Death of Prince

Death of Prince

Paisley Park Records, which was where Prince was found
Date	April 21, 2016 (2016-04-21)
Location	Chanhassen, Minnesota, United States
Deaths	Prince

On April 21, 2016, American musician Prince died at his home, Paisley Park, in Chanhassen, Minnesota. A few weeks previously, Prince had been hospitalized with flu-like symptoms.

The news of Prince's death triggered a worldwide outpouring of grief. Makeshift memorials were created in Minnesota, London, New York, Sydney, Berlin, and other cities in countries where Prince had toured and was successful; sales of his albums and singles saw a significant increase in the following days. Many commentators noted Prince’s impact on music, fashion and culture and wrote of his status as one of the most influential musical artists of all time, while numerous musicians and public figures also expressed their grief and shock.

Events surrounding death

Illness and hospital visit

Prince cancelled two concerts scheduled for April 7, 2016, in Atlanta citing illness. He gave two replacement concerts in Atlanta on April 14 but had a ban on photos or videos during the concert. Following the concerts, his plane, a Dassault Falcon 900, was enroute to Minneapolis from Atlanta when it stopped for an emergency at Quad City International Airport near Moline, Illinois, for 10 hours. He was rushed to a hospital but checked out, three hours later, against the recommendation of doctors. There are conflicting news reports that he was treated for a drug overdose versus reports from Prince's spokesman that he had been suffering with the flu.

Events before death

On the evening of April 16, Prince held a dance party at Paisley Park Studios, which also served as his home. The gathering was to reassure the public of his well-being. Earlier in the day, he was seen biking by the Office Max and then resting on the sidewalk, where he asked a bystander not to take a photo of him. He was also seen April 19 at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis.

Events at the time of death

Members of Prince's staff were unable to contact him on the morning of April 21. They went to Paisley Park to check on him. At 9:43 a.m., the Carver County Sheriff's Office received a 9-1-1 phone call from an unidentified male, requesting an ambulance. The caller initially reported that Prince was unconscious, and then (in the same call) that he was dead. Authorities found Prince unresponsive in an elevator. Prince did not respond to CPR administered by emergency responders and was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m. He was 57 years old.

Autopsy

A four-hour autopsy was conducted by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office in Ramsey, Minnesota, on April 22, 2016, but no results to be released for weeks, at least. According to the Sheriff's Office, the body showed no signs of trauma and was not considered a suicide.

Reactions

Many musicians and cultural figures spoke about or released reactions to Prince's death. Cities across the U.S. held tributes and vigils, and lit buildings, bridges, and other venues in purple light.

Extent of public reactions

Fans flocked to his Paisley Park Studios to pay tribute. In Portland, Oregon, the annual "Bowie vs. Prince" bike ride, held since 2008, will be cancelled after this year's event, which will serve as a memorial and feature bicyclists dressed as Prince and David Bowie, who died in January.

Reactions from notable persons

• U.S. President Barack Obama, who held a secret party in the White House for Prince in 2015: "Today, the world lost a creative icon...Michelle and I join millions of fans from around the world in mourning the sudden death of Prince...Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent. As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all. Funk. R&B. Rock and roll. He was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer."
• Beyoncé: "We lost a legend. RIP Prince."
• Billy Idol: "Oh my god I can’t believe that Prince has died…he was a great great talent…RIP"
• Oprah: "Prince, the doves really are crying now."
• Mariah Carey: "Genius, legend, inspiration, friend. The world will miss you. I'll never get over it."
• Justin Timberlake: "Numb. Stunned. This can't be real."
• Stevie Nicks: "My friend is gone...This is what it sounds like, when doves cry. He was my dove..."
• Spike Lee: "I miss my brother."
• Lionel Richie: "I can’t believe it, I’m in total shock. So many wonderful memories, I will miss him."

Funeral

The Westboro Baptist Church has advocated protests at Prince's funeral. Funeral plans are in discussion among the family.

Legacy

Prince was #1 on iTunes 45 minutes after death announced. In the first five hours after the media began reporting his death, "Prince" was the top trending term on Twitter, and Facebook reported there had been 61 million Prince-related interactions. Google released a doodle that featured the website's logo in purple amongst purple raindrops; upon clicking the logo doodle would lead to Prince-related links.

Prince's ex-wife Manuela Testolini had spoken with him before his death about building a school in his honor. Her foundation, called In a Perfect World, supports an educational program known as REACH (Rural Education and Community Harmony), which has built 19 schools across the world. Testolini has not decided on the location of the future school, as she wanted Prince to make the decision.

References

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