As longtime fans of the talented purple Prince, we’re excited to report that the musician announced a new, full-length album, tentatively titled Plectrum Electrum, AND Purple Rain will be reissued in a deluxe edition just in time for it’s 30th birthday later this summer!

Although Prince hasn’t given a definitive answer, his love of all things purple stretches almost as far as ours – even landing him into some hot water in 2006 over purple additions to an expensive rental house. Over the years, fans have guessed that it’s a favorite because of purple’s association with royalty and/or because of his devotion to the Minnesota Vikings. We think it’s probably a little more simple – purple is just an amazing color.

In honor of the Purple One returning to the spotlight, read on for ten little known facts on the artist (now re-known) as Prince:

1. Prince loves ping pong and famously played a game with Jimmy Fallon.

2. As a Jehovah’s Witness, he refuses to sing his own songs that celebrate sex.

3. Prince played electric guitar on Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.”

4. He wrote his first song, “Funk Machine” at the age of 7.

5. Michael Jackson’s “Bad” was supposed to be a duet with Prince, but Prince refused because of the song’s opening line, “Your butt is mine.”

6. He developed a feminine alter ego, Camille.

7. He met his wife, Mayte Garcia, via a videotape when she was 16 years old. After a long courtship, they married on Valentine’s Day in 1996.

8. Prince is a big fan of New Girl and made an appearance in the “Prince” episode.

9. Prince is his real name—he was named after his father’s jazz band The Prince Rogers Trio.

10. The symbol, which he infamously used as his name, has it’s own name—“Love Symbol #2”. When the copyright expired in 1997, he announced his return to his given name, Prince.

Did we miss any obscure facts? Favorite Prince stories?

Thanks very much to the following sources – Mental Floss, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, People and Wikipedia!