The Prince Estate have gifted fans with Welcome 2 America, the artist’s first full-length posthumous project made up of original music.
Although it was recorded at his Paisley Park studio in 2010, the album has been praised for its topical and prophetic content, as it addresses timely issues ranging from racial injustice and misinformation to political corruption and societal division. However, there was also an element of optimism running throughout, with Prince expressing his hopes for a better future.
“I swear that he’s speaking from the grave,” Elisa Fiorillo, a member of Prince’s NPG (New Power Generation) band, told the New York Post. “Now I listen to it, and I get it more than I did when I sang it, which is crazy. It’s like he read into the future.”
Welcome 2 America, which was released via Sony Music Entertainment’s Legacy Recordings, spans a dozen tracks, including the previously released title song, “Born 2 Die,” and “Hot Summer.” The latter arrived last week in conjunction with the season 2 premiere of The Story of Welcome 2 America—a podcast series that sheds more light on the creation of the album and why it was ultimately placed in the vault for more than a decade.
Fans can also get their hands on the album’s deluxe edition, which includes a photo book, an art print, an exclusive poster, and a Blu-ray disc of Prince and NPG’s 2011 performance at The Forum.
You can stream Welcome 2 America now on all major platforms.
