Prince & The New Power Generation : Diamonds and Pearls

Unlike Prince's previous albums, most of Diamonds And Pearls was recorded with The New Power Generation, which he had assembled mainly from the Twin Cities area. They shared cultural backgrounds and local experiences, and they helped Prince combine his past influences with the present, creating a new, uplifting mix of hip hop, dance music, gospel, and pop that would propel him to the top of the charts worldwide.

Prince believed in The New Power Generation so strongly that he gave them a joint credit on the cover of the Diamonds And Pearls album, something he had previously only done with one other band, The Revolution. The band consisted of Sonny Thompson (vocals and bass), Damon Dickson (vocals and percussion), Rosie Gaines (vocals and keyboards), Michael Bland (drums), Kirk Johnson (vocals and percussion), Tony M (vocals), Levi Seacer Jr. (bass, guitar, and vocals), and Tommy Barbarella (keyboards).