Legendary Artist Prince Found Dead at 57

[Mr. Television]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celeb...b7Kz&ocid=iehp

Legendary Artist Prince Found Dead at 57 (Report)

Legendary artist Prince was found dead at his recording studio in Minnesota early on Thursday, according to a TMZ report. He was 57.

Deputies are on scene of a death investigation at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, authorities told The Hollywood Reporter. The sheriff's office says they are conducting a death investigation currently and are notifying next of kin before releasing the name of the individual who died.

No further information was immediately available. The artist's reps have not yet responded to a request for comment.

The dizzylingly prolific multi-instrumentalist and virtuosic performer was born Prince Rogers Nelson June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minn.

He released his debut album, For You, in 1978, followed by Prince (1979), Dirty Mind (1980) and Controversy (1981). All of them traded in his trademark sound — deep synth funk grooves with provocatively sexual lyrics and heart-piercing ballads sung in pure falsetto.

His mainstream breakthrough came with back-to-back albums with his backing band the Recultion: In 1982, 1999 launched several pop and dance floor hits onto the charts, including Little Red Corvette and the title song, a post-apocalyptic party anthem.

Two years later he released the album — a soundtrack, actually, to his movie-starring debut — that would launch him into the same superstar stratosphere of other ‘80s pop titans like Michael Jackson and Madonna.

The soundtrack was 1984’s Purple Rain, a searing musical backdrop to a semi-autobiographical tale of “The Kid,” a Minneapolis rocker from an abusive family. The album launched five singles, two of which — “When Doves Cry” and Let’s Go Crazy” — went to Number 1 on the Billboard chart. The title ballad reached No. 2 and has gone on to become one of the most recognizable rock anthems in history. The soundtrack itself is frequently cited on music critics’ polls as being one of the best of all time.

More to come.

[opus]

CNN is now reporting it.

[Rawr]

Cannot believe this. Absolutely STUNNED. May he RIP.

[MrCleveland]

And to think...he was 57!

This seems to be a bad year for popular music!

[icecream]

My orchestra conductor won't be happy, he is a big Prince fan.

[Bonniegirl]

Wow!!! I just heard about this. Very, very shocking. Really sad! WAY too young! OMG! It took awhile to register and I thought maybe it wasn't true. WOW!

RIP Prince!

[shotzette]

So shocked. I was leaving a client's office earlier today and heard Purple Rain playing on my car radio. I hadn't heard the song in ages and remembered how he had been hospitalized for severe flu last week. I sat there saying, "no" over and over until the song ended and the DJ announced he had passed away. David Bowie and Prince leaving us the same year. SMH... I don't throw the word "genius" around, but they both qualified. RIP...

[1960'sTVfan]

I wouldn't say he was a genius, but he was definitely unique and had his own style of music. I like a few of his songs, Raspberry Beret is probably my favorite. R.I.P. Prince, sad day today for the music world.

[AB]

Rest in peace.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by retroTVfan4ever

I wouldn't say he was a genius, but he was definitely unique and had his own style of music. I like a few of his songs, Raspberry Beret is probably my favorite. R.I.P. Prince, sad day today for the music world.

He was definitely a musical genius, sorry you don't agree.

[JO Sweet Heart]

I wasn't a fan, but my most favorite singer James Otto is.



God bless you and Prince's family and James always!!!

Holly

[Zoneboy]

This is one of the worst years in history for music deaths and the sad thing is we still have 8 months to go.


Prince Rogers Nelson

[1960'sTVfan]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

He was definitely a musical genius, sorry you don't agree.

That's OK you don't have to be sorry, you have your opinion and I have mine. I don't think he was anywhere near being a musical genius, but he did have talent and wrote some good songs.

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

He was definitely a musical genius, sorry you don't agree.

Prince was a musical genius. Like Bowie, he was able to invent and re-invent himself and remain consistent with his musical and personal persona and push the perameters of pop music. It's like every album was not like the last one. He kept you guessing. He was considered by many to be eccentric, but like many gifted artists and musicians, he was able to communicate best with his music. Everyone was scratching their heads over the "Symbol" over twenty years ago that he used as a moniker, but there was no doubt about his talent and influence.

I went through a Prince phase in 1988 when I had a huge craving for R & B and pop. I got a recording of his "Lovesexy" album, which I really enjoyed.

