This singer, guitarist, and prolific songwriter has made 15 albums in 15 years, but now, this 35-year old has decided to make no more recordings, just stick to live acts, nightclubs, and motion pictures. Who is he?

This period in the mid-1990s captures a pivotal and famously defiant moment in the career of the Minneapolis-born musical genius. By 1993, at the age of 35, he had indeed released a torrent of critically and commercially successful albums. However, he was embroiled in an intense contractual dispute with his label, Warner Bros. Records. He felt the contract was restrictive, treated him like property, and stifled his famously prolific creative pace.

His declaration to stop releasing new recordings was not about retiring but was a radical act of protest. To break from the contract that he felt owned the name "Prince," he famously changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, becoming "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince." During this time, he would often perform with the word "slave" written on his cheek. His statement was a strategic move to regain control of his master recordings and his artistic identity, shifting his focus to live performances and other ventures while he fought for his freedom from the label.

Of course, he never truly stopped recording. He continued to write and produce music at a staggering rate, releasing it through his own independent label and other means once he was free of his contractual obligations. This chapter, however, remains a legendary example of an artist battling the industry for creative and financial independence.