Prince Has Died at 57
Prince, the iconic musician and worldwide superstar, has died. He was 57.
Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson, was found dead on Thursday morning at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota. The artist's publicist confirmed his passing, according to The Associated Press.
No cause of death has been released yet, though the musician experienced a medical emergency on April 15 that forced the plane he was traveling on to make an emergency landing. He appeared at a concert the next day, and assured fans that he was alright; his representatives said that he was suffering from the flu.
According to TMZ, before the April 16 concert, Prince also cancelled two previous appearances due to health concerns.
Prince broke onto the music scene in the late 1970s, and became a superstar after the release of his 1982 album "1999." The artist went on to rule the charts throughout the rest of the decade, selling more than 100 million albums throughout his long and varied career (which included a rebranding as The Artist, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, an unpronounceable symbol, and finally, reverting back to Prince).
Prince won seven Grammys, and also took home an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score (a now-defunct category) for 1984's "Purple Rain," which was his film debut. The iconic flick is widely considered one of the best music films ever made.
Though he only acted in a handful of other films throughout his career, Prince also made numerous appearances as himself in TV shows and movies, including a memorable guest turn on the post-Super Bowl episode of "New Girl" in 2014. He also directed himself in the 1986 flick "Under the Cherry Moon," as well the concert documentary "Sign 'o' the Times."
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