Acclaimed singer, songwriter, arranger and instrumentalist, Prince, known for his incredible music performance and a treasures of award-winning hits, has died at the age of 57, according to a publicist
The seven-time Grammy winner who was known for such megahits like “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain” was found dead in his Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minn. on Thursday.
The singer’s publicist confirmed his death to Fox News. No details of his death were released.
“It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57,” his rep wrote in a statement.
Jason Kamerud, Carver County chief sheriff’s deputy, tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the investigation into his death began at 9:43 a.m. on Thursday.
Prince had been rushed to a hospital last Friday morning in Illinois and was released several hours later. His rep told TMZ he had been battling the flu for several weeks.
Prince was reported to have postponed several shows in Atlanta earlier this month amid reports he had been battling a nagging flu for several weeks, but delighted fans — including singer Janelle Monae, at a rescheduled performance.
Last Friday, he was rushed to an Illinois hospital with his private plane making an emergency landing such that he could be treated. He was released hours later. The next day, he was noticed by fans on his bicycle around his neighbourhood and hosted a “dance party” at Paisley Park.
Born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Prince broke through in the late 1970s with the hits “Wanna Be Your Lover” and soared over the following decade with the albums as “1999” and “Purple Rain.”
He was widely acclaimed as one of the most innovative musicians of his era, drawing upon influences ranging from James Brown to the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix.
Prince sold more than 100 million records worldwide throughout his lifetime, making him of the best-selling artists of all time.
Prince was fiercely protective of his independence, battling his record company over control of his material and even his name. Prince once wrote “slave” on his face in protest of not owning his work and famously battled and then departed his label, Warner Bros., before returning a few years ago.
“What’s happening now is the position that I’ve always wanted to be in,” Prince told The Associated Press in 2014. “I was just trying to get here.”
Artiste formerly known as prince, symbol
It would be recalled that, in 1993, Prince remarkably changed his name to a symbol and was widely referred to as the artist formerly known as Prince. When he was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 2004, he was hailed as a musical and social trailblazer.
“He rewrote the rule book, forging a synthesis of black funk and white rock that served as a blueprint for cutting-edge music in the Eighties,” reads the Hall’s dedication. “Prince made dance music that rocked and rock music that had a bristling, funky backbone. From the beginning, Prince and his music were androgynous, sly, sexy and provocative.”
Prince won numerous awards including 7 Grammys from 30 nominations, An Oscars and a Golden Globe
