# Prince (musician)

| Prince |
| --- |
| Prince performing during the Nude Tour in Tokyo, Japan, in 1990 |
| Born | Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-06-07)June 7, 1958 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | April 21, 2016(2016-04-21) (aged 57) Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S |
| Cause of death | Accidental fentanyl and opioid intoxication |
| Resting place | Paisley Park, Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Other names | * The Artist (Formerly Known as Prince) (TAFKAP)
* Camille
* The Kid
* Joey Coco
* Jamie Starr
* Christopher Tracy
* Prince Rogers
 |
| Occupations | * Singer
* songwriter
* dancer
* musician
 |
| Years active | 1975–2016 |
| Spouse(s) | Mayte Garcia (m. 1996–1999, divorced) Manuela Testolini (m. 2001–2006, divorced) |
| Children | 1 (deceased) |
| **Musical career** |
| Genres | * R&B
* pop
* funk
* classical
* jazz
* rock
* soul
* new wave
* new jack swing
 |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, tambourine, sitar, synthesizers, drums, oud, finger cymbals, timpani, violin, viola, tenor violin, cello, cellone, double bass, concert harp, vibraphone, marimba, B-flat trumpet, accordion, koto, concert flute, B-flat soprano clarinet, B-flat basset clarinet, E-flat alto saxophone, C tenor saxophone, B-flat tenor saxophone, E-flat alto sarrusophone, C tenor sarrusophone, B-flat tenor sarrusophone, harmonica, drum machines |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Paisley Park, NPG, EMI, Columbia, Arista |
| Website | www.prince.com |
|  |

**Prince Rogers Nelson** (better known as **Prince**) (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger and dancer. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He was known for blending erotic lyrics with R&B, funk rock and technology. He had ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. His releases have sold over 350 million copies worldwide. From 1993 to 2000, Prince changed his name to a glyph. Since this symbol was impossible to pronounce, people began calling them "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince."

In addition to his own musical career, he was a "talent promoter" for the careers of Sheila E., Carmen Electra, The Time and Vanity 6.

Prince has sold over 400 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award. *Rolling Stone* ranked Prince at number 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. This was the first year he was eligible.

On April 21, 2016, Prince died of a fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park recording studio and home in Chanhassen, Minnesota at the age of 57.

## Early life

Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His father was John Lewis Nelson who was a Jazz musician and their mother was Mattie Della Shaw. His family was from Louisiana. He had epilepsy when he was younger. His sister was Tyka Nelson. He played basketball when he was in high school.

## Career

Prince released his first single, "Soft and Wet", in 1978. It reached number 92 in the *Billboard* 100. In 1979 "I Wanna Be Your Lover" was number one for two weeks in the American R&B singles chart.

Prince released his third album *Dirty Mind* in 1980. *Rolling Stone* gave the album four and a half stars.

In 1982 Prince released his fifth album *1999*. "Little Red Corvette" was released as the second single. Prince had his first number one single, "When Doves Cry", in 1984. The single he released after that, "Let's Go Crazy", also reached number one. In 1985 *Around the World in a Day* was released. The album's first single "Raspberry Beret" reached number two in the Billboard 100. Prince's next number one "Kiss" was in 1986. It won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. "U Got the Look" was released in 1987. It reached number two in the *Billboard* 100.

Prince in May 2007
In 1990 Sinead O'Connor reached number one with her cover of Prince's song "Nothing Compares 2 U". Prince was angry about this.

In 1994, the prince wrote the song "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", dedicated to the young 11-year-old model Loredana Školaris, who, as a model, conquered the world with the perfect classical beauty of her pure face. At the end of the same year, she was crowned honorary Miss World and won the title of the most beautiful girl in the world. He first performed the song at a beauty pageant.

In 2006 the second single from Prince's album *3121* entered the *Billboard* 100 at number 60. This was the highest number a Prince single had entered the chart at for years.

In 2014 it was reported that Prince would be signed to Warner Bros. again. Prince released a new single on April 19 called "The Breakdown".

