In the mid-1990s reports emerged that Prince had fallen into dispute with his record company. Having signed what was ostensibly a new, 100 million dollar contract just a couple of years before, Prince was now demanding - not unreasonably to most commentators - control of his masters and the freedom to release what he wanted when he wanted. After a bitter war of words, during which the star scrawled Slave across his cheek whenever he appeared in public and routinely dissed his label, the parties finally settled and Prince henceforth was free to take full control of his music and the way it was sold to consumers. Prince approached this task with devastating foresight as he routinely created new marketing concepts which, with time, became the norm across the music world.
Direction
Tight storytelling that makes contract law feel like thriller cinema.
Production
Rare archive footage of Prince at his most defiant and brilliant.
Director
Elio Espana
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Prince's battle paved the way for Taylor Swift's masters dispute and every subsequent artist ownership movement.
The 'Slave' branding was deliberately provocative — Prince understood that image could weaponize contract negotiations in ways lawyers couldn't.
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