1999: The New Master is an
EP of newly recorded
remixes of
Prince's 1982 hit "
1999". The EP was released in the year 1999 to take advantage of the song's namesake year. Using the original tracks, Prince added additional music, as well as contributions from a new lineup suspiciously resembling
the New Power Generation, including
Rosie Gaines,
Larry Graham and
Doug E. Fresh. The EP was released in the US on CD, as well as a rare purple vinyl 12-inch.
Although Prince was still going by his unpronounceable, symbolic
moniker at the time, he released the EP as "Prince and the Revolution", with the word Revolution written in reverse, as it had been on the original 1999 album cover.
The Revolution members on the original track (
Lisa Coleman and
Dez Dickerson) did not participate in the
re-recording, however. In fact "The Inevitable Mix" of the track cut out the original members altogether and replaced them with Graham and Gaines. Three of the tracks had very little to do with "1999" at all. "Keep Steppin'" and "Rosie & Doug E. In a Deep House" were little more than opportunities for Fresh to rap and Rosie Gaines to
scat. The track called "Rosario" featured actress
Rosario Dawson performing a political
spoken word over the chords of "
Little Red Corvette".
The original track has since been released on two hits compilations by
Warner Bros.