In May 2015, following the death of Freddie Gray and the riots, Prince released a song entitled "Baltimore" in tribute to Gray and in support of the protesters in Baltimore. He also held a surprise tribute concert for Gray at his Paisley Park estate called 'Dance Rally 4 Peace' in which he asked fans to wear the color gray in honor of Freddie Gray.

His album *Hit n Run Phase One* was first made available on September 7, 2015 on music streaming service Tidal before being released on CD and download on September 14.

In 2016, Prince announced that he was writing a memoir, titled *The Beautiful Ones*.

## Personal life

Over the years Prince was romantically linked with many celebrities. These include Denise Matthews (formerly known as Vanity), Sheila E., Carmen Electra, Susanna Hoffs, Anna Fantastic, Sherilyn Fenn, and Susan Moonsie of Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6.

Prince was engaged to Susannah Melvoin in 1985.

He married his backup singer and dancer, Mayte Garcia, on Valentine's Day, 1996. They had a son, amiir (born October 16, 1996). He was born with Pfeiffer syndrome and died a week after birth. Prince and Mayte divorced in 1999. In 2001, Prince married Manuela Testolini in a private ceremony. Testolini filed for divorce in May 2006. He had been in a relationship with Bria Valente from 2007.

Prince was raised Seventh Day Adventist and became a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses in 2001.

## Death

Prince postponed two performances from his Piano & A Microphone Tour on April 7, 2016, at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, stating that he was "battling the flu". He performed that Atlanta concert on Thursday, April 15, even though he had still not been feeling well. On April 15, 2016, while on tour, his private plane made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois. He was later admitted to hospital with flu-like symptoms. Early reports said his health was fine.

Prince was found dead at his home in Paisley Park recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on April 21, 2016. He was aged 57. Six days before his death, Prince was treated for a drug overdose. He was treated for dehydration and "walking pneumonia" (the formal name is atypical pneumonia) shortly before his death. His autopsy was performed the next day on April 22. Afterwards, his remains were cremated. Their location will be kept private. Toxicology tests showed that he died of an overdose of fentanyl, an opioid painkiller.

## His works

**Studio albums *For You* (1978)
* *Prince* (1979)
* *Dirty Mind* (1980)
* *Controversy* (1981)
* *1999* (1982)
* *Purple Rain* (1984)
* *Around the World in a Day* (1985)
* *Parade* (1986)
* *Sign o' the Times* (1987)
* *Lovesexy* (1988)
* *Batman* (1989)
* *Graffiti Bridge* (1990)
* *Diamonds and Pearls* (1991)
* (*Love Symbol Album*) (1992)
* *Come* (1994)
* *The Black Album* (1994)
* *The Gold Experience* (1995)
* *Chaos and Disorder* (1996)
* *Emancipation* (1996)
* *Crystal Ball* (1998)
* *The Truth* (1998)
* *The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale* (1999)
* *Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic* (1999)
* *The Rainbow Children* (2001)
* *One Nite Alone...* (2002)
* *Xpectation* (2003)
* *N.E.W.S* (2003)
* *Musicology* (2004)
* *The Chocolate Invasion* (2004)
* *The Slaughterhouse* (2004)
* *3121* (2006)
* *Planet Earth* (2007)
* *Lotusflow3r* (2009)
* *MPLSound* (2009)
* *20Ten* (2010)
* *Plectrumelectrum* (2014)
* *Art Official Age* (2014)
* *HITnRUN Phase One* (2015)
* *HITnRUN Phase Two* (2015)

**Live albums *One Nite Alone... Live!* (2002)
* *C-Note* (2004)
* *Indigo Nights* (2008)

**Remix albums *Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic* (2001)

**Compilation albums *The Hits/The B-Sides* (1993)
* *Girl 6* (1996)
* *The Very Best of Prince* (2001)
* *Ultimate Prince* (2006)

