March 1987

Prince releases the double album 'Sign O the Times,' widely regarded by critics as his artistic peak and one of the greatest albums in rock and R&B history, addressing AIDS, gang violence, drug addiction, and spirituality with formal daring.

Robert Townsend self-finances and releases 'Hollywood Shuffle,' a sharp satire of Hollywood's stereotyping of Black actors, charging much of the $100,000 budget on credit cards. The film earns $5 million and becomes a landmark independent Black comedy.