POP SLAVERY: Is the former Prince trying...

POP SLAVERY: Is the former Prince trying to tell us--and Warner Bros. Records--something by having the word slave written on his face in the video for the as-yet-unreleased song “Dolphin”? Representatives for the Symbol Man say he is.

Though his spokesman insists that the ex-Prince is not trying to get out of his multimillion-dollar deal with Warner Bros., he’s upset about his relationship with the company, which hasn’t been able to make his recent album, “Come,” a hit.

Apparently his plan is to use old, unreleased recordings to deliver the four remaining albums called for on his mega-deal. First up will be the much-bootlegged “Black Album,” which was originally planned for a 1988 release but was pulled in favor of “Lovesexy.” This is scheduled for a Nov. 22 release now, replacing the new album “The Gold Experience,” which Symbol Man’s representative now says may never be released.

Neither representatives of the artist nor Warner Bros. would comment on the contract, but insiders speculate that the singer apparently feels that music recorded after he changed his name to the symbol last year is not subject to the Warner deal he signed as Prince.