Morris Day on Legacy, Prince’s Advice, and the Art of Staying Cool

Few entertainers carry the swagger of Morris Day. The frontman of The Time, known for hits like “Jungle Love” and “The Oak Tree” and for film roles in Purple Rain, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, joined hosts D.L. Hughley and Jasmine Sanders on the couch of The D.L. Hughley Show. He brought the same easy charm that made him a fixture of Black music and culture for more than four decades.

Owning the Title

When the hosts asked whether “iconic” fit him, Day didn’t hesitate. “I like words like legendary,” he said with a grin. “I take them all.”

He quickly shared the credit with his bandmates. “I say we because I always talk about my fellows, too,” he explained. “We’ve been in the game, man, for a long time. People still love us.”

The hosts pushed further, noting that longevity alone doesn’t make someone remarkable. Day called it “a tough question” before landing on a simple answer: you have to be cool.

RELATED STORY: ‘Purple Rain’ Set to Debut on Broadway in 2027

RELATED STORY: 10 Artists Prince Actually Respected (And Even Admired)

The Accidental Frontman, Prince’s Pivotal Advice

Day’s path to the spotlight was never part of the plan. “It was an accident for me,” he said. “I started out a drummer, you know, had no plans of being anybody’s front man.”

Looking back, he doesn’t mind the switch. “I’m kind of glad,” he joked, “because drummers ain’t making that much money these days.”

Day credits Prince with pushing him out front. When Day admitted he didn’t know how to lead a band, Prince gave him simple advice. “He said, well, be cool,” Day recalled. “He said, put your hand in your pocket.”

Day took the advice literally. “If you look at the first video, ‘Cool’ video, my hand was in my pocket. It never left.” Over time, the hand came out, and signature moves like “the bird” followed.

D.L. and Jasmine pointed out that his music always felt fun, irreverent, and joyful. Day said that spirit grew over time, and it came from “bringing a sense of humor to the music and some personality to the music.”

“I go in and out of seriousness,” he said. “You gotta be able to laugh, man, at yourself.”

On Today’s Music and Bruno Mars

Day was candid about current trends. “Some music is just too serious for me,” he said. When it isn’t serious, he added, “it’s too youthful for me, a lot of it.”

One modern artist earns his full respect. When the hosts compared him to Bruno Mars, Day smiled. “I can see the influence,” he said. “Bruno’s one of the few people who I really dig these days. He’s a great performer. He’s a talented songwriter, singer, you name it. He can do it all, man.”

Decades after first slipping his hand into his pocket, Morris Day is still the standard for cool.