Prince Fans React To Rare Archival Footage

WCCO revealed a clip of Prince as a young child, discovered while we went through archive video of the 1970's teachers strike. A local historian and a childhood friend of the music icon confirmed it was him. In the following 24 hours, the story has gained international attention.

[@kayrobbie5840]

I knew it was Prince immediately. He still had the facial expressions and mannerisms he never change or lost going into his adulthood.

[@bruceparris2721]

I agree as soon as I seen his face I knew it was him too

[@iamayaka9955]

I bet he did remember about it but never mentioned

[@mariachristinaherrera9359]

The real fans knew it was Prince. Those eyes!!! His face 😍 ♥ 😭

[@starrcompany3275]

That mouth

[@blackraspberry9509]

That voice

[@monilaninetynine3811]

I confirmed it. Yes, we know.

[@ConjureQueenTours]

☔️💜☔️💜☔️💜

[@craigprice1598]

Shine, even the casual fans or either the people who didn't even care for Prince knew it was him.

[@neutralitythought]

PRINCE WAS ALWAYS FOR THE PEOPLE!

[@starrcompany3275]

We saw Michael as alittle boy talking etc but we've NEVER saw our little Prince speaking! This is a beautiful dream💜🦋

[@ConjureQueenTours]

💜☔️💜☔️💜☔️

[@aaronturley3587]

8 years later Prince's "For You" album would be released. The rest is history.

[@pebbles1340]

RIGHT!!!

[@Rey-Nolds]

Word...

[@danyelleorr-mcneil4711]

Boom.

[@Official_Kings_Versus]

Yessir 💜

[@thepromiseman7745]

For real

[@janetgeller7272]

I just love how many different folks around the world revere and adore him. 💜

[@jj-one2048]

yes,here im from Argentina Prince is unforgetable!

[@FredMaradojagger]

@@jj-one2048 italy here!but argentina is for maradonaaaaaa i thought🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jj-one2048]

@@FredMaradojagger Sorry but italy loves maradona more than argentines! here we love MESSI maradona is second place ! and i love PRINCE and Michael Jackson the greatest from USA! and From Italy i love Raffaella Carrà, Sophia Loren, Michelangelo !

[@FredMaradojagger]

@@jj-one2048 ok napoli loves el pibe dieguito!!! y from argentina gardel y borges y fangio...

[@miro115]

Wow, just wow. What a good human Unique super genius No one compares RIP Maestro

[@patritablackston2064]

I agree Miro no one compares!!!

[@miro115]

@@patritablackston2064 👌 👉 💜 👈

[@ellab8897]

@Miro - Because I can’t resist: Prince - Nothing Compares 2 U 💜✨

[@miro115]

@@ellab8897 yes, he loved God above all. This is his anthem 4 "IT" Thank U 💜

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

Back in the Mid to late 80's my friends and I were riding bikes out by the airport and happened to see Prince come walking out with his entourage around him as they climbed into a limo and rolled off, born and raised in mpls, I'll always remember it

[@angholloway5091]

Wow did he see you all?

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

@@angholloway5091 as much as I'd like to say yes, honestly i really dont know for sure

[@angholloway5091]

@@ItsaRomethingeveryday oh ok

[@starrcompany3275]

Awwwww I wish I knew Prince at this time🥺

[@AlisterX5]

Actually 6 years since he left us, not 7. Great archival footage!

[@monilaninetynine3811]

It won't officially even be 6 years until April 21

[@AlisterX5]

True, I'm just rounding up.

[@chippy7745]

Yeah, that guy can’t count. How embarrassing for him. And on tv too. smh

[@newnew4142]

He was so cute as a kid. Prince gave a gift towards his passing anniversary. with this old interview

[@Teeveepicksures]

Someone like Prince giving a small local record shop the rights to sell his album is an amazing act.

[@phillipiverson6699]

Out of all of the Reels in the Archives that one was meant to be found..

[@goodjudygirlfriend]

It was me I was one of the people posting from Japan, lol. Well Okinawa to be exact and I shared all of the news footage I saw on this awesome story.

[@kevinsimpson2352]

I knew it was Prince the second he said, "Yup." Even as a boy he oozed confidence.

[@aaronturley3587]

Yup!

[@reimourrpower9357]

Salutes *PRN* ! Why is the anchorwoman surprised at the national & international response to this archival Prince footage, he was & is always a global star. Great to see.

[@AC-mp7cx]

most of his fans were in the west.

[@edithsantos2073]

She weird

[@chippy7745]

More and more of the younger generation are not that aware of the accomplishments of Prince ….. it’s pretty sad. They don’t even know who he is. Long ago I was asking a tech guy in a library about downloading videos & things,….when I mentioned Prince videos, he said “who is that?”

