If the "Prince to have hip replacement" rumor was fake in 2005, why would a revive of that same rumor now be true?

Uh, maybe because in the intervening two years something might have happened which requires Prince to get a hip replacement?

Skiing accident.

Look at "Latest Stories" here: http://notw.typepad.com/showbiz/

This is the kind of paper that A Source would disclose this to, instead of any of the real music channels?

No way is this true.

But it was a sidebar in The Metro so it must be true!

(Secretly I think he's having his whole body replaced bit by bit so that he becomes a funky Cyberman by 2017.)

If he thinks getting a new hip will make him hipper, well, good luck to him.

report from Prince's Oscars afterparty:

Oh by the way, for all those rumors we are hearing about the Partyman having hip surgery; He was jumping up and down all night, higher than almost everybody. Basically, he was out grooving everyone. The Dr.’s prognosis is this: I see more parties in his future than operating tables.

http://drfunkenberry.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/prince-comes-up-7s-in-oscar-party-of-a-lifetime/

Finally, the medical community weighs in!

Funkenberries sound painful :-/

^^^so jealous of that party