Prince catalog reissue series continues with 'Ultimate Rave'

The Prince Estate and Legacy Recordings/Sony Music Entertainment announce the next round of physical titles set for release as part of the ongoing and definitive Prince catalog project. Next up will be Prince's Ultimate Rave on April 26.

A 3-disc bundle of Ultimate Rave brings together CDs of 1999's Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic and its 2001 remix Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic alongside a DVD containing the full-length performance version of Prince In Concert:Rave Un2 the Year 2000, Prince's epic 1999 New Year's Eve party, originally captured for on-demand pay-per-view airing during the dawning of Y2K.

Also available on April 26, both Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic and Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic on vinyl, marking the first ever vinyl release for Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic. Each of the vinyl titles will be pressed on highly collectible, limited edition purple vinyl. In addition, the albums will be available in both CD/LP form alongside new exclusive merchandise corresponding to the Rave era via the Official Prince Store.

The Rave titles are available now for pre-order: https://Prince.lnk.to/rav3

First came Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, his only album for NPG/Arista (and last released under the unpronounceable "Love Symbol" moniker), a record showcasing Prince's pop and R&B stylings through a variety of tracks and guest artists including Chuck D, Eve, Gwen Stefani, Ani DiFranco, and Sheryl Crow (Prince covers Crow's smash hit "Every Day is a Winding Road" on the album).

By 2001, Prince had established a groundbreaking internet presence through his NPG Music Club, an online destination site where fans could access new music alongside tracks from the fabled Prince Vault and other rarities. One of the first full-length releases from NPG Music Club was Prince's Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic, a remix and reimagining of his ongoing "Rave" project.

In 1999, Prince promoted the release of Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic with his pay-per-view special, Prince In Concert: Rave Un2 the Year 2000. Broadcast on New Year's Eve 1999, the special featured guest artists including Morris Day & the Time, Maceo Parker, Larry Graham, George Clinton, and Lenny Kravitz.

The DVD of this concert features 23 tracks plus 4 "bonus groovez." Tracks from across Prince's career are featured including hits like "Let's Go Crazy," "Purple Rain," "U Got The Look," "Raspberry Beret," "Gett Off," and "Kiss" and deeper cuts like "She's Always In My Hair," "The Christ,” (originally "The Cross" from Sign O’ The Times) and "Nothing Compares 2 U" plus songs from Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic like "Baby Knows" and "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold." Besides this physical re-issue, a broadcast edit of Prince In Concert: Rave Un2 The Year 2000 is slated to air on PBS stations in June.

Prince's Ultimate Rave arrives during CELEBRATION 2019, the ultimate four-day Prince event to be held April 25-28 at Paisley Park, Prince's historic home and recording sanctuary outside Minneapolis. The annual event welcomes Prince fans from around the world into an inspired environment of live music, concert screenings, panel discussions and special presentations highlighting Prince’s tremendous talent and cultural impact.

Performing artists this year include guitarist and original member of The Time, Jesse Johnson; Prince’s group The Revolution, featuring Bobby Z, BrownMark, Lisa Coleman, Wendy Melvoin and Matt Fink; and Funk Soldiers, a fifteen-piece New Power Generation and Paisley Park musical alumni. To learn more and purchase tickets, please visit this link.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will distribute an exclusive Minneapolis-themed 7" purple vinyl single to all attendees of the Timberwolves vs Miami Heat game on April 5 at Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. The exclusive 7” release is an extension of the broader collaboration between The Prince Estate and the Timberwolves rooted in the Timberwolves Nike City Edition uniforms. A Minneapolis native and avid basketball fan, Prince would often be seen sitting courtside at Target Center.

Prince - Ultimate Rave

Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)

1. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic
2. Undisputed (featuring Chuck D)
3. The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
4. Segue
5. Hot Wit U (featuring Eve)
6. Tangerine
7. So Far, So Pleased (featuring Gwen Stefani)
8. The Sun, The Moon and Stars
9. Every Day Is A Winding Road
10. Segue
11. Man 'O' War
12. Baby Knows (featuring Sheryl Crow)
13. Eye Love U, But Eye Don't Trust U Anymore (featuring Ani DiFranco)
14. Silly Game
15. Strange But True
16. Wherever U Go, Whatever U Do
17. Segue
18. Prettyman

Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic (2001)
1. Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic
2. Undisputed (featuring Chuck D) (The Moneyapolis Mix)
3. The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
4. Hot Wit U (featuring Eve) (Nasty Girl Remix)
5. Tangerine
6. So Far, So Pleased (featuring Gwen Stefani)
7. The Sun, The Moon and Stars
8. Man 'O' War (Remix)
9. Baby Know (featuring Sheryl Crow)
10. Eye Love U, But Eye Don't Trust U Anymore (featuring Ani DiFranco)
11. Beautiful Strange
12. Silly Game
13. Where U Go, Whatever U Do
14. Prettyman

Prince In Concert: Rave Un2 the Year 2000 (2000)
1. Let's Go Crazy
2. She's Always In My Hair
3. U Got The Look
4. Kiss
5. Jungle Love (Morris Day & the Time)
6. The Bird (Morris Day & the Time)
7. American Woman (Lenny Kravitz)
8. Fly Away (Lenny Kravitz)
9. Gett Off
10. Medley (Rosie Gaines, Mike Scott, Maceo Parker)
11. It's Alright
12. Everyday People (Cynthia Robinson & Gerry Martini)
13. Higher (Larry Graham)
14. Purple Rain
15. The Christ
16. Blues Medley (Maceo Parker, Johnny Blackshire)
17. Nothing Compares 2 U
18. Take Me With U / Raspberry Beret
19. The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
20. Baby Knows
21. 1999 Intro
22. Baby I'm A Star
23. 1999 

"Bonus Groovez"
1.Flashlight - George Clinton
2.The Undertaker (Sax Solo) - Kathy Jensen
3.The Undertaker (Harmonica Solo) - Jimmy Russell
4. Release Yourself - Larry Graham, Prince and NPG
"Innerviews"
Interviews w/ George Clinton, Lenny Kravitz, Morris Day and Prince