The opening night of Bruce Springsteen’s latest tour in Minneapolis serves as an unexpected tribute to the late musical icon, Prince. The Boss is launching his tour in the city that forged Prince, connecting their legacies through shared artistic respect and recent political activism.

A Shared Stage in 1984, Mutual Respect Ever Since

In 1984, Bruce Springsteen and Prince were titans competing for the top spot on the music charts. Prince’s seminal album, “Purple Rain,” famously displaced Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” from the number one position that August.

Despite this chart battle, rivalry never materialized between the two artists. Instead, “His Royal Badness” and “The Boss” shared a deep, mutual respect and genuine affection for one another’s work.

Minneapolis: The City Connecting Two Legends

Nearly a decade after Prince’s passing, Minneapolis has become the focal point linking the two stars. Springsteen is using the city as the launchpad for his tour to stand in solidarity against recent anti-immigration actions.

This follows the release of Springsteen’s protest anthem, “Streets of Minneapolis.” The song was written after federal agents were implicated in the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in the city.

Springsteen’s Activism Echoes Prince’s Stance

The New Jersey native performed the new track in Minneapolis in January and again at the No Kings rally in nearby St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday. He told the large crowd, “This past winter, federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis. Well, they picked the wrong city.”

This sentiment mirrors the spirit of Prince, especially following the 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. A popular meme at the time noted, “Nobody thought the revolution would start in Minneapolis…except Prince,” referencing his band, The Revolution.

Advocacy Through Music

Prince dedicated years to using his platform to support various causes, including artists’ rights, the Black Lives Matter movement, and underprivileged youth. A year before his death in 2016, he released the song “Baltimore” following Freddie Gray’s death in police custody.

Prince traveled to Baltimore to perform the song at a rally, concluding the lyric video with a statement: “The system is broken.” He added that it would “take the young people to fix it this time” and that “We need new ideas, new life.”

Springsteen has consistently upheld a similar ethos, advocating for unions, veterans, and marginalized communities. In 2001, he protested the killing of Amadou Diallo with his song “American Skin.”

He has also opposed the Trump administration, recently allowing the ACLU to use “Born in the U.S.A.” in an ad campaign concerning the Supreme Court’s review of birthright citizenship challenges.

The Bond Forged by Performance and Authenticity

While politics played a role in their later connection, the foundation of their bond was music. In a 1990 Rolling Stone interview, Prince expressed admiration for Springsteen’s ability to command both his audience and his band.

Photographer Steve Parke recalled Prince attending Springsteen’s 1988 Tunnel of Love tour. Parke noted that Prince respected Springsteen’s capacity to deliver a three-hour performance, similar to his own stamina.

The admiration was reciprocated. Days after Prince died from an accidental fentanyl overdose at age 57 in April 2016, Springsteen covered “Purple Rain” at his Brooklyn concert. He later told Rolling Stone he felt a “great kinship” with Prince.

L. Londell McMillan, Prince’s longtime attorney and partner, noted that both men shared an uncompromising authenticity. “Real recognized real,” McMillan stated, emphasizing that both artists remained true to themselves regardless of external pressures.

Though Prince is gone, his city remains resilient and engaged in the fight, now with The Boss lending his support.