It was a small, simple yellow house in North Minneapolis. If you walk past it today, it does not look like a famous landmark. But inside those walls, a young boy was making pure magic.
His name was Prince Rogers Nelson. Long before he was a massive global superstar, he was just a kid trying to find his own voice. Today, the city is actually working to make this exact house a protected historic landmark!
What will become of Prince’s childhood home
Prince moved into the yellow rambler on 8th Avenue when he was just six years old. He lived there until he was twelve.
He did not have fancy, expensive music lessons. Instead, he simply taught himself how to play the piano. He watched his father, John, play jazz music. Then, he went to the piano and copied the fun jingles he heard on the television. He experimented all by himself. He was a natural, self-taught genius.
During this time, his family attended a local church. There, he met the Anderson family. He became best friends with their son, André. This single friendship would soon change his entire life.
A Lonely Journey
Back in the yellow house, things were getting very hard. His parents sadly separated in 1968. Young Prince had to pack his bags. His quiet world was completely turned upside down.
Prince talks about his childhood
He started moving all the time. Between the ages of 12 and 16, he became a bit of a loner. He bounced around from place to place. He lived with his father in a small apartment. Then he lived in another house. He even spent several school years living with his Aunt Olivia.
He was a nomadic teenager looking for a true home. But through all the difficult moves, he never stopped playing his instruments. Music was his only safe place.
Finally, when he was 16 years old, he found his ultimate sanctuary. He moved right into the basement of his best friend, André Anderson.
Down in that quiet basement, he had total freedom. He practiced his music every single day. He focused entirely on his craft without any distractions. He finally had a steady, supportive home. His cousin later smiled and said, “This is where it all happened for Prince musically.”