For 52 years, a video sat in the archive of the Minneapolis TV station, WCCO of Prince as a child. Yes, as in the Prince Rogers Nelson. Long before the late influential music and entertainment superstar captured the hearts of fans globally, he was a precocious, witty child in the midwest.
Footage, that’s been rumored about for decades, has resurfaced from station production manager, Matt Liddy. “I grew up in Minneapolis, so all I cared about was looking at cool old buildings from the place I grew up. Did I recognize my old school? Did I recognize any landmarks?” shared Liddy. When he discovered video from a reporter interviewing children, he recognized Prince and began to seek confirmation from his colleagues.
“I immediately just went out to the newsroom and started showing people and saying, ‘I’m not gonna tell you who I think this is, but who do you think this is?’ And every single person [said] ‘Prince.’”
When speaking on the strike, Prince expressed, “I think they should get a better education too, ’cause, um, and I think they should get some more money cause they work, they be working extra hours for us and all that stuff.” Even at 11, Prince was privy to the sign of the times.
Watch the full discovery unfold below.