I remember reading an interview in the early 90s with Levi Seacer Jr, originally bassist and then rhythm guitarist in Prince's band. He said that it was daunting to sit in a rehearsal room or in the studio, with a bunch of top level hired gun musicians, but at any time, the guy you're working for can come over and ask you to play something a specific way, and then demonstrate it to you on your chosen instrument and play it better than you could. Prince was deeply inspired by Stevie Wonder, particularly the fact that Stevie could play everything on his albums. This is why it's so ridiculous to hear people comparing Prince to the likes of Michael Jackson or Madonna as 'musicians.' It took 30 musicians, 6 songwriters, and Quincy Jones to make Thriller. Prince was perfectly capable of writing the songs, playing all the instruments, singing all of the vocals, and producing his own albums, which is exactly what he did on his first few. Jackson may have been more popular, but he was not in the same stratosphere as Prince as a 'musician.'
Plenty of people, including Stevie himself, Miles Davis, Maceo Parker, Larry Graham etc, knew while Prince was alive that he was beyond just a great musician of his generation, and more likely one of the greatest musicians who has ever lived. Understandably, what he produced was not to everyone's taste, nothing is. But the fact of his virtuosity and musical genius is beyond debate.
Cheers.................................... wahwah