i think the fall was just so quick and large in scope that its hard to understand. i mean compare sign of the times to diamonds and pearls. i dont care if you like that album or not there is no defense for the rapping on there. no one would voluntarily listen to a tony m. verse. and right there you see how he went from being an inspirational, transformation, highly influential artist to a follower of trends and started watering down his sound with what was hot at the time, but sounds dated as fuck now.
i mean prince WAS the 80s. but almost all his 80s shit does not sound dated at all whereas his 90s shit is just cringe inducing.