Back when R&B legend, Alexander O’Neal, was the lead singer for The Time (formerly called Flyte Time) -the band Prince formulated- he said he was kicked to the curb for a very biased reason. He also made no qualms about his disdain for the way he said Prince handled the situation. In addition to that, O’Neal also revealed who else reportedly betrayed him and the hurt he felt as a result of their actions. Scroll down to check out the details he gave in his interview with Blues And Soul, years prior to Prince’s passing.
He Was Too Dark Or Too Complicated?!!
According to O’Neal, he was presumably kicked outta the group for being too opionated, while others around him believe it was because Prince felt that he was too dark skinned to be the lead singer. Thus, replacing him with a lighter hued brotha, Morris Day.
Alexander’ O’Neal: “Flyte Tyme was a wonderful band, and I felt we were on our way to getting a national deal. You know, I’d been picked to be the lead singer in a group owned by Prince; we’d started recording at Prince’s house… But then I got kicked out the band before I got kicked IN! Some people said it was because I was too black in skin pigmentation. But I still think it was because I was opinionated. I’d started showing I could think and started asking questions about the financial arrangements. But, you know, to be kicked out was heart-breaking.
Why He Felt Betrayed & Didn’t Respect Prince’s Decision
O’Neal explained how hurt and betrayed he felt after learning that the other members, including legendary producer duo, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, were rehearsing presumably with the new lead singer, Morris Day, without telling him he was fired.
AO: “And the main thing I couldn’t respect about it was that Prince hadn’t been man enough to tell me. Because, all of a sudden, Flyte Tyme started rehearsing behind my back so they could become `The Time` without me! And all this time we were still doing gigs together! You know, they’d suddenly start mixing these new songs into the set and I’d be like ‘Where’s THIS coming from?’!”
Lewis eventually came clean with O’Neal:
AO:”And the only one out of all of them with the balls to tell me what was happening was Terry Lewis! But, though when I got the news I was really hurt, a lotta times good things come out of a bad situation. And that was just fuel for the fire for me!”
How Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Ultimately Saved O’Neal’s Career…After Prince Fired Them Too
According to O’Neal, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were responsible for saving his career and staying true to a promise they’d made him after they had also gotten fired by Prince.
AO: “Because I felt that, if I was good enough to even be CONSIDERED for a group by Prince, then I must be good enough for the music industry! And, when Jimmy (Jam) and Terry (Lewis) came home from LA one summer night – after THEY’D got kicked outta The Time by Prince – they came into this club I was performing at in downtown Minneapolis and were like ‘Alex, when we get our plans off the ground we’re gonna get you a record deal’. And that’s exactly what they DID!”
Wow…if Alexander O’Neal’s story is accurate, that was cold the way Prince let him go, but you never know, Prince may have had a different recollection of the way things went down. For example, O’Neal never made it a secret, that he’s battled with drug addiction for 30+ years, so could that have been a contributing factor in this scenario as well? Who knows? We certainly don’t, but it is worth mentioning. Now, if Prince simply fired him for being a dark skinned brotha, then that’s just foul. Nonetheless, we appreciate Alexander O’Neal for being so open about this and we wish him much continued success with his music.
-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, old School news with a new point of view
Prince is a “male”; he’s definitely not a Man.
Prince is a “male”; he’s definitely not a Man.
I’m pretty sure that as an artist, Prince’s reasons were valid!
I’m pretty sure that as an artist, Prince’s reasons were valid!
Straight from Jimmy Jam’s Mouth:
“The weird problem we had is we had our band altogether. Jellybean Johnson was our drummer, but Morris was a drummer as well. So it was like wait a minute, if Morris is going to be our drummer and Alexander O’Neal is going to be our lead singer, then unless we’re going to have two drummers, that means Jellybean is out of the group, and that’s really messed up. So anyways, we go to this restaurant called Perkins, and we have this meeting with Prince. Prince sat down and started explaining what we were going to do. Alexander O’Neal was sitting there and he said, “First of all, Prince before we get started with the meeting, I have a few things I want to say. Alexander O’Neal needs paper.” Prince replied, “What do you mean, paper?” Alex said, “I need paper. This whole music thing is all fun and everything, but Alexander O’Neal needs to get paid. I need a new pool, a new car, and a new house.” He’s saying this and we’re sitting there saying to ourselves, “Are you nuts? What are you doing?” After that, they give him a steak and he said, “I’m going to go ahead and throw down on this steak? Y’all go ahead and talk.” So Prince and Morris get up and walk out. We said to him, “What did you just do? We’re trying to get a deal here.”Alex responded, “You have to give me some paper.”
