Prince is no stranger to controversy. Having made a name for himself with his provocative songs and videos of the ’80s and ’90s, the venerable star clearly knows how to provoke both outrage and praise. And now the “Purple Rain” icon is, once again, turning heads with his latest commentary on Islamic culture, saying women are happy to wear burqas.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Prince was asked to share his thoughts about Islamic countries, prompting the singer to express his affinity for the region’s religion and laws.
“It’s fun being in Islamic countries, to know there’s only one religion,” said Prince. “There’s order. You wear a burqa. There’s no choice. People are happy with that.”
Continuing the interview, Prince voiced his opinion on women who are unhappy having to wear burqas.
“There are people who are unhappy with everything,” said Prince. “There’s a dark side to everything,”
Sensing that his answer would leave more than just his interviewer with a raised eyebrow of confusion, Prince attempted to clarify his statement before ultimately dropping the subject.
“I don’t want to get up on a soapbox,” he relented. “My view of the world, you can debate that forever. But I’m a musician. That’s what I do. And I also am music. Come to the show for that.”
Prince’s comments about women and Islam can be debated, but one thing is for sure, as long as Prince has a microphone, he’ll never cease to amaze, shock and confuse his listeners. –nicholas robinson
