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In an extraordinary move, the troubled legend tackles his Internet copyright woes by releasing a new track online. Listen to the track.

It began with Prince announcing he was to take legal action against any fan websites containing his images, photographs, album covers, lyrics and anything deemed to be the artist's likeness.

Then the subsequent backlash unfolded as the three biggest Prince fansites on the Web formed a new group, 'Prince Fans United' (PFU) to protest against what they call the 'attempts to stifle all critical commentary about Prince...an injustice to the fansites and the very fans who have supported Prince's career, many since the very beginning nearly thirty years ago.'

An artist who has constantly taken both his critics and fans by surprise, Prince has responded by releasing a new song on the actual Prince Fans United website.

A statement on the website reads,

'PFU has been contacted by Prince's Management and we are currently in discussions. We are hopeful that an amicable resolution can be reached wherein all can co-exist peacefully on the internet. However, if the talks are unsuccessful, the Prince Fans United Group vows to continue its fight.

'In the meantime, Prince has provided "Prince Fans United" with the song named "PFUnk" for your listening pleasure.'

The seven minute track is a typical slice of Prince-style pop funk. 'PFunk' finds Prince sings in his 'Camille' falsetto and contains the lyrics 'I don't care what people may say / I'm ain't gonna let it ruin my day / I ain't gonna die for a basket of lies...'

The track is not available to download. However it's not the first time Prince has given away his music for free. His latest studio album, ‘Planet Earth’, was given away free with a Sunday newspaper earlier this year, infuriating music retailers but winning praise from fans. Everyone attending his 21 sold-out gigs at London's 02 in August and September also received a copy of the album.

Hitting the big time in the early '80s with smash-hit film soundtrack, 'Purple Rain', Prince's career of late has been dogged by controversy and what is seen as his increasingly unconventional approach to music, from changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol to writing ‘slave’ on his cheek in protest at his former record company, Warner.

This move comes two months after Prince threatened to sue YouTube and other major Internet sites for unauthorised use of his music. He has also allegedly paid a company to scan the web for any Prince music files and video footage in order for them to be removed.

Listen To The Track

Click here to listen to the track

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