We’re thinking the whole thing was off. A day later, I can’t remember if Morris called Terry or Prince called Terry, but I remember the conversation was real short. It was basically said that Alexander O’Neal was out, Jellybean is the drummer, Morris is going to be the singer, and we’re going to rehearse tomorrow at five o’clock. That was the conversation. Terry called everyone and told them that Alex was out of the group. This is how the Time was born. Alexander O’ Neal literally talked himself out of the group. It solved the lead singer and the drummer problem.”
http://www.waxpoetics.com/features/articles/jimmy-jam-interview
Straight from Jimmy Jam’s Mouth:
“The weird problem we had is we had our band altogether. Jellybean Johnson was our drummer, but Morris was a drummer as well. So it was like wait a minute, if Morris is going to be our drummer and Alexander O’Neal is going to be our lead singer, then unless we’re going to have two drummers, that means Jellybean is out of the group, and that’s really messed up. So anyways, we go to this restaurant called Perkins, and we have this meeting with Prince. Prince sat down and started explaining what we were going to do. Alexander O’Neal was sitting there and he said, “First of all, Prince before we get started with the meeting, I have a few things I want to say. Alexander O’Neal needs paper.” Prince replied, “What do you mean, paper?” Alex said, “I need paper. This whole music thing is all fun and everything, but Alexander O’Neal needs to get paid. I need a new pool, a new car, and a new house.” He’s saying this and we’re sitting there saying to ourselves, “Are you nuts? What are you doing?” After that, they give him a steak and he said, “I’m going to go ahead and throw down on this steak? Y’all go ahead and talk.” So Prince and Morris get up and walk out. We said to him, “What did you just do? We’re trying to get a deal here.”Alex responded, “You have to give me some paper.”
We’re thinking the whole thing was off. A day later, I can’t remember if Morris called Terry or Prince called Terry, but I remember the conversation was real short. It was basically said that Alexander O’Neal was out, Jellybean is the drummer, Morris is going to be the singer, and we’re going to rehearse tomorrow at five o’clock. That was the conversation. Terry called everyone and told them that Alex was out of the group. This is how the Time was born. Alexander O’ Neal literally talked himself out of the group. It solved the lead singer and the drummer problem.”
http://www.waxpoetics.com/features/articles/jimmy-jam-interview
Alex, knew his worth. The manner which he expressed himself may not have been the most favorable but the crooner didn’t commit a foul. I believe the band just used this as a deciding factor to axe an extra member. So the fault would lie with the band.
Alexander O’Neal is a great singer and was a great singer but then, but I think someone’s leisure habits (sniff sniff) was the deciding factor and you cannot invest in somone’s that does not have his habits in check
it’s false. he started making demands before they even started recording. had nothing to do with skin color or being opinionated.
Alex, knew his worth. The manner which he expressed himself may not have been the most favorable but the crooner didn’t commit a foul. I believe the band just used this as a deciding factor to axe an extra member. So the fault would lie with the band.
Alexander O’Neal is a great singer and was a great singer but then, but I think someone’s leisure habits (sniff sniff) was the deciding factor and you cannot invest in somone’s that does not have his habits in check
it’s false. he started making demands before they even started recording. had nothing to do with skin color or being opinionated.
by now every true Prince fan knows the reason why he was kicked out of the band. during “the infamous Perkins incident” (as Morris called it) Alex was demanding too much from Prince to lead the band. Jesse said that too– and is HE light skinned? not like the high yella guys in the band stuck together and relegated the brown guys to the back. this article is hogwash.
by now every true Prince fan knows the reason why he was kicked out of the band. during “the infamous Perkins incident” (as Morris called it) Alex was demanding too much from Prince to lead the band. Jesse said that too– and is HE light skinned? not like the high yella guys in the band stuck together and relegated the brown guys to the back. this article is hogwash.
Prince picked Alexander, who is dark skinned, but then got rid of him for the same reason? I know colorism has impacted the Black community, but this makes no sense. I’m glad that Alex got a break into the biz.
Prince picked Alexander, who is dark skinned, but then got rid of him for the same reason? I know colorism has impacted the Black community, but this makes no sense. I’m glad that Alex got a break into the biz.
Unsung did a segment on O’Neal and what I got out of it he was on drugs and they knew it which O’Neal got out of hand not going by their rules doing what he wanted to do. Nothing to do with skin color. Prince has all kinds of ethnic groups and people, be real O’Neal.
Stop whining!!!! BeA man and stop sucking on that glass Duckie.
I believe Alex. Prince has only dated one “dark” woman, Nona Gaye. He’s color struck.
Prince didn’t get him on crack. he did that. he ruined a brilliant career all on his own.
Unsung did a segment on O’Neal and what I got out of it he was on drugs and they knew it which O’Neal got out of hand not going by their rules doing what he wanted to do. Nothing to do with skin color. Prince has all kinds of ethnic groups and people, be real O’Neal.
Stop whining!!!! BeA man and stop sucking on that glass Duckie.
I believe Alex. Prince has only dated one “dark” woman, Nona Gaye. He’s color struck.
Prince didn’t get him on crack. he did that. he ruined a brilliant career all on his own.
Alex has been bitter for years. He had a favorable career but why doesn’t he talk about why his solo career ended and why Terry and Jimmy left him also. This garbage about man to man and face to face bullshit is plain stupid. Look at who’s talking in this article. Dude move already. You should know by now what KARMA is right.
Alex has been bitter for years. He had a favorable career but why doesn’t he talk about why his solo career ended and why Terry and Jimmy left him also. This garbage about man to man and face to face bullshit is plain stupid. Look at who’s talking in this article. Dude move already. You should know by now what KARMA is right.