[@theurbangardener1006]

The Purple One was a star even then. ❤️ 🙏🏽 💜

[@dutchschultz3076]

Great young man who grew up to be an awesome human being. RIP PRINCE ♂️

[@leifgunnarlindberg3879]

my name is leif, im 62 born dec 59, and from sweden. i become a prince fan 1981. i have all the offical records and i have seen him in stockholm 2 times. 1988 and 2001. hes song free from the 1999 album become a beacon for me and belive in myself and made me se that im worth someting, and it made me grow as a person. youre free to do most anything anytime. i live in umeå a town in the north of sweden. cold climate like in m. i have a dream to visit minneapolis and paisley park some day. mvh leif sweden.

[@leeharrison8222]

I love "Free." Beautiful song. 1999 is my favorite Prince album, though I'm very happy listening to anything in his catalog. Amazing how an artist can move us with song. O(+>

[@deborahjohnson5576]

I lived in Minnesota from 1984-89. I had a friend who played high school basketball on Prince's team. I loved Minnesota!

[@vty7070]

We March. The song from the Gold Experience Album. Prince was and is ahead of his time. A genius

[@martigirl2545]

I *knew it was P R I N C E* as soon as I saw his lil face!!!! So precious!!! This *made me smile.* 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@angus7278]

Prince supported unions and teachers! And so should everyone.

[@lwmson]

I'm about the same age as Prince was then, and I remember they were teacher strikes in my hometown too. But we, like Prince I guess, supported the strikes not because of the welfare of the teachers, but because we didn't have to go to school!

[@rockon8174]

No he didn't! Using children as political pawns is abhorrent!!!

[@lwmson]

@@rockon8174 People, please! He was only TEN at the time, and most likely knew nothing about union politics and wasn't even privy to the issues pertaining to the union's demands. As I said earlier, he was probably in favor of the teacher strike to stay out of school.

[@angieeggleston1784]

I knew that was Prince right away. Wow he cared about the community and Teachers union.

[@Jvljvljvl]

If teachers were paid even an sliver of what they are worth, attracting brilliant mentors, the youth growing up would be coming up instead of crowding prisons.

[@Rita-yw2tn]

I completely agree with you

[@lildebboston455]

Me 2...

[@andrenaetrammell2711]

On Arsenio Hall he said he would've been a teacher if not a musician. But! He will do his best to be the player we saw him be! GOAT!

[@thereisnosanctuary6184]

Yeah, no.

[@johnmoore4714]

Unbelievable 💜 Prince

[@naturalwoman3552]

What a cutie and so intelligent at a young age...R.i.p Prince your Legend will never die....I still remember at age 4 he picked me up and put me on his hip after his Purple Rain tour in 1984..I was with my mama going to see Ashford & Simpson concert and Prince had just ended his concert and he was heading out the door with his band and I was crying up a storm because I wanted a purple balloon and Prince walked over to me and my mom and he asked me what was the matter and my mom told him I wanted the purple balloon and Prince asked me did I come to his concert and I said no...he told me next time I have to come to his concert and I'll get a purple balloon am my crying got worse so Prince put me on his hip and he went and got me a purple balloon and that was the best day of my life even though I ended up accidentally letting it go during the Ashford & Simpson concert when they started singing solid as a rock... I started crying again but my mama cursed me out LOL 🥰

[@alanmorris7669]

I knew it was Prince as soon as I saw his picture.

[@kalmia4066]

I was so excited to see the clip, made my day! So nice to see other's positive reactions as well.

[@MsQD]

Teachers are still working all those extra hours & all that other stuff. Love that guy.

[@blackgargamel]

It made us smiling and want to cry at the same time 💜

[@FlyAwayChi]

The fact that this lil kid was already a pro on the piano is ridiculous smh❤❤

[@mechelle1]

WOWWW you can literally see that’s PRINCE! The facial expression, the way he speaks! 🙌🏾🤩 #RIP #PRINCE☔️💜🥂🍾

[@loveyu2778]

OMG... I wonder where are the other kids..and did they realize as adults that they were outside running around with P R I N C E.. as youngsters..

[@arimasmemphis4061]

Of course they did. A friend said that he was very much into music, even at that young age. Plus, they went through middle and high school with him, as he was maturing into adulthood and some of them never lost touch, even as he became the world renowned Prince that we know today.

[@finkployd6110]

I wish Prince was around to see this. I wonder how he'd react to this 52-year-old recording of himself.

