He was Prince. Then he wasn't. Now he is again. Back in 1997, he was in the "wasn't" period when MTV News caught him on tour, his first U.S. jaunt in six years, to sample his set and fans' reactions.

"I just started a world tour entitled the Jam of the Year and the first gig was last night and it was a rip-roaring success," not-Prince said. "I want to let everybody here know that Lenny Kravitz has agreed to do some dates with us. George Clinton has agreed to do some dates with us, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan and No Doubt."

The fans had only good things to say about the Artist's show.

"Whenever I get hyped up for an evening out, Prince is what I put on, so it's pretty cool," actress Claire Danes said.

"Every time he says something people just want to chant right back, and people are going nuts in there," a male fan said. "So it's like a crowd participation show. It's awesome."

"Jam of the year," a female fan said.

"Jam of the century," her friend interjected.

In a limo somewhere on the streets of Manhattan another man of many monikers, Puff Daddy, who had just released his LP No Way Out, was conducting business. MTV News' John Norris went along for the ride to see what it was like to run a successful record label and at the same time be one of the most popular artists in the country.

John Norris: I see the cell phone in hand. You're a pretty busy guy, right? You don't get a moment to rest. On average, how many phone calls would you say you take a day?

Puff Daddy: I would say, on this phone, close to 100. I carry like five of these batteries. I got clips. I got reserves all in my pockets. My pockets are always heavy.

Norris: And no matter where you go, they're phoning you about one thing or another, right?

Puff Daddy: Faxes, meetings, 24-7. I'm just a savage. I'm just trying to be all that I can be.

Norris: Would you say you're a tough boss to work for?

Puff Daddy: Yeah, I think I'm a tough boss to work for. I think I'm that coach that when you're in training camp you're cursing your coach out. But when you're in the championship then you understand. I don't think I'm a mean boss. I'm a hard boss.

Norris: So you're on your way to yet another television appearance. Are you getting a little burnt with all the press?

Puff Daddy: Oh yeah. No, this is it. This is the last one then it's over. I'm turning into Michael Jackson now. I'm going to pre-record my interviews and send them out. Right now the media is so sensationalized they play with people's lives by jumping on a story quick or trying to break something or going with an accusation or a speculation. If you let it, it can ruin you.

Norris: What's the rest of your day like? After this thing do you have more work?

Puff Daddy: If you want to really honestly know what I'm gonna do after this, I'm gonna go to the bathhouse. I've got to get some steam 'cause I'm about to have a breakdown ...

The Wu-Tang Clan spent about $800,000 and several weeks longer than expected to make "Triumph," their first video off their double album Wu-Tang Forever. With its eye-catching, bee-swarming effects, the video redefined the term "buzz clip." We asked the Wu how and why this elaborate video got to look the way it does.

"This video was about a swarm of killer bees coming," the group's RZA said. "You look at the old days and they always used to say, little newsy parts, there'd be a swarm of killer bees to hit America. Now the Wu-Tang killer bees is here."

"I get to ride the bikes, man," Method Man said of his role in the clip. "That's all I'm here to do, is ride the bikes."

"It's like if a little kid was to picture it, he'd look at it like a big hype magazine, like a comic book or whatever," Raekwon said.

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