Music Icon Prince Dead at 57

The music industry has lost another major icon. Prince Rogers Nelson was found dead this morning at his estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that authorities responded to a medical emergency at the 57-year-old’s Paisley Park estate at 9:43 AM.

The cause of death has not been confirmed, but his people told TMZ that the singer had been battling the flu. On Friday his private jet had to make an emergency landing in Moline, IL where he was briefly hospitalized. He’d been reportedly suffering from flu-like symptoms for weeks.

Prince was widely regarded as the pioneer of Minneapolis sound: a combination of rock, R&B, soul, funk, hip hop, disco, psychedelia, jazz and pop. Throughout his illustrious four decade career he released 38 studio albums that have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. He won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for his hit “Purple Rain”.

In 2004, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone has him listed at the 27th Greatest Artist of All Time.

More details to come.

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