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I am perfectly OK with liking an artist's work and separating that from the person. I like Dali and I like Burzum and I like David Smith, none of whom are people whose views or behavior I would endorse wholeheartedly.
HOWEVER, I first and foremost dislike Prince's entire aesthetic. I wouldn't think it would be that hard for even the most die-hard Zappa fan to admit that the music is masterfully executed, but that reasonable adults can VERY EASILY take issue with matters of taste regarding Zappa's choices.
Many master players are tasteless. Prince is a tasteless player who knows his way around a fretboard very well. Yes, he can shred, but his guitar tone is awful and the music he makes is highly irritating to me.
Taste. It is a matter of taste. I have heard the vast majority of his output and I have liked MAYBE two songs.
I would also argue that he is very much phoning it in these days and riding his own coattails while fleecing a sycophantic fan base who will say that everything he shits out is a work of genius. He has not made a truly decent record in 20 years (this is me being generous), and is getting by on inertia at this point.
Again, I bring up that atrocious recent single "Screwdriver." Tell me that piece of crap measures up to the work that made his name.
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