OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
Tracy Morgan, the beloved comedian known for his unforgettable Saturday Night Live sketches, also has a memory that few people can claim: the night he was kicked out of Prince’s house. Yes, you heard that right—Tracy Morgan, after a wild night of partying at one of Prince’s legendary afterparties, was escorted out by none other than “The Artist” himself.
It all began at the 2008 Grammys when Prince, known for his elusive and private lifestyle, threw a high-profile afterparty. Tracy Morgan, a longtime fan of the Purple One, was in attendance with none other than Jennifer Lopez. “If you were somebody, you were there,” Morgan recalled. The evening kicked off with free drinks flowing and Prince playing his guitar in his pajamas—just a glimpse into the eccentric and unique world the iconic musician created. For the night’s revelers, it was a surreal experience of musical magic and pure hedonism.
As the hours passed and the night turned into an early morning, most of the guests had long since disappeared, but not Tracy Morgan. “It was just me and my boy Bradley, sitting down on his couch with two girls, still going at it,” Morgan bragged about the end of the night. But as anyone who’s ever partied at Prince’s house might have guessed, there’s a limit to how long even the wildest of guests can overstay their welcome.
Enter Prince, who, after his own jam session with the band, was ready to call it a night. According to Morgan, Prince and his wife appeared at the door, informing him it was time to go. Morgan, still feeling the effects of the party, made his way to the door. But in what can only be described as one of the most absurd yet oddly fitting moments of the evening, Morgan grabbed Prince by the neck. “Prince is a pretty motherfucker,” Morgan later confessed. “I got gay for about five seconds. God damn it! Whoo!”
For a brief moment, the comic had his hand on the back of the legendary musician’s neck, and in that instant, he said something that only someone like Tracy Morgan could have said. “My father loves ‘When Doves Cry,’” he quipped.
Prince, ever the enigmatic and no-nonsense figure, gave a simple reply: “Yeah, yeah. Just get the fuck out.”
And with that, the night of wild revelry ended. Or did it? Not quite. As Morgan and his group stumbled out of Prince’s house, they weren’t quite ready to say goodbye to the night. The crew lingered in the driveway, where they decided to light up a blunt as the sun started to rise. As Morgan reflected, “Imagine that.”
Despite the abrupt and somewhat hilarious ending, Morgan’s admiration for Prince remained steadfast. He fondly remembered the night and the way the musician lived his life: free, unapologetically expressive, and rooted in love and passion. Prince, a man who dared to challenge conventional norms, left an indelible mark on Morgan and countless others. “Was he an influence? Absolutely!” Morgan recalled. “He was free, he came from the heart. He was talking about making love, he was a sexy man!”
For Morgan, that unforgettable night with Prince became more than just a wild story to tell. It became a reminder of the unparalleled energy and boldness that Prince embodied—a man who never shied away from being his true self, even if it meant kicking out a superstar comedian in the middle of the night.