Pitchfork

Prince has stirred up quite a bit of Controversy lately, and with no albums or tours on the docket for the Purple One, we can only credit the craziness to Prince being Prince. There's so much insanity that it's a little hard to sort through. And yet, we've tried.

The most scandalous news comes from a Prince profile and interview in The New Yorker, which quotes the singer on politics:

"So here's how it is: You've got the Republicans, and basically they want to live according to this." He pointed to a Bible. "But there's the problem of interpretation, and you've got some churches, some people, basically doing things and saying it comes from here, but it doesn't. And then on the opposite end of the spectrum you've got blue, you've got the Democrats, and they're, like, 'You can do whatever you want.' Gay marriage, whatever. But neither of them is right."

When asked about his perspective on social issues-- gay marriage, abortion-- Prince tapped his Bible and said, "God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, 'Enough.'"

This would imply that Prince is a "Yes on Proposition 8" kind of guy, yes? Maybe? It's always hard to tell with Prince, but the implication that he opposes gay rights was enough for a representative of his to allegedly reach out to Perez Hilton (Really? Of all people?) and say, "We're very angry he was misquoted." [Via Rolling Stone].

According to Perez, the New Yorker writer didn't use a tape recorder, and Prince's point to the Bible was actually followed by a reference to the parts of the book that talk about showing love and not judging others. (According to Wired, The New Yorker backs up its story.)

In less salacious news, Reuters reports that perfume company Revelations has sued Prince for breach of contract, saying he has failed to help promote his previously reported "3121" fragrances. (Yes, frangranceS. Plural. There are two. The first came out last year, and the second will debut next year.)

Prince's music publisher Universal Music Publishing Group was set to receive half of the profits from sales of the fragrances, but Reuters reports that according to the $100,000 suit, "Since July 2007, despite repeated attempts by Revelations there have been virtually no communications from anyone who could commit to or coordinate any promotional efforts by Prince."

In a statement of response to Reuters, UMPG said, "Although we have not seen the complaint, we are familiar with the claims being asserted by Revelations, and they are completely without merit."

Another lawsuit against Prince was settled recently when a Los Angeles judge ruled that Prince must pay video editor Ian C. Lewis $58,000 for "editing work and unreturned equipment," according to an AP report [via WiredPost].

And finally, something lighthearted and entirely strange: According to a firsthand account from DJ Scratch on Miss Info's blog [via Nah Right], Prince surprised Q-Tip at the latter's Las Vegas show on Sunday by magically appearing on stage...and disappearing just as magically.

Take it away, Scratch:

Yo, while me and Q-Tip were performing 'Vivrant Thing' in Vegas last night...this n-a Prince walked out on the stage, took the guitar from our guitar player and just started rocking! None of us knew he was there until he popped up on the stage...then the n-a vanished like Batman, LOL!

The sound crew said Prince was in the balcony watching the show from the very beginning (The balcony was closed off). Then when 'Vivrant Thing' came out, he just came backstage and walked out on stage.

None of us knew what was happening, then when we finished the show he was gone LOL!

You guys, Prince breaks my brain.