One of the Jungle Brothers’ breakthrough records was 1988’s “Because I Got It Like That.” The 1988 Idlers/Warlock Records single would be a keystone in the Native Tongues movement, predating De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest’s formal arrival in the music marketplace. With that said, the Straight Out The Jungle single kicked in the door for Afrika Baby Bam, Mike Gee, and Sammy B on their debut.

The indie LP would go on to grab the coveted 5-mic rating from The Source, and become a Hip-Hop classic featuring involvement from Q-Tip, Todd Terry, and Kool DJ Red Alert.

In a new interview with 247HH.com, Afrika reveals that the hit, which sampled Sly & The Family Stone, was originally penned with none other than Prince in mind. “I wrote that song for Prince. Because I knew he liked the Staple Singers. [There is] a song that the Staple Singers sang called ‘Piece Of The Action,’ which was [in] a movie with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier. I used to watch this movie over, and over, and over again because I liked that song. Then I read one day that Prince said one of his inspirations was the Staple Singers. They had this Gospel style; I was big on Gospel at the time. I wasn’t religious, but I loved Gospel music. So I was sittin’ on the train on the way to the studio, and I was imagining a Staple Singers-styled song for Prince. I even [sang the bridge to Mike Gee], when [he] got on the train. I said, ‘Yo, that’s the Prince song.’ He said, ‘Yeah? Wow, that’s hot.’ I was like, ‘No, I’m just kiddin’. I wrote that.”

From D’Angelo to Sinhead O’Connor to Shelia E., plenty of people have covered Prince songs. How would it sound if The Artist were to cover The JBeez?

Check the other parts of Afrika Baby Bam’s interview with 247HH.

Related: Are Native Tongues Hip-Hop’s Best Collective Ever? Listen to This (Mixtape)