Five Creative Lessons From Prince

None of us may ever match his level of greatness, and that’s okay. In addition to music, films, fashion, style and shade, Prince gave us more than enough lessons on how to live life and create.

The death of Prince (I can’t believe I just typed that sentence) has created an outpouring of memorials, sharing of memories, and little-known information about the musical genius. One way that I am managing my grief, or maintaining my denial, depending on how you look at it, is by delving into the music, interviews, performances and any information I can find about The Artist. In the process, I have come across at least five lessons that Prince taught us about being a successful creative.

1. Maintain as much ownership as you can

From Jay-Z’s partnership with the more artist-friendly TIDAL, to Taylor Swift’s early refusal to have her catalog on Spotify or Apple Music, to Kanye’s claim in his infamous 2013 Sway in the Morning interview that “we all slaves,” talking about artistic ownership is in vogue now. In 1993, when Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and wrote the word “Slave” on his face, many in the media and the public passed it off as an eccentric stunt. Even as a fan, I hated the fact that when I felt like hearing a Prince song, I couldn’t just get on YouTube and get a quick listen of…