Prince Found Dead At His Minnesota Studio At Age 57

Prince, the multi-talented musical genius who emerged from Minneapolis to become a controversial chart-topping singer/songwriter and movie star, died Thursday, according to TMZ.com

The 57-year-old Prince was hospitalized last week with the flu, sparking rumors about his health. But the iconic musician appeared at a Paisley Park dance party last Saturday to quiet the speculation.

“Wait a few days before you waste any prayers,” Prince told the fans at his Minnesapolis estate.

The diminutive musical dynamo was born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, the son of a pianist in a Minnesota jazz band.

The precocious Purple One was signed to Warner Brothers Records while still a teen, releasing his debut album “For You” in 1978.

The sexual themes of his lyrics — incest on “Sister,” for example — turned Prince into a polarizing figure. He embraced the debate, titling his 1981 album “Controversy.”

Prince’s career peaked during the ‘80s, with “1999” spawning the title song and “Little Red Corvette” as huge radio and MTV hits.

The follow up was “Purple Rain,” a soundtrack to the loosely biographical movie that starred Prince and his band The Revolution. The album’s hits included “Purple Rain” and sent Prince into the stratosphere of album sales.

His follow-up film and album, “Under The Cherry Moon,” was less successful and Prince never again achieved the success of his earlier career.

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