Too late to make any difference to me now. Everything turned out like it was supposed to. Suppose Alex ran the group into the ground with his addictions?
Too late to make any difference to me now. Everything turned out like it was supposed to. Suppose Alex ran the group into the ground with his addictions?
SO WHAT DUDE.APPARENTLY PRINCE DID SOMETHING RIGHT.YOU’RE NOT MORRIS DAY.YOU WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A GOOD FIT FOR THE TYME.YOU’RE GREAT AS ALEXANDER O’NEAL.IM A HUGH FAN OF YOURS.BUT YOU MADE IT.SO STOP CRYING
SO WHAT DUDE.APPARENTLY PRINCE DID SOMETHING RIGHT.YOU’RE NOT MORRIS DAY.YOU WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A GOOD FIT FOR THE TYME.YOU’RE GREAT AS ALEXANDER O’NEAL.IM A HUGH FAN OF YOURS.BUT YOU MADE IT.SO STOP CRYING
Alex is not saying that Prince axed him because of his skin color, he’s saying that’s what he was told by others but he doesn’t believe that to be the reason.
Alex is not saying that Prince axed him because of his skin color, he’s saying that’s what he was told by others but he doesn’t believe that to be the reason.
I LOVE THEM BOTH POINT BLANK GREAT TALENTS!!!!!!
I LOVE THEM BOTH POINT BLANK GREAT TALENTS!!!!!!
why do we scream at each other
why do we scream at each other
Jerome is tar baby black. Give me a break. Find something of more importance to fuss about. Sing or do something to uplift instead of tear down!
try acting in some horror movies, CandyMan, Blackula. you will make big bucks and get your credibility back. and you can sing your on SoundTack. Blessings upon you.
Jerome is tar baby black. Give me a break. Find something of more importance to fuss about. Sing or do something to uplift instead of tear down!
try acting in some horror movies, CandyMan, Blackula. you will make big bucks and get your credibility back. and you can sing your on SoundTack. Blessings upon you.
I think Prince made the right decision. Alexander Oneal is an excellent artist individually. Maybe God used Prince to show Alexander Oneal that. Hopefully , he knows that by now and has moved on.
I think Prince made the right decision. Alexander Oneal is an excellent artist individually. Maybe God used Prince to show Alexander Oneal that. Hopefully , he knows that by now and has moved on.
Alexander,I am a huge fan of yours and know you were blessed. With and outstanding voice, the opportunity to show, the world regardless of this prince rant…the music you were blessed to get recorded was cherished by those of us who heard it and we are many…the facts are….you love drugs more than you loved your gift…prince can hold any blame, because you had every to become as famous as any musical artist in the world…heal your mind and then perhaps, you can leave that WOE IS ME…story behind and use your gift to gain back the integrity drugs took from you…peace
thank you Ron. he blames any and everything and everybody for his problems like a true crack addict. the only person who has a problem with his complexion is him. and his drug problem is his problem.
Alexander,I am a huge fan of yours and know you were blessed. With and outstanding voice, the opportunity to show, the world regardless of this prince rant…the music you were blessed to get recorded was cherished by those of us who heard it and we are many…the facts are….you love drugs more than you loved your gift…prince can hold any blame, because you had every to become as famous as any musical artist in the world…heal your mind and then perhaps, you can leave that WOE IS ME…story behind and use your gift to gain back the integrity drugs took from you…peace
thank you Ron. he blames any and everything and everybody for his problems like a true crack addict. the only person who has a problem with his complexion is him. and his drug problem is his problem.
I had heard the Prince kicked him out of the group because of his complexion many years ago.
I had heard the Prince kicked him out of the group because of his complexion many years ago.
Everything happens for a reason….. Alex was the best thing to come out of Natchez, MS in a long time. I still rock his jamz very very loud!!!!!
Oh yeah Al from Natchez,Ms!Some people think he’s from Minnesota cause he lived up there.But he lived in Chicago briefly before heading to MN.Al played football for Alcorn State in the early 80’s!I got his greatest hits cd and I like his music a lot.Im also from Ms down on the Gulf Coast!
Mike I can tell you’re a true Alexander O’Neal fan. I’m from a down south Gulf Coast state myself- New Orleans, La. I’m sure your hometown is proud of Alexander for representing your state well. Thanks for joining the convo’…appreciate ya.’
Everything happens for a reason….. Alex was the best thing to come out of Natchez, MS in a long time. I still rock his jamz very very loud!!!!!
Oh yeah Al from Natchez,Ms!Some people think he’s from Minnesota cause he lived up there.But he lived in Chicago briefly before heading to MN.Al played football for Alcorn State in the early 80’s!I got his greatest hits cd and I like his music a lot.Im also from Ms down on the Gulf Coast!
Mike I can tell you’re a true Alexander O’Neal fan. I’m from a down south Gulf Coast state myself- New Orleans, La. I’m sure your hometown is proud of Alexander for representing your state well. Thanks for joining the convo’…appreciate ya.’