7 Things We’ve Learned About Prince Since His Death
The music icon gave so much to the world and his deeds were revealed posthumously
In the year since Prince’s untimely passing from an overdose of prescription drugs, the world has mourned the iconic singer.
While fans relished in his exceptional talent —the man could play 27 instruments, produce and sing— he was dealing with years of pain from highly-physical stage performances. In addition to the dark side of his alleged addiction, we also learned some great things about The Purple One, who will be forever missed.
Unreleased Music
Soon after the legend’s passing, it was revealed that there was a locked vault at Paisley Park filled with Prince’s unreleased music, which the Minnesota-based Bremer Trust company opened. In October 2016 is was reported by Billboard that from the vault would come Prince 4Ever, filled with new music.
Apollonia
Prince’s love interest from the classic film Purple Rain, Apollonia Kotero, was still very much in love with him. In an intimate Facebook post, the 57-year-old reveals that she was on the way to see him around the time of his death and was carrying unfathomable pain from the news.
Last Will and Testament
Soon after his passing, we found out that Prince did not have a will, leaving more than 45 people claiming access to his enormous fortune. In May 2017 a judge ruled that Prince’s six siblings will be the heirs to his $200 million estate— with the majority going to taxes.
Yara Shahidi
The Black-ish actress knew Prince since childhood, as her father was one of his personal photographers. In an interview on The Real, she revealed that a photo of her was found in his office. “I mean honestly, he has given my family the ability to do what we want and embrace the fact that we are all a family of creatives… so, we owe a lot to him,” she said.
Netflix
Before Prince died, he was in talks with Netflix for a reality show based on his beloved Paisley Park in Minnesota. His family is said to now be looking into a reality show based around dealing with his passing.
Emergency Plane Landing
Singer and protege, Judith Hill was one of two people with Prince on the emergency plane landing six days before he passed. The singer recalled that he suddenly went unconscious and medical personnel gave him a shot of Narcan, used to treat opioid overdoses. “I only know what everyone knows about his pain —I read about it. He was quick on his feet. Never said anything, that this is hurting, never a sign of struggle. That’s why it’s all very shocking,” Hill told The New York Times.
Why So Many Loved Him
In an interview with Meli’sa Morgan, the singer reveals that Prince treated everyone with care and an intimacy that made you feel like “you were the only one in the room.” Grief stricken after his sudden death, she told ESSENCE, “The thing I loved about him is that he wasn’t selfish with his gifts. He always had someone that he was mentoring or developing or nurturing. And that’s a great gift. So many people are selfish with their gifts because they want all the accolades and success. The music industry is so selfish. But he was giving.”