2 Whom It May Concern

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2 Whom It May Concern

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single art for My Name Is Prince
Song details
Performer: Prince and the New Power Generation
First Released: 28 September 1992 - My Name Is Prince single (UK release)
Album(s): None
Writer(s): Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation)
Producer(s): Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation)
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:

2 Whom It May Concern is a non-album track which first appeared on the UK version of the My Name Is Prince single, before appearing on the US single of Damn U, while soon after appearing on the maxi-single of 7. The track is largely a spoken-word track which at times samples most tracks from the SymbolSmallerBlue.png album (mostly) in order: My Name Is Prince, Sexy M.F., Love 2 The 9’s, The Max, Blue Light, EyeBlue.png Wanna Melt With U, The Continental, Damn U, Arrogance, And God Created Woman, 7, 3 Chains O’ Gold and The Sacrifice Of Victor, while also introducing each member of the New Power Generation, serving as a commercial for the album (the promo video is in fact labeled "Commercial" on promo VHS copies). The backing track is sampled directly from 7 (After 6 Long Mix); it also contains a sample of God Made Me Funky performed by The Headhunters, written by B. Maupin, B. Summers, P. Jackson, M. Clark and B. McKnight (from their 1975 album Survival Of The Fittest, also sampled in The Sacrifice Of Victor).

While exact recording dates are unknown, the track was recorded in Summer 1992 following the recording of the album’s last-recorded song EyeBlue.png Wanna Melt With U, most likely at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota. See individual song titles for the recording information about the samples used in this track.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
Summer 1992 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Tracking
Recording Personnel

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
2 Whom It May Concern 4:02 My Name Is Prince single

Damn U single
7 single

Studio
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Commercial 1:14 Promotional release only Promo video See 2 Whom It May Concern video for more details
Commercial 4:07 Promotional release only Promo video See 2 Whom It May Concern video for more details
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
2 Whom It May Concern 1:21 Act I TV-special Video version edited version of the full version. Used as an intro for the Act I TV-special.
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
7 (After 6 Long Version) 5:15 7 single
Remix
7 (After 6 Edit) 4:20 7 single
Remix edit
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • It was rumored at the time of this song’s release that some of the lyrics were written in response to Michael Jackson proclaiming himself "the king of pop" in 1991, along with My Name Is Prince (especially the line "2 whomever it may concern / U must come 2 your senses / There are no kings on this earth / Only princes").
  • The song references George Clinton’s song Loopzilla, quoting the "Don’t touch that radio" line from it.
  • The idea of a track that introduces an album with samples was previously used on the Boom Mix of Shake! released on the maxi-single released in 1991 (to promote the Graffiti Bridge album) which also uses the same Evil Laugh track from Simon Harris’ compilation "Beats, Breaks & Scratches Volume 4".

References
2 The Wire (Creamy Instrumental)   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   2 Y. 2 D.