So you're a cultural icon at 28. You built a Minneapolis Motown using your high school crew for your record company. You've just sold over 16 million copies of Purple Rain and your brand is consumed globally from records to films. Why is Prince losing his grip on the autonomy he fought so hard for in 1977. Had he not shown that he can deliver the goods. That he was the goods? Prince didn't realize that leverage is never secured completely. It's an ongoing game of chess that you must keep playing. Prince decapitated his 3 disk opus Crystal Ball. The result is Sign "O" the Times. Decades after it's March 30, 1987 release it is listed with the greatest works of the pop/rock era. This should be a victory lap. However, Prince is bogged down by expectation even when he's not imposing it on himself. Prince is defined by the songs, the movie and the iconography of Purple Rain. The artist within Prince is already chafing. The life of young Purple and the Purple gang playing in the sunshine.