Synopsis. Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He later changed his name four times. Prince's early music career saw the release of Prince (1979), Dirty Mind (1980) and Controversy (1981)—all of which created controversy due to their fusion of religious and sexual themes.arly Life. Famed singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Named after the Prince Roger Trio, a jazz band his father performed with as a pianist, Prince was signed to Warner Brother Records as a teenager.