Minneapolis is soacked in purple rain; Let's talk about Rock Martinez's Prince mural

Minneapolis, Minnesota has a color. It's ultraviolet purple. It has to be purple, the embodiment of Prince's legacy. So much purple, like a living stream pooring all streets from the northeast art district to uptown. We are socked in purple as we rush holding hands for a concert night at First Avenue. Our step on pools of cold purple water, and then, our clothes felt heavy as those are already socked in purple as well. Prince is still alive.There is always music in town. 

Minneapolis weeps and weeps upon this day the loss of his beloved artists. Prince was an outstanding musician that pioneered the music stage and even brought popularity to the "Minneapolis sound," a sub-genre of funk rock with elements of synth-pop and new wave. In fact, he crushed the mid 80s musical scene as nothing alike. He was also loved because although becoming a world-class artists, he refused to leave Minneapolis and even built a massive recording complex to continue working from his home. His involvement promoting younger local musicians' career is also part of his legacy.

Prince set our city in fire. A beautiful purple blaze spreading like flames in dry grass. This is beyond music, it's everywhere. Overwhelming purple creative force. As the streets and walls transmute to open canvases waiting for being painted. Rock Martinez, a graffiti artist from Tucson, Arizona heard the call. When painting this massive gift to Minneapolis honoring Prince's legacy, which was also finished a few days after Prince's death, described that neighbors would stop to shake his hand while he was working on the mural, and would even offer to tip him (which he politely refused for being this a present to Minneapolis' deep grief for its beloved purple artist).

I personally love this mural. The colors are vivid and carries on the moment in which it was made. Some locals say that it was even started days before Prince died (when he was ill with the influenza that led to his overdose). The colors and Prince's canonical experience are fresh and vibrant. It's not my favorite one, of course, but I see it as part of something bigger. The overwhelming purple wave that socks the city up and down of creative force. The best time for watching the mural is at early evening when the light blue illumination matches the mural's colors (in my humble opinion).

Minneapolis was never alike after Prince's tornado did shake everything. All open venues lead to some sort of music stage in the Twin Cities. This is noteworthy for the Midwestern little apple. Prince fed this creative, more like an explosive force that makes us re-imagine our city as the Nashville of the North. There is pride in purple, we earn it.

Minnesota already has 18 official state symbols. I personally believe that having an official color would not harm anyone, dear lawmakers. When Prince died on April 21, 2016, Senator Karin Housley tried to push this law, but it didn't gain enough support.  

I personally don't care that much as long as I keep finding new paintings in bright purple on walls, canvases, and streets for the years to come as our creative community expands. Thank you, Rock Martinez for your gift. It's never too much purple when you are giving something to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The mural is located at 26th street and Hennepin avenue in Minneapolis, MN.