I went into I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon with the idea that I would get something that other books hadn't covered before or after it's publish date. What I got was something completely different. The biggest problem I have with this book is that Touré goes to great lengths to point out what was happening in the day surrounding Prince that would ultimately give rise to his popularity. The problem is that Touré spends too much time painting a picture with historical references. There are times he goes so far in dissecting history that Prince's own story seems like an afterthought. There are some interesting things to come out when the focus is back on Prince. But with a lot of gaps in between, it became a very hard book to read and get through. I did finish it, but it seemed like a waste of time and a wasted opportunity. Not sure I'd recommend this book to a Prince fan because they will be disappointed, but a History scholar may get more out of the book.