**The New Power Generation albums *Goldnigga* (1993)
* *Exodus* (1995)
* *Newpower Soul* (1998)

Movies| Year | Movie | Role | Director |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1984 | *Purple Rain* | The Kid | Albert Magnoli |
| 1986 | *Under the Cherry Moon* | Christopher Tracy | Prince |
| 1987 | *Sign o' the Times* | Himself | Prince |
| 1990 | *Graffiti Bridge* | The Kid | Prince |

Television| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1997 | *Muppets Tonight* | Himself | Episode 11 |
| 2014 | *New Girl* | Himself | Episode: "Prince" |

## Awards and nominations

### Academy Awards

Prince won an Academy Award in 1985 for his song "Purple Rain".

| Year | Nominated work | Award category | Result |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1985 | "Purple Rain" | Best Original Song Score | Won |

### Grammy Awards

Earning 33 nominations, Prince has won seven Grammys. He also has had two albums − *1999* and *Purple Rain* − awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

| Year | Nominated work | Award category | Result |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1984 | "International Lover" | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 1985 | *Purple Rain* | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| *Purple Rain* | Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Won |
| *Purple Rain* | Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media | Won |
| "I Feel For You" | Best R&B Song | Won |
| 1987 | "Kiss" | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Won |
| "Kiss" | Best R&B Song | Nominated |
| 1988 | *Sign "O" the Times* | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| "U Got The Look" | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
| "U Got The Look" | Best R&B Song | Nominated |
| 1990 | *Batman* | Best Male Pop Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| "Batdance" | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 1991 | "Nothin' Compares 2 U" | Song of the Year | Nominated |
| 1992 | "Gett Off" | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
| 1993 | "Diamonds And Pearls" | Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
| 1995 | "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" | Best Male Pop Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 1996 | "Eye Hate U" | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| *The Gold Experience* | Best R&B Album | Nominated |
| 2004 | *N.E.W.S.* | Best Pop Instrumental Album | Nominated |
| 2005 | "Cinnamon Girl" | Best Male Pop Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| "Call My Name" | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Won |
| "Call My Name" | Best R&B Song | Nominated |
| "Musicology" | Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance | Won |
| *Musicology* | Best R&B Album | Nominated |
| 2007 | "Black Sweat" | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| "Beautiful, Loved And Blessed" | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
| "3121" | Best Urban/Alternative Performance | Nominated |
| "Black Sweat" | Best R&B Song | Nominated |
| *3121* | Best R&B Album | Nominated |
| 2008 | "Future Baby Mama" | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Won |
| "The Song of the Heart" | Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media | Nominated |
| 2010 | "Dreamer" | Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance | Nominated |

### MTV Video Music Awards

The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) is an award show by cable network MTV to honor the top music videos of the year. It was first held in September 1984. It was to be an alternative to the Grammy Awards in the video category. Prince has won four awards from twelve nominations throughout his career.

| Year | Nominated work | Award category | Result |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1985 | "When Doves Cry" | Best Choreography in a Video | Nominated |
| 1986 | "Raspberry Beret" | Best Choreography in a Video | Won |
| 1988 | "U Got the Look" | Best Male Video | Won |
| Best Stage Performance in a Video | Won |
| Best Choreography in a Video | Nominated |
| Best Editing in a Video | Nominated |
| 1989 | "I Wish U Heaven" | Best Special Effects in a Video | Nominated |
| 1990 | "Batdance" | Best Video from a Film | Nominated |
| 1992 | "Cream" | Best Dance Video | Won |
| 1993 | "7" | Best R&B Video | Nominated |
| 2004 | "Musicology" | Best Male Video | Nominated |
| 2006 | "Black Sweat" | Best Cinematography in a Video | Nominated |

## Other websites

* Quotations related to Prince (musician) at Wikiquote
* Prince on IMDb
* Prince at AllMusic
* Prince: chart history Archived 2018-06-24 at the Wayback Machine at Billboard.com
* Prince at Find a Grave