Prince may be a man of many names, but the NAACP likes his image regardless.
The “Purple Rain” singer will be honored with the 2005 NAACP Vanguard Award in a Los Angeles ceremony. The presentation will take place during the 36th annual NAACP Image Awards ceremony on March 19, which will be broadcast March 25 on Fox television.
“During the ‘80s, Prince emerged as the musical prophet of the era, releasing a series of albums that both define and captured the spirit of the times,” the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said in a statement. “His genre-bending songs sent shock waves through the music industry that still reverberate today.”
The award is given to those who have worked to increase understanding and awareness of racial and social issues. The previous honorees are film director Steven Spielberg and movie producer Stanley Kramer.
Earlier this month, Prince won two Grammy Awards — for best male R&B vocal performance for “Call My Name,” a single from his most recent album, “Musicology,” and best traditional R&B vocal performance for “Musicology.”