Got to Be Something Here: The Rise of the Minneapolis Sound

Got to Be Something Here explores the rise of the Minneapolis Sound through two generations of political upheaval, rebellion, and artistic passion, tracing the journeys of black artists who were hard-pressed to find venues and outlets for their music. It features blistering, sweltering, relentless funk, soul, and R&B from artists like Maurice McKinnies, Haze, Prophets of Peace, and The Family, and provides a rare glimpse into Prince's world and his relationship to his legacy and the music he and his friends crafted in their youth.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2021
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

Got to Be Something Here, a captivating documentary film that delves into the rich history of the Minneapolis Sound, begins its journey in the year of Princes birth, 1958, with the recording of Minnesotas first R&B record by the Big Ms, a North Minneapolis band. This film traces the evolution of this distinctive sound through two generations of political upheaval, rebellion, and artistic passion.

Funk and soul become a powerful lens through which to explore three decades of Minneapolis and St. Paul history, as veteran music journalist Andrea Swensson takes us on a journey through the neighborhoods, venues, and lives that shaped the Minneapolis Sound.

Begin your exploration in the Near North neighborhood, where soul artist Wee Willie Walker, recording engineer David Hersk, and the Big Ms laid the foundation for the Minneapolis Sound. Across the Mississippi River in the historic Rondo district of St. Paul, the gospel-meets-R&B groups the Exciters and the Amazers took hold of a community that would soon be erased by the construction of I-94.

Swensson takes us on a journey from King Solomons Mines to the Flame, from The Way in Near North to the First Avenue stage (then known as Sams), where Prince made a triumphant hometown return in 1981. Throughout this journey, Swensson highlights the struggles faced by black artists who were hard-pressed to find venues and outlets for their music, navigating the color line as they honed their sound.

The film showcases blistering, sweltering, relentless funk, soul, and R&B from artists like Maurice McKinnies, Haze, Prophets of Peace, and The Family, who refused to be categorized and whose boundary-shattering approach set the stage for a young Prince Rogers Nelson and his peers Morris Day, André Cymone, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis to launch their careers and the Minneapolis Sound into the stratosphere.

A visit to Princes Paisley Park and a conversation with the artist provide a rare glimpse into his world and an intimate understanding of his creative process.

Got to Be Something Here is a testament to the power of music to transcend boundaries, connect communities, and leave an indelible mark on history. It is a must-watch for music enthusiasts, historians, and anyone who appreciates the rich cultural heritage of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Weight: 330g
Dimension: 140 x 208 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517911997