“Used: My Life Within The Minneapolis Sound”

“Wake up! How do you sleep at night? Don't give me that stuff, Cause you know it ain't right. 

Cause I feel used, used. Broken-hearted got me crying from the start. 

Cause I feel used, used. Took me down, not around. 

You've gone too far. No matter what you say. What you trying to do to me? Who gave you the right to be? How could you take away my Time? Why you want to tell me lies? You keep a straight face. But what is going on? A masquerade ball. See me running away? I'm gone. 

Cause I feel used, used. Led astray, you 

went away. (NOW) I'm here to stay.”

Written by: Jellybean Johnson, Lisa Keith and Chance Howard 

Produced by: Jellybean Johnson

Performed by: Alexander O'Neal

1) Chicago- Jellybean was born in Chicago in 1956 and lived there till 1968. Early musical memories include his mom taking him to see James Brown as a young child, a home full of blues music like Albert King and gospel and soul music like Aretha Franklin. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil unrest afterwards including walking to school as a boy though burned out buildings are etched in his memory. Soon after his mother was able to transfer her job to Minneapolis a city with very few Black people who were also reeling in the midst of the civil rights movement. Jellybean also grew up in an area of Chicago riddled with gangs. He remembers the gang leaders trying very hard to recruit him into their world. This was also another reason his mother needed to get them out of Chicago.

2) Minneapolis-all White Minneapolis was culture shock for Jellybean as a 12 year old child. He had come from an all Black neighborhood and school system and now it was very much not that. He was given a more durable drum set he could no longer ruin in one day and he started to practice drums more intently. He soon met Morris Day also a drummer who would become his band mate and lifelong friend. Jellybean would  hike his drum set 15 blocks making several trips on foot carrying each piece, to set up his kit at Morris's mom's house so they could play left handed in tandem. Funny thing is Morris IS left handed Jellybean is NOT.

3) Flyte Tyme Band-By the age of 15 Jellybean and hisneighborhood friends were playing in their own band. They were too young to play clubs and Minnesota clubs had unwritten policies of not hiring all Black bands. So they played where they could including band battles at North Commons park against Prince's band Grand Central. Flyte Tyme had a Full 5 piece horn section something Prince did not but would later recreate by having horn sounds played by keyboards. All these early members of Flyte Tyme went on to beat the odds for young Black kids and have stellar careers in music and other fields. It was that musical Foundation and a deeply competitive drive that gave them a future. Jellybean also lost his brother Allen at this time in a terrible accident. His death forever altered their family and left a permanent hole in Jellybean's life.

4) The Time-Jellybean's version of how Prince created along with Morris, The Time. The early days, demanding rehearsals, where they bought their clothes, how Prince taught them to travel, the first tours with Prince, Vanity 6, Roger and Zapp. Life on the road.Performing at Joe Louis Arena in front of massive crowd. Prince not allowing them to play in New York or LA and the guys crying backstage. Hearing their first song on the charts while driving up Sunset in LA. Fighting with the Revolution on the road. Pay issues. Jimmy and Terry getting fired. Monte quitting. The infamous food fight. The path to Purple Rain. 

5) Purple Rain-acting and dance lessons, a new line up of the band, grueling film schedules, Morris and Prince fight on set that Jellybean broke up, Morris taking off the last day off filming, going to the premiere and to the Grammy's with Prince. 

6) The Family-Prince's greatest second act, his opus that became The Family's one performance at First Ave. Prince asking Jellybean to drum with The Revolution. How Prince destroyed the band.  Prince putting a down payment on first house. Jellybean not getting a paycheck. Moving on. Personal family tragedy strikes again when Jellybean's sister in law is murdered and the fallout for him and the family. Fired from Prince's camp.

7) Flyte Tyme Studios-finding a new career as a producer. Working with Jimmy and Terry. First song with Nona Hendryx, working with New Edition, Alexander O'Neal Pia Zadora, Karen White, and others. Finding Mint Condition and bringing them to Flyte Tyme. Changing From childhood friends, band mates and now working for Jimmy and Terry. Complications.