| Exodus is the second ’solo' album by the New Power Generation and was only released in Europe, Australia and Taiwan in March 1995. While the previous album, Gold Nigga, featured Tony M. as the lead vocalist, Exodus featured lead vocals by Sonny T. and by Prince, disguised as Tora Tora.
Session and compiling
The album was recorded between late-May 1994, and January 1995, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA. The first set of sessions, in late May, resulted in Get Wild, New Power Soul, The Exodus Has Begun, Hallucination Rain, Slave 2 The System, Count The Days and It Takes 3. A number of segues were recorded between May and June 1994, with an early album configuration dated 19 June 1994. Two new tracks, Mad and Funky Design, were recorded in November 1994.
More tracks and segues were recorded in late 1994, including Acknowledge Me, Super Hero, Outa-Space, Love... Thy Will Be Done, Funky, Proud Mary and Somebody’s Somebody, and a second album configuration was dated 2 December 1994. In December 1994 and January 1995, The Good Life, Big Fun, Return Of The Bump Squad and Cherry, Cherry were recorded, completing the album. A sampler cassette containing tracks from the album, along with tracks from other NPG Records projects of the time, was compiled on 5 January 1995.
The album is very much a band recording, containing substantial musical input by Sonny T., Michael B., Mr. Hayes and Tommy Barbarella in addition to Prince (using the disguise Tora Tora).
Promotion
The album produced three singles, Get Wild, The Good Life (which was also released in North America despite the album not being released there) and Count The Days.
Prince (as  ) promoted the album on The Ultimate Live Experience tour which was taking place at the same time as the album’s release, often playing one or more of the album’s songs, although none of the songs were played regularly on the tour. The album reached number 11 on the UK Gallup Album Chart.
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Personnel
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| Musicians
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- Sonny T. - lead and background vocals, bass guitar
- Prince (as Tora Tora) - vocals, all other instruments, except where noted (credited for "Double Bass, Vox and Other Shit"
- Michael B. - drums and vocals
- Tommy Barbarella - piano, Purpleaxxe™ and vocals
- Mr. Hayes - organ, synths and vocals
- Mayte - background vocals, "Spanish vibe and hallucinations"
- Michael B. Nelson - horns on Get Wild, New Power Soul and The Exodus Has Begun (credited as "New Power Generation Hornz")
- Kathy Jensen - horns on Get Wild, New Power Soul and The Exodus Has Begun (credited as "New Power Generation Hornz")
- Dave Jensen - horns on Get Wild, New Power Soul and The Exodus Has Begun (credited as "New Power Generation Hornz")
- Brian Gallagher - horns on Get Wild, New Power Soul and The Exodus Has Begun (credited as "New Power Generation Hornz")
- Steve Strand - horns on Get Wild, New Power Soul and The Exodus Has Begun (credited as "New Power Generation Hornz")
- Eric Leeds - saxophone and flute on The Good Life, Return Of The Bump Squad and Big Fun
- Mike Scott - guitar on Cherry, Cherry
- Eric Bradford - background vocals on Return Of The Bump Squad
- James McGregor - background vocals on Return Of The Bump Squad
- Kathleen Bradford - background vocals on Return Of The Bump Squad
- Michael Bradford - background vocals on Return Of The Bump Squad
- Denis Boder - electric violin on Hallucination Rain
- Jevetta Steele - background vocals on The Exodus Has Begun
- Jearlyn Steele - background vocals on The Exodus Has Begun
- JD Steele - background vocals on The Exodus Has Begun
- Fred Steele - background vocals on The Exodus Has Begun
- Brother Jules - scratches on The Exodus Has Begun
- Levi Seacer, Jr. - assorted shouts and inspiration on The Exodus Has Begun
- Kimm James - assorted vocals on The Exodus Has Begun
- Unidentified and uncredited - female voice(s) on Segue (#2) and Segue (#5)
- Rain Ivana - "NPG Operator" (credited but does not appear - the NPG Operator is played by Mayte)
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| Production
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| Thanks
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- This album is dedicated to the memory of His Royal Badness
- Sonny T. thanx God, Rhonda K., my Mother and Father, NPG, - who is my friend and all the fans.
- Michael B. thanx the Blands, the Threats, all friends and family, my loving wife Valerie and God.
- Tommy Barbarella would like to give special thanks to God, Nikki, my family, the breath of life (Andrea), and all the funky MF’s who came B4 us. Peace.
- Mr Hayes thanx God, Maxine & Moses Hayes (mom & dad), Aunt Wilma, Jack Robinson (my partner), Craig Rice, Karen Lee, Mandy Fallon, Carly, Greg & Lynn Said, Eugene Hayes (my big bro), Levi Seacer Jr., Mark Brown, Derick Hughes, Marilyn Voss, Marilyn Hawkins (threads), Bruce Little (law books), Rodney Johari, Bob & Mike @ OMC, Dick McCalley @America Pro' Audio, Scott Turk, Will Pitts, my nephew and niece, Luke, Derrick, Percy & Shawna, Felicia, my keyboard cat Craig Anderson (911) & all whom I have forgotten on paper but not in my heart. Also 2 all the DJ’s not afraid 2 GET WILD! & U.
- Mayte thanx The Creator, Nell and John, and all the waves of fans I surf on at concerts!
- Tora Tora would like 2 thank The Creator 1st and always. Secondly, but not lastly, the devout fans who support this experiment in truth. Peace & Be Wild!
- THE EXODUS HAS BEGUN "All characters portrayed in this work are fictitious, any resemblance or similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental. So get a life M.F.!" THE NEW POWER GENERATION
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Prêt A Porter ◄
Newpower Soul
