Of all the classic albums hyped to the moon and back, the one I've never doubted is "Purple Rain." Calling Prince's sixth album, which turns 40 on Tuesday, "seminal" isn't nearly strong enough ...

Purple Rain marked the acting debut of Prince, who also created the music for the film. The movie was budgeted at $7.2 million to make and it grossed $70.3 million worldwide making it a smash success.

In the 1980s, Prince and his iconic album "Purple Rain" brought R&B and funk to the masses. For Black History Month, we're going through the decades and discussing artists who shaped popular music.