[TMC]

MTV Pays Tribute to Prince With Wall-to-Wall Music Videos

The music-focused network changed the color of its logo from yellow to purple in honor of the legendary musician

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Following the news of legendary pop/R&B legend Prince's death at the age of 57 on Thursday, MTV paid tribute to the late musician by swapping its previously scheduled content for "a dedicated block of his most influential music videos."

Though episodes of Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness were scheduled to play throughout the large majority of the day, the network changed its logo to the color purple and played Prince's music videos, including "Kiss," "Let's Go Crazy," "Raspberry Beret" and "When Doves Cry."

"To honor the life and career of musical icon Prince, MTV will change its logo to purple for the entire day and MTV and MTV2 will air a dedicated block of his most influential music videos today beginning at 1:55 p.m. ET. MTV Live will air videos at 3:00 p.m.," MTV told The Hollywood Reporter.

The network added in a statement to THR: "MTV is heartbroken and in utter disbelief at the news that the world has lost Prince Rogers Nelson so suddenly and so before his time. Prince was a once-in-a-lifetime artist who transcended every medium and genre he touched and created music with a passion and individuality that inspired multiple generations. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family, friends and millions of fans."

To further its remembrance of Prince, "MTV News will air a dedicated podcast highlighting Prince’s impact on music. MTV News correspondents will be on-the-ground in NYC and Paisley park to get feedback from fans. MTV Snapchat will be a full Prince takeover tomorrow," the network said. "Additionally, interstitials will run on-air throughout the day which will include archival interviews from the legend himself, behind-the-scenes MTV moments and more."

The switch to a tribute of music videos comes hours following MTV's unveil of a massive upfront slate featuring 11 new unscripted series pickups, three scripted entries and development of eight more new works

MTV president Sean Atkins told THR of the new, larger music-focused slate, "It says a few things, first and foremost that we're clearly bringing music as our muse back to the brand and returning it creatively to what inspires us. The idea of having music — in terms of what it means to pop culture and that it gives artists a voice and is always resonant to youth and an influencer of culture — has always been a great element of the MTV brand. We're leaning back into the heritage and resuscitating it and renovating it for today's generation."


'New Girl' Cast & Creator Remember Prince's Appearance Fondly

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Prince is rightfully being remembered for his contribution to music, but let’s not also forget his amazing stint on New Girl.

The late legend made a particularly memorable guest appearance on the post-Super Bowl episode of the show back in 2014, which was watched by over 25 million viewers.

The show’s creator Elizabeth Meriwether as well as star Jake Johnson both took to social media as soon as news broke of his death.

“Having Prince on our show was one of the best moments of my life. He was extraordinary,” Liz tweeted.

Jake wrote, “Meeting big stars is mostly disappointing in one way or another, but that was not the case w Prince. He was everything I hoped he’d be.”


Prince's 1991 MTV Video Awards Performance Is The Maybe The Sexiest Thing Ever Aired On TV

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The 1991 MTV Video Music Awards marked a major turning point for the direction of music. Not only did a so-called “alternative” group (R.E.M.) sweep most of the awards, but the other nominees—ranging from Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” to Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”—helped stage the music promotions business for almost a decade. But the most memorable part of that Arsenio Hall-hosted program wasn’t any of the Moonmen handed out; it was Prince & The New Power Generation’s performance of “Gett Off.”

That came from P&tNPG’s not-yet-released Diamonds and Pearls, a record that opened the door for what would become the singer’s “symbol” phase. The performance—complete with Prince in an assless outfit, one parodied a year later by Howard Stern—is so damn sexy, we feel it a duty to present rare video of it in its entirety:

Watch Prince’s Letterman cold open.


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Revisit the Iconic Chappelle’s Show Sketch That Inspired a Prince Song

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Prince Rogers Nelson, more commonly known as Prince, has died at the age of 57. As one of the best-selling recording artists ever, he will be remembered for his extraordinary contribution to music and his ability to connect with multiple generations of listeners.

One such fan that he made an impression on was Dave Chappelle, who created a hilarious sketch for his Comedy Central series Chappelle’s Show that focused entirely on The Purple One. In the segment, Charlie Murphy recounts the “True Hollywood Story” of a game of basketball he and his friends played against Prince and the Revolution. The bit is both a parody of Prince and a loving tribute to him, featuring iconic lines such as, “Why don’t you purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka?,” and, “Game: Blouses.”

Prince went on to confirm that the incident was indeed based on a true story and said that he was a huge fan of the retelling. In 2013, he debuted the single “Breakfast Can Wait,” an homage to the sketch that was released alongside cover art featuring Chappelle dressed in a “Purple Rain” era costume.


