(RNS) — When turning up the 1982 Prince hit “1999,” few partygoers realize the song isn’t just a funky ode to revelry, but an apocalyptic anthem rooted in Prince’s end-times beliefs.
“They say, 2000-00, party over / Oops, out of time / So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999,” Prince croons in the original recording.
To pastoral counselor, Buddhist practitioner and educator Pamela Ayo Yetunde, these lyrics are linked to the late Prince Rogers Nelson’s religious origins in Seventh-day Adventism, a Christian tradition known in part for its beliefs that Christ’s return — and the judgment of humanity — is near. But as Yetunde writes in her new book, “Dearly Beloved: Prince, Spirituality, & This Thing Called Life,” published by Broadleaf Books on April 22, Prince’s spirituality was neither predictable nor static. Whether referencing themes from Seventh-day Adventism, the Kama Sutra or Jehovah’s Witnesses, Prince’s discography reflects a search for meaning and sense of apocalyptic urgency while routinely breaking down binaries between Christianity and sexuality.
Founder of a project exploring the theology of Prince at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in St. Paul, Minnesota — Prince’s home state — Yetunde brings her theological expertise and experience as a longtime Prince fan to bear on this spiritual guide to his work. RNS spoke with Yetunde about Prince’s faith-filled messages and why she thinks the artist should …