There Aren’t Any Rules in Paisley Park: Applying Mark J. P. Wolf’s Theory of World-Building, Sub-Creation, and Secondary Belief to the Music and Career of Prince

This study explores how Prince’s artistic work demonstrates Mark J.P. Wolf’s theory of worldbuilding — the crafting of alternate multimedia realities designed to engage audiences. The paper analyzes how Prince created a distinctive “secondary world” through his lyrics, fashion, audio and visual aesthetics, and business practices. Examination of his work shows how it grants access to an idealized utopia beyond the confines of race, gender, and artistic convention using places like “Uptown” and “Paisley Park” to blend the virtual with the actual. Prince built up his secondary world through intentional use of specific figures including symbols (Cloud Guitar, Love Symbol), alter egos (Camille, Jamie Starr), and the color purple. As a creative practice, the composition of music for other artists (Vanity 6, The Time) increased platforms for the broader expansion and profitability of his stylized artistic universe. Ranging from innovative distribution methods to immersive live shows that amplify fan engagement while also protecting his created world by aggressive intellectual property control, Prince’s creative business practices likewise reveal him to be a shrewd administrator of his created world. Unusual tactics like changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol and directly releasing music to fans reinforced his maverick persona influencing the primary world of his daily lived experience. This study holds that a major part of Prince’s success rests on his ability to create “secondary belief” — making fans feel a sense of belonging in his alternate world by responding to their desire for freedom, uniqueness, and autonomy.