[@noelodwyer326]

Ha the little strut off to the side at the end Pure Prince... An amazing find

[@thepromiseman7745]

At 11 years old he was already ahead of his time in 1970

[@jarrettcone8949]

Absolutely Michael was on tour around this time and had some number one records

[@thepromiseman7745]

@@jarrettcone8949 no I'm not talking about Micheal Jackson ..I'm talking about PRINCE

[@rosswilson7713]

There was never a doubt that it was Prince. :) It's fascinating to see him on video well before stardom, at such a young age. So very cool. I'm still smiling about this find, and captivated whenever it plays. :)

[@TBoogy3]

Also cool to think that labels were having a bidding war to sign him basically 7 years later.

[@georgenambo2685]

The Purple one indeed, that lil bounce 💜 we miss you bro R.I.P🎸🎶

[@FreeSpirit47]

I cried nearly every day for weeks after he passed on. Gone too soon. A bright light in the world had gone out.

[@marqosmarqos1201]

Even in death the Purple one continues to amaze us. RIP brother.

[@marianpeppers2061]

WHAT A BIRTHDATE GIFT for Prince.

[@ellab8897]

I’m confused. Prince’s birthdate is June 7, 1958.

[@marianpeppers2061]

@@ellab8897 Yes. an earlier one

[@mmjaljs]

The discovery was a Breath of Fresh Air....mmj

[@lionofjudah1444]

It would’ve been really cool if they could have found this footage before he passed.

[@ednaking4277]

I just want to say that is a privilege in a honor to watch Prince when he was only 11 years old he was already talking about money not only money but big money n also thinking about others who needed more than others I'm just blown away I'm so happy and so proud and to have known Prince as of Music musician and now all these years later decade years later we see our Mega Legend Superstar at 11 years old and to hear him speak he was very smart and very educated for his age at 11 years old i think he knew at a very young age that he was going to be big and Famous in my soul I feel like he knew it may you rest in peace Prince we will always love you and you will forever be missed😇🥰🤣💯💜

[@Shonan2024]

When Prince passed in 2016, Japan lit up Tokyo Tower purple as tribute.

[@mikey90504]

That would have been cool to see.

[@daisymaisy4877]

💜we miss you prince💜

[@AnthonyWilliams-ot1yk]

Wow! Attitude and everything. Yeah, that's him!

[@bernadenehubbard8206]

My little Prince 💓, Love you.

[@Khultan]

1000% he gave a sensible answer for an urban kid that age.

[@andrenaetrammell2711]

From day one, he wanted that camera lol! Lil dude jumping up and downv to get that camera to see him!!

[@sojournerwilliams7668]

Knew it was him right away! When Prince passed, I was living in Nashville. They lit up the arch over the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge. I thought that was sooo awesome! It looked ethereal 🙏🏽

[@mrcarter7314]

He didnt have to die. He worked like a "slave" to become a master. Then he was killed because he wanted his masters. I'm still not over it.

[@davidgibson7615]

Stop it with this conspiracy shit. He already got all of his master recordings before he passed. Now his estate owns it

[@mrcarter7314]

@@davidgibson7615 Yeah ok. Coincidentally after getting his masters back he died of a "drug overdose"

[@renetaylor1186]

You got the look. Prince, then in later in life

[@TamaraGarrettAlpha]

How cute. Prince. Who would have know he would grow up to be who is was 💙💙💙

[@alwayshavestrengthjoy7450]

Lol. You can tell that was him, he was so cute!

[@tiffanycurtis4794]

WOW TEARS IN MY EYES🥺 LOVE HIM💜

[@nicolebrown1927]

I love him crying.🥺!!!! 😢Girl, now you got me up here cryin.😭 I miss him so bad!😪

[@Chavacandraw]

Gives you a frame of reference, for when his father kicked him out of the house at age 12.

[@sharonperkins2941]

OMG YES!!! AT FIRST GLANCE!!! ABSOLUTELY!!! THAT IS HIM!!! Watch his face...those beautifully mischievous expressions. There is NO doubt!!! AAAAAWW!!! CONTINUE TO REST IN HEAVENLY PIECE "BEAUTIFUL ONE!!!" 💜💜😪💜💜

[@pje6882]

i was at the MSP airport many years ago waiting outside and witnessed Prince being given a ride on a cart to his transportation waiting for him. An older lady probably in her 70's must have recognized him and yelled "Hi Prince" He looked up with a wide grin and waved back at her. I always thought that was so cool of him, Made me feel like he never felt above anyone

[@romonalove8798]

U MADE PRINCE FANS HAPPY

[@kendrag.]

Awww look at little prince nice beautiful🌸

[@audreyquaye4095]

Skipper the activist! This is just too good! 😊☮️

[@taebrekam6533]

And then he went home and Practiced, Practiced, Practiced... Anything is possible. To God Be The Glory.

