On Thurs. April 21, the world lost one of the most iconic musicians of all time. Prince Rogers Nelson, known by his given name of Prince, was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor. He was found in his home in Paisley Park, in Chanhassen, Minn. He was 57. Prince was known for his flamboyant stage presence and eclectic work ranging from funk, rock, R&B, soul, psychedelia and pop. Prince has won numerous awards some notably like an Academy Award for his trademark song "Purple Rain,"BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Brit’s Best International Male and two Grammys.
His plane made an emergency landing last week because of a health scare, prompting the question of the how the singer was faring. But his publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, only said he was “fighting the flu.” Now that he has passed away, I bet a lot of people are wondering if that was truly the case.
His career lasted from the late 1970s until his solo “Piano & a Microphone” tour this year. He was acclaimed as a sex symbol, a musical prodigy and an artist who shaped his career his way, often battling with accepted music-business practices. “When I first started out in the music industry, I was most concerned with freedom. Freedom to produce, freedom to play all the instruments on my records, freedom to say anything I wanted to,” he said when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Even President Obama released a statement saying, “Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent.” He added, “He was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader and an electrifying performer. ‘A strong spirit transcends rules,’ Prince once said — and nobody’s spirit was stronger, bolder or more creative.”
As well as being a legend in the pop world, Prince was known as a generous and kind man. In 2007, he launched his 3121 fragrance with a concert and 24 hours of charity fundraising, splitting a portion of the proceeds between City of Hope, Jazz Foundation of America, H.A.L.O., Elevate Hope Foundation, Urban Farming and The Bridge and Edith Couey Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund.
Prince undeniably left an imprint on the world of music. He will be sorely missed by everyone he has touched, whether that was with his music or in person.
