Prince and the New Power Generation

The New Power Generation, often abbreviated NPG, was the band Prince assembled around 1990 to replace The Revolution as his backing group. Rooted in Minneapolis, the lineup blended funk, soul, rock, hip-hop and new jack swing, giving Prince a broader palette for the sprawling, party-oriented sound of the early 1990s. The group is best remembered as the vehicle behind the album Diamonds and Pearls (1991) and the symbol-titled album that followed, both of which produced hits such as «Cream», «Gett Off», «Diamonds and Pearls» and «Sexy M.F.».

Unlike the tightly knit Revolution, the NPG had a rotating cast of musicians and rappers over the years, giving Prince’s music a looser, more collective feel and occasionally shifting billing so records were credited to Prince and the New Power Generation. The band leaned into horn sections, live funk grooves and socially charged or playfully explicit lyrics, helping Prince chart a course through the New Jack Swing era without losing his signature guitar-driven funk identity.

The NPG was retired as Prince’s touring band in 2013 when he began working with the all-female trio 3rdeyegirl, but the name resurfaced in 2015 as Prince reunited former members for what became his final studio album, Hit n Run Phase Two. The group remains a key chapter in Prince’s catalog, marking the transition from the Purple Rain era into a funkier, band-centered sound.