3121 (album)

3121 (pronounced "thirty-one twenty-one") is the thirty-first studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on March 21, 2006 by NPG Records and distributed by Universal Records.

Album information

The album's first single, "Te Amo Corazón", was released in the United States on December 13, 2005, and debuted at number 20 on the VH1 countdown; the second single, "Black Sweat", was released on February 2, 2006.

The title of the album was believed to be a reference to the address of Prince's rented Los Angeles mansion. That is correct, but it wasn't the address of Carlos Boozer. A lawsuit filed against Prince by the landlord (NBA player Carlos Boozer) indicates an entirely different address (1235 Sierra Alta Way). However, Prince has repeatedly referred to the property as "3121"; indeed, the lawsuit alleges he painted 3121 on the exterior of the property, and the album's liner notes indicate that it was "recorded at Paisley Park Studios and 3121."

According to another explanation the album's title refers to a verse in the Bible (Psalm 31:21). "Blessed be Jehovah (God/Yahweh), For he has rendered wonderful loving-kindness to me in a city under stress." Prince made a reference to this during a performance of the title track on the 2006 BET Awards; "Where's the real party at? Shake your tambourines! BET read Psalms; that's where it is."

Prince

A prince is a male ruler, monarch, or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. Prince is also a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess. The English word derives, via the French word prince, from the Latin noun princeps, from primus (first) + capio (to seize), meaning "the chief, most distinguished, ruler, prince".

Historical background

The Latin word prīnceps (older Latin *prīsmo-kaps, literally "the one who takes the first [place/position]"), became the usual title of the informal leader of the Roman senate some centuries before the transition to empire, the princeps senatus.

Emperor Augustus established the formal position of monarch on the basis of principate, not dominion. He also tasked his grandsons as summer rulers of the city when most of the government were on holiday in the country or attending religious rituals, and, for that task, granted them the title of princeps.

The title has generic and substantive meanings:

Black Sweat

"Black Sweat" is a song by Prince that was released as the second single from his 2006 album 3121. The music video to accompany the single was released on February 2, 2006. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

The song showcases minimalist funk alongside hip hop elements. Similar to "When Doves Cry" and "Kiss", a bassline is absent from the mix, which is an unusual occurrence in a pop song. Essentially, the only instruments are drum machines and high-pitched synthesizers. Prince delivers most of the song in his trademark falsetto.

Music video

The video is as minimalist as the song itself, presented in black and white. It consists of just one scene of a blank background and a 1970s-styled chair placed in the center. The video stars Prince and features Celestina Aladekoba (a dancer featured heavily in Jennifer Lopez's TV reality show, DanceLife), who is dancing seductively to the music, occasionally leaning over the chair as Prince sings. In a nod to the "Kiss" video, Prince humorously makes a disgusted expression when Celestina screams "like a white lady" (which is actually the keyboard riff). The video was directed by Sanaa Hamri.