MIDTOWN — Prince, the singer-songwriter widely considered one of the most inventive of his era, was found dead inside his Minnesota home Thursday morning, his publicist said. He was 57.
The news sent shockwaves through New York City and across the world.
IN HONOR OF THE BEAUTIFUL ONE • #PRINCE • NOTHING COMPARES 2 U • 1958-2016 pic.twitter.com/utJvwpbryN
— Apollo Theater (@ApolloTheater) April 21, 2016
As passersby took photos of the marquee of the Apollo Theater, Prince fan Karen Menordi, 45, stood by with a stack of Prince DVDs to mourn the loss of the iconic musician.
"This man just takes over my body," Menordi said. "It's a spiritual thing with him."
Scores of celebrities also took to social media to express remorse over the news.
Gutted. Mourning with you.
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) April 21, 2016
His Purple Badness. LOVE. https://t.co/Ywjd0WUIi7
— Spike Lee (@SpikeLee) April 21, 2016
I am shocked and saddened by the news of the death of Prince. A great brother and music genius.
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) April 21, 2016
Nooooo!!!! My soul is in such pain. Devastated! https://t.co/qUNXy6jG0s
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) April 21, 2016
Only now do we know what it sounds like When Doves Cry — the absence of music from loss of The Artist. RIP Prince (1958-2016)
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) April 21, 2016
The cause of death was not immediately known, but his publicist Yvette Noel-Schure said Prince had been battling the flu and recently had a medical situation that forced his private jet to make an emergency landing in Illinois, according to the Associated Press.
"It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57," Noel-Schure said in a statement.
Prince first emerged on the international stage in the early 1980s with the acclaimed album “1999.”
His distinctive style combining funk and rock mixed with his flamboyance helped him garner millions of fans and made him a global celebrity.
He won seven Grammy awards over his career and sold more than 100 million records, according to TMZ.
"The key to longevity is to learn every aspect of music you can," he once famously said.
He was born Prince Rogers Nelson, but changed his name to a symbol in 1993.
He shared an eerie blank photo on Instagram last week, the latest of many he's posted over the years.
