Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic

Lore & Background

Development of the album began in 1988, under the working title Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic. However, when the recording and writing sessions proved fruitless, the entire project was abandoned. A majority of the songs written for the album were originally made for Prince's previous works, such as Lovesexy (1988) and Graffiti Bridge (1990). In June 1998, Prince resumed the project, creating a "reworked" version of the title track, and enlisting help from other musicians, such as Gwen Stefani, Eve, and Sheryl Crow.

Recording sessions took place in Chanhassen, Minnesota, at Paisley Park Studios, as well as at Electric Lady Studios, New York City, and O'Henry Sound Studios, in California. The production for the record concluded in September 1999, nearing two months to its scheduled release date. A digital version of the album was released exclusively to both of Prince's official website (1800new-funk.com and love4oneanother.com) and features enhancements that are not included on the physical edition.

Prince described his decision to wear a blue jacket made out of faux wool instead of actual fur for the cover artwork: "If this jacket were real wool, it would have taken seven lambs whose lives would have begun like this ... Within weeks of their birth, their ears would have been hole-punched, their tails chopped off and the males would have been castrated while fully conscious. [E]xtremely high rates of mortality [a]r[e] considered normal: 20-40% of lambs die b[efore] the age of 8 weeks: 8 million mature sheep die every year from disease, [e]xposure or neglect."

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a non-profit organization regarding the humane treatment of animals, supported Prince, with member Alisa Mullins claiming that "Prince deserves a lifetime achievement award based on his empathy for animals alone". Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic was released on November 9, 1999, in the United States, his first major-label release since Emancipation (1996). In select European countries, including Germany and Spain, the record was released on November 11, two days later.

Instead of using his name, Prince displayed the unpronounceable "Love Symbol" as the album's artist. The CD's standard edition release included sixteen tracks, plus two hidden tracks, "Segue III" and "Prettyman".

Reader's Guide

Musically a pop and R&B album, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic explores the former two genres after the frequent use of soul on The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale. The album's opening title track, originally recorded in 1988, is one of Prince's "most pop-oriented" tracks in years. "Undisputed" contains rap verses by Chuck D, a feature uncommon on Prince's works. Intended to serve as a "comeback", "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold" is a "smooth" ballad with Prince's multi-layered vocals featured in the chorus.

The album's fourth track, "Segue I", is four seconds of silence followed by "Hot Wit' U", a hip hop track featuring vocals from Eve. "Tangerine" follows and contains acoustic bass orchestrated by musician Rhonda Smith. "So Far, So Pleased" is the album's seventh track, and features verses from Gwen Stefani. The pair's collaboration was called an "utterly delightful, effervescent duet".

"The Sun, the Moon and Stars" is a ballad containing production catered to the same crowd. A cover of Sheryl Crow's 1996 single "Everyday Is a Winding Road" is the album's ninth track, but contains a more "sexualized" structure compared to Crow's rendition. "Segue II" is a short instrumental track, followed by promotional singles "Man'O'War" and "Baby Knows", the former of which is a "sexy ballad" and the latter featuring contributions from Crow, including her vocals and use of a harmonica.

The album's thirteenth track, "alt=Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border.|18x18px Love U, but alt=Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border.|18x18px Don't Trust U Anymore", features a guest appearance from folk rock singer Ani DiFranco, who plays an acoustic guitar. "Silly Game" uses features strings performed by the NPG Orchestra.

"Strange but True" uses a "spoken-word soliloquy with a funky foundation", similar to Prince's previous song, "Irresistible Bitch". The album's final mentioned track, "Wherever U Go, Whatever U Do", is another "subtle" ballad, similar to "So Far, So Pleased" and "The Sun, the Moon and Stars".

Did You Know?

• The album's sole single, "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold", peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Prince hosted a pay-per-view event, entitled Rave Un2 the Year 2000, to promote the album; it was later released on DVD.
• The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America by the end of 1999.
• A remix album, Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic, was released in 2001 but only available to members of Prince's official fan club.
• In 2019, a posthumous box set called Ultimate Rave was released, containing both albums and the DVD; it charted in the Netherlands.