He is the greatest Minnesotan. The best one we ever had. I probably under-appreciated him while he was with us. I love his music, and persona, and the whole bit, but I don't have stacks of Prince records in my home. So, I'm not going to shade myself as some kind of super fanboy. My favorite band of all time is the Replacements. That's not a "one of us" thing either, I just happen to think they're the best band of all time. But, here's the thing: if it weren't for Prince, there's a serious chance I would have never even heard the Mats at all (should note: I'm 27). Prince put this place on the map. If it weren't for Prince, MTV would never have come to town. My favorite band did everything in their power not to become famous, but they failed because the spotlight was there. Minneapolis became an important cultural zone in the 80s, and he's basically the reason why. Today, music is a pastime still. Band culture continues to thrive. Prince is basically the reason why.