In an email statement to TIME, Charlie Murphy expressed his grief over the news of Prince’s passing. “I’m blown away,” he said. “May he rest in peace. Music has lost one of its greatest icons.”

Prince Conquered Music on Television


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Good night, sweet Prince. The 57-year-old pop-music icon died today and as devastated music fans around the globe unearth their copies of Purple Rain to keep The Purple One alive, we look back on some of his most memorable moments on the small screen.

On January 8, 1980, Prince and the Revolution appeared on The Midnight Special, performing I Wanna Be Your Lover and Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad—lending serious funk to the Southern-Rock-heavy music hour. Appearances on such of-the-time shows as American Bandstand cemented his budding stardom with a diverse audience.

Prince appeared on the cover of TV Guide Magazine with fellow '80s icons Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson in February, 1985.

He was one of the earliest artists to take advantage of MTV, and one of the few black artists whose videos were being played on the station during its early years. With innovative videos for songs like "When Doves Cry," "1999," "Little Red Corvette," "Kiss," "Raspberry Beret" and many others, however, he was impossible to ignore. He was so important to the network's legacy, that it changed its logo purple and pre-empted its afternoon reality repeats to play an hours-long block of his music videos, according to Billboard.

(He was also very particular about where his music was played, which is why it's extremely difficult to find many of his performances online.)

In 1985, he collected the "Favorite Black Single" American Music Award for "When Doves Cry"—from the very white Janie Fricke and The Beach Boys. The fact that there was a category called "Favorite Black Single" back then says a lot about the state of the music business in the mid-'80s, doesn't it?



The Death of Prince Dominates TV News Today

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HLN was in the middle of a live report with TMZ about the death of former pro wrestler Chyna, when reports of a death at the Minnesota estate of singer Prince came into the newsroom.

At 12:52 p.m. ET, just as anchor Mike Galanos was finishing his conversation with TMZ’s Dax Holt, Holt turned to the newsroom and said, “Hold on one second. You guys, is it true? Prince has passed away, it has been confirmed.”

Galanos was quick to point out, “CNN has not confirmed this.”

A few minutes later Fox News and CNN reported a death at Prince’s estate. Meanwhile, other entertainment trade publications, including Variety, reported that Prince has died:


Fox News, via the AP, reported Prince’s death at 1:14 p.m. ABC News confirmed the news at 1:19 p.m. ET.


Brian Williams broke in on MSNBC with the news at 1:22 p.m. “Of all the things we are called upon to announce in the news, to break here, what an unlikely thing to say that we are receiving confirmation at the age of 57, Prince has died.” Al Sharpton joined Williams to talk about Prince’s legacy.

At 1:23 p.m., Harry Smith anchored an NBC News Special Report. At the same time, Don Dahler was anchoring a network special on CBS. CBSN has been in continuing coverage as well. CNN, with Wolf Blitzer anchoring, confirmed the news on-air at 1:26 p.m.


The cable networks have also been dipping in to coverage from the powerful local stations in Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSNBC using affiliate KARE and FNC using Fox-owned KMSP) which have been in continuing coverage of the death of the local icon who was known worldwide. WCCO’s Reg Chapman reported for a second CBS network report at 1:56 p.m. from outside Prince’s estate.

FBN will air a special edition of ‘Kennedy’ tonight, 8 p.m., focusing on the life of Prince. Lisa “Kennedy” Montgomery is a former MTV VJ.


Fox News religion correspondent Lauren Green grew up with Prince in Minnesota, and went to grade school and high school with him. Talking with fellow Minnesotan, Gretchen Carlson, on her FNC show this afternoon, Green said, “His cousin played on the same block as my cousin. We kind of played in the same areas but we were never close. As we got older, I found out that he was this great musician. I was also studying classical piano so we were in two different worlds, but loving the same thing.” Green also stared in one of Prince’s music videos, playing a news anchor.

We have not yet heard from NBC News anchor Tamron Hall, who had the day off from the Today show and her MSNBC show. “Prince and I, if you don’t know already, are very close. We talk pretty much every day,” she said on the Today show back in September, then surprised her co-anchors when Prince phoned in:


On his FNC show, Shepard Smith said he was watching some of the coverage from across the street, about Prince’s giving nature. “I heard Al Sharpton over on MSNBC talking about this, about how (Prince) would give money to his action network, and (Sharpton) didn’t know where it was coming from.