Music World In Shock As Singer Prince Dead At 57

Iconic singer Prince has died. He was found dead on Thursday morning in his Paisley Park residence in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was only 57 years old.

Last week the performer’s jet had to make an emergency landing and he was hospitalized with what was called a “bad flu.”

Here’s some fast facts about the singer: He was born Prince Rogers Nelson, and was best known for his flamboyant stage performances (as well as his short stature, standing 5 feet, 2 inches) and his many hit songs including “1999,” “When Doves Cry” and “Kiss.”

1. Police Responded to Prince’s Paisley Park Home on Thursday Morning
paisley park, paisley park studios, paisley park prince
Prince was discovered inside his Paisley Park compound on Thursday morning. (Wikipedia)

Prince was discovered in his home at the Paisley Park compound in Chanhassen, Minnesota on Thursday morning, according to TMZ. Police responded at 9:43 a.m. and notified his next of kin before making news of his death official.

Paisley Park was located just outside of Minneapolis where Prince was born on June 7, 1958. His former label Paisley Park Records was named after the complex where he lived and recorded.

2. Prince Had Been Sick for Weeks with a Bad Flu
After performing in Atlanta on April 14, Prince’s private jet made an emergency landing in Illinois where he was rushed to the hospital at 1 a.m. the next morning. He had been battling the flu for the past week, but he was released from the hospital after three hours.

He flew back home to Minnesota and was tweeting by that afternoon.

3. Prince Has Suffered from Serious Hip Problems
Doctors have advised Prince to undergo a double hip replacement, but his Jehovah’s Witness beliefs have prevented him from having the surgery. He blames the years of walking around on platforms shoes for the cause of his hip stress.

4. His Son, Boy Gregory, Only Lived for One Week
Prince married his his backup dancer Mayte Garcia on Valentine’s Day in 1996. They had a son, Boy Gregory, who was born on Oct. 16, 1996, but was born with Pfeiffer syndrome and died a week after birth. Pfeiffer syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that caused the premature fusion of bones of the skull as well as bones in the feet and hands. Prince and Garcia split in 1999.

Prince married again in 2001 to Manuela Testolini. She filed for divorce in May 2006. He has been linked to a number of high profile women over his career including Kim Basinger, Madonna, Carmen Electra and the singer Sheila E.

5. Prince Won Seven Grammys
Prince was one of the best-selling artists of all-time. He also collected a number of awards including seven Grammys, a Golden Globe and an Oscar for the original score in his acting debut, Purple Rain. h/t theheavy