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The Groove Continues on Posthumous Prince Song ‘Born 2 Die’

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Move over, Lana: “Born 2 Die” is a Prince song now. A new song is out from the late rock legend’s never-released album Welcome 2 America, which Prince recorded in 2010. “Born 2 Die” is five minutes of pure groove — inspired, as is the rest of the album, by early Obama-era politics and the ongoing struggles of Black Americans. Morris Hayes, the New Power Generation member who produced the track, told BBC 6’s Gemma Cairney of the song’s inception. “He had been watching videos of his friend Dr. Cornel West on YouTube, and during one speech, Dr. West said, ‘I love my brother Prince, but he’s no Curtis Mayfield,’” Hayes remembered. “So Prince said, ‘Oh really? We will see.’” The song is the second off Welcome 2 America after the title track was released in April; the full album comes out of the vault on July 30. It follows previous posthumous projects Piano and a Microphone 1983 and Originals.

The Groove Continues on Posthumous Prince Song ‘Born 2 Die’