If you know Mint Condition then you’re likely a devoted connoisseur of 90s R&B or a huge fan of slow jams — probably both — and big ballads were Mint Condition’s bread and butter (they made a lot of bread with that smooth, smooth butter). But a less utilized aspect of their sound stemmed from their hometown of Minneapolis.

What does Minneapolis have to do with it?

Prince.

And you know what Prince does? Prince rocks.

Mint Condition formed in the early 1980s, and like any band who played within shouting distance of Paisley Park and the purple pixie who dwelled within, they learned how to bring in the noise and bring in the funk. After many years of hard work, the group finally signed a deal with legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. In 1991, their debut album immediately produced a Top 10 hit in the form of a ballad called “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).”

But we’re here for the kind of blend Minneapolis became known for, a blend of rock, pop, and R&B that is scarcely heard today. Mint Condition weren’t just a vocal group — they were a band. And “Fidelity,” the closing track from their 1993 album From The Mint Factory, shows what they could do. Let them rock.