In 1990, Prince Imagined the ‘Black Version’ of Donald Trump
Nearly three decades before Donald Trump became president of the United States, he was on Prince's mind. Prince wrote "Donald Trump (Black Version)" and gave it to his buddies in the Time for a 1989 project called Corporate World.
A slow jam complete with saxophone, "Donald Trump (Black Version)" is sung from the perspective of a man wanting to make all of his woman's material dreams come true. "Sweet words of love are helpful / But what goes a lot farther than that?" Morris Day sings."A hundred dollar dinner at Adriano's? / A brand new coat or a brand new hat?"
Although Corporate World, another Time album that was just about entirely created by Prince and Day, was completed and scheduled for release in late 1989, Warner Bros. changed their minds because, as Prince Vault says, the label wanted the rest of the band to contribute material. Only "Donald Trump (Black Version)" and two other tracks from Corporate World would up on the Time's next and final album, Pandemonium.
Trump remembered Prince when he died in a statement that said, "I met Prince on numerous occasions. He was an amazing talent and wonderful guy. He will be greatly missed!"
With Prince's death coinciding with the 2016 presidential primary season, attempts were made to work him into the national political discussion. On an episode of MSNBC's Morning Joe shortly after Prince's death, Nicolle Wallace, former chief communications chief to President George W. Bush, called Trump "so nimble" compared to Hillary Clinton. Co-host Joe Scarborough, said, "On this point where you said he's so 'flexible,' he's like Prince — a shape-shifter," according to Newsmax.
Similarly, on CNN, Jon Berman suggested that the media temporarily changing its focus from the elections to Prince benefited Trump and Clinton, both of whom had big primary wins earlier in the week.
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