Pepé Willie, Prince’s Early Mentor and Minneapolis Music Icon, Dies at 76
Pepé Willie, the man who opened doors for a young Prince and served as a cornerstone of Minneapolis’ vibrant music scene, passed away on May 31 after a battle with cancer. He was 76.
Willie, who earned his nickname for his motivational “pep talks,” was known as the guy who could get things done — and his legacy lives on in some of the most influential sounds in modern music. He was the mastermind behind 94 East, the funk outfit that first introduced the world to Prince’s prodigious talent. Long before Purple Rain or chart-topping solo success, Prince was rehearsing and recording under Willie’s guidance.
Perhaps Willie’s most pivotal contribution came in January 1979, when he arranged a trio of make-or-break concerts at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis. “The Capri was do or die,” recalled Prince drummer Bobby Z in a recent interview. “Pepé was fluent in the language of the business. That was big for all of us.”
Indeed, the Prince legend as we know it may not have existed without Willie’s hand. “He was the glue,” said Bobby Z. “The Prince story would not have happened the way it did without Pepé.”
André Cymone, another foundational figure in Prince’s early days, echoed that sentiment. “Pepé was the bridge of getting Prince from Point A to Point B,” he said. “If you ran into brick walls, you could always reach out to Pepé.”
Willie’s support didn’t end with Prince. After his split from the Purple One, Morris Day credited Willie with helping him find his solo footing. “He was there to lend his knowledge,” said Day. “He didn’t ask about money. It was for the love of it all.”
Their friendship eventually waned — Prince became more reclusive over time, with their last conversation taking place in 2002. Still, Willie always maintained respect and admiration for the artist he helped shape. “I never took a dime from Prince,” he said in 2020. “I always admired his talent. He was a true genius in music.”
Pepé Willie’s contributions may not have always made headlines, but they shaped an entire movement. His influence echoes not only through Prince’s music but through every artist he mentored along the way.
