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Sought-after 1994 promo pressing of The Black Album by Prince (Warner Bros. 1-45793) in peach marbled vinyl, with its plain black cardboard sleeve (imprinted on the spine in orange with Warner Bros. Records' address in Burbank, California). The disc features black labels containing the WB logo and a track listing in orange print: "1. Le Grind, 2. Cindy C., 3. Dead On It, 4. When 2 R in Love, 5. Bob George, 6. Superfunkycalifragisexy, 7. 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton, 8. Rockhard in a Funky Place.". In very good to fine condition, with light scuffing and creasing to the album jacket, as well as some light damage along its spine edge (obliterating the catalog number and beginning of the address).
The Black Album, also known as The Funk Bible, was originally intended to be released on December 8, 1987, with an entirely black sleeve and no printed title or song credits. A week before its release date, Prince had the album withdrawn after having a spiritual experience that convinced him the album was 'evil.' Warner Bros. worked extremely hard to destroy all of the 500,000 copies that had been pressed—very few survived, making extant examples among the rarest records in the world.
In 1994, Prince allowed Warner Bros. Records to release The Black Album as a limited edition CD and cassette, however, no U.S. vinyl version of the album was ever commercially released. Warners did produce promotional limited edition vinyl copies, to be given away to retailers, radio and industry executives. 50 were produced in grey marbled vinyl, 300 in white vinyl, and 1000 in peach marbled vinyl, of which this is one.