[@17purpledays87]

„The Little Prince“ Damn U - I still miss U, Prince. Keep resting easy and I see you in the after world. A world of never ending happiness…

[@mikeraj2622]

he did donate alot to schools, he wud ve been have happy to see this old footage :)

[@edwinodus]

The face and mannerisms gave it away

[@carmenyolandagreene3049]

Thanks Skipper! From a retired teacher💙

[@robyncook5255]

skipper then tortured his girl

[@peteyleewheatstraw6093]

And 6 years later we are still battling Fentanyl overdoses all over the country! Drugs and alcohol have killed every superstar we know! Elvis,Prince,Michael Jackson,Jim Morrison,Amy Winehouse and recently Taylor Hawkins! And many more I haven't mentioned. We are missing out on a lot of good music that never was created.

[@carmenyolandagreene3049]

Never heard of Fentanyl until Prince died from it 🥲

[@peteyleewheatstraw6093]

@@carmenyolandagreene3049 Me either but its everywhere now days. A very dangerous drug that one can easily overdose on. A very tiny amount can kill you! Scary stuff!

[@carmenyolandagreene3049]

@@peteyleewheatstraw6093 My sister was an oncology nurse and she said that drug has been around for awhile but it was only given in the hospital for the cancer patients and those on hospice. It’s a shame this crazy and dangerous drug is on the streets now. Too many lives lost.

[@helenemastrianni7251]

Never heard him speak so many words💋...Dang,I loved that guy 😉

[@forensicaccountant259]

01:17-01:18 Prince had hops!

[@theteleisewilliamsexperience]

Exactly

[@daniyahwalton6207]

He was said to be really good at basketball despite his height

[@mizzjacquettaxx6974]

I knew was prince with a same face and he was freakin cute 😊

[@sophialewis5474]

Others can go for Gold. This footage of Prince and our own family albums are the real treasure. The beauty of life! Go ahead ....seriously.... try to beat it. I wasn't in Prince's life so why has this made my day and how come I feel as great as a Minnesotan? Shining his genius purple starlight.

[@Kiwi91663]

they did all that searching.. for someone to help them be 100% positive... I was positive the second I saw his face...but, once he said "yep" and all his mannerisms.... confirmed it more.... However, why search for others that knew him... he has family there.. Call Tyka... she could have told you just as easily....lol

[@craigprice1598]

I know right

[@iamayaka9955]

All hardcore Prince fans knew it was him.. Little Skipper... Funny the way he jumped at 01mn19 secs😂 A Legend 😀😀😀

[@Big_Uncle_Randy]

Only 6 years since he passed not 7..crazy went by fast

[@goldenheart8823]

PRICELESS. 💕💕💕

[@patrickwalker9470]

Bloody amazing 👏😍👌Prince 🤴😍💜

[@Mytho17]

I can't stop smiling.

[@lesiamccord5334]

OMG this made my day. A real fan always

[@crotalusatrox7931]

The Young Prince!

[@Gracia144JesusSaves]

💜🌌we miss him ,but rest in Peace we Will see you again one Day soon that is what i believe .

[@eightysixyoarse]

Six years, not seven!! He left in April 2016.

[@ms.w.9214]

How sweet, most of our beginnings are just this innocent. 😇

[@jerrylewis788]

At first he said he thinks they need to get a better education too.

[@zantims8073]

He must have been referring to something he had heard of that was lost in his translation, lol (or nervousness)

[@casteretpollux]

Man of principal from boyhood.

[@shannonm75]

He seemed to be at ease on public media very early on.

[@bvvaughan1]

Oh my love him always have always will

[@marciaaparecidadomingues9786]

Ele era uma criança destemida, talvez não imaginasse a influência que seria mesmo tendo uma passagem tão meteórica por esse plano. Ele faz muita falta.

[@resedoton]

Obviously there's more footage you're not showing WCCO. Please release every second of it.

[@raymondmorgan5876]

Excellent dear Watson

[@michellesilas3944]

God Bless you! 🙏 🤴

[@girlygal098]

Nothing Compares 2 U, Prince.

[@Be1smaht]

He’s so cute

[@jasondawson92]

The north side of Indianapolis man Prince was that dude grow up listening to all his music he gave me game for sure.

[@FlyAwayChi]

Minneapolis

[@DoorDashDrama]

Great story..

[@smoothpants]

I'm actually interested in seeing the entire film.

[@terigreer88]

That's my boy love prince forever💜

[@angelomelville9084]

CHEERS, WELL DONE WCCO!!

[@loridenham1808]

Cute little guy

[@davidlarson4044]

6 years.

[@adonaiyah2196]

His accent is very different to what we're used to