Washington DC
WASHINGTON
Prince Rogers Nelson, the artist known as Prince, has died at his suburban Minneapolis home. He was 57.
Prince was found dead at his Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, the Carver County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death , the office said.Prince postponed two concerts in Atlanta earlier this month, citing illness.
The pop icon sold more than 100 million records and was a 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. He won seven Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for the 1984 film Purple Rain.
He was reportedly hospitalized in Illinois last week before throwing a dance party at his Paisley Park studios last weekend.
Prince Rogers Nelson, known by his eponymous mononym, was born in Minneapolis on June 7, 1958. He was known for his androgynous sexuality and glamorous style that permeated his music.
His controversial 1984 hit "Darling Nikki" reportedly prompted the formation of the Parents Music Resource Center. The group went on to urge record labels to place the black and white "Parental Advisory" labels on albums with explicit lyrics.
But beyond the controversy, his music has gone on to captivate generations of fans. "Today, the world lost a creative icon," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
Prince was "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," he added. "Nobody's spirit was stronger, bolder, or more creative."
Justin Timberlake, a founding member of the 1990s boy band NSYNC who later launched an independent music and film career, said on Twitter that he is "Numb. Stunned. This can't be real."
"And just like that...the world lost a lot of magic ✨ Rest in peace Prince! Thanks for giving us so much..." Katy Perry wrote on the social media platform.
Vaunted music producer Quincy Jones added: "RIP to @prince…a true artist in every sense of the word. Gone way too soon."
The memoir Prince was working on, The Beautiful Ones, was expected to be released in the fall of 2017.
