make it our mission to craft the finest strings in the world, bar none.
FIND US AT...
Our Homebase: stringjoy.com
Instagram: instagram.com/stringjoy
TikTok: tiktok.com/@stringjoy
Facebook: facebook.com/stringjoy
Twitter: twitter.com/stringjoystaff
This YouTube video and all associated audio-visual content are provided under license from Tone Mob LLC. Any reproduction, redistribution, public performance, or other use beyond personal viewing is prohibited without the express written permission of Tone Mob LLC.
