The Evolution of Prince

Rest in peace to a legend.

The Evolution of Prince  - April 21, 2016: the day we lost one of music's most prolific and brilliant minds. Prince Rogers Nelson passed away at the age of 57 years old. The impact he will leave on this planet will echo forever. Prince gave us decades of iconic music, fashion and polite protests, setting a precedent for anyone who dare call themselves an artist. Read on for a breakdown of the fantastic voyage to his legendary, purple-tinged throne. Rest well, Prince. We will miss you terribly. — Kathy Iandoli, Alex Gale, Dominique Zonyeé (@DominiqueZonyee), and BET Staff (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Records) 
A Star Is Born - Prince Rogers Nelson was born June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis to John L. Nelson, a jazz pianist and songwriter, and Mattie Shaw, a jazz singer. He was named after his father, whose stage name was Prince Rogers.(Photo: Courtesy thesource.com)
In Control - After making his first demo at the age of 17, Prince signed a deal with Warner Bros., who gave him substantial creative control. He released his debut, For You, in 1978. Prince produced, arranged, composed and played all 27 instruments on the album and wrote all songs except for the hit "Soft and Wet," which had lyrics co-written by early collaborator Chris Moon.  (Photo: Suzie Gibbons/Redferns)The Breakthrough - In October 1979, Prince released his self-titled breakthrough album, which hit platinum in the wake of his classic hits "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover.”  (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Records)

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The Evolution of Prince  - April 21, 2016: the day we lost one of music's most prolific and brilliant minds. Prince Rogers Nelson passed away at the age of 57 years old. The impact he will leave on this planet will echo forever. Prince gave us decades of iconic music, fashion and polite protests, setting a precedent for anyone who dare call themselves an artist. Read on for a breakdown of the fantastic voyage to his legendary, purple-tinged throne. Rest well, Prince. We will miss you terribly. — Kathy Iandoli, Alex Gale, Dominique Zonyeé (@DominiqueZonyee), and BET Staff (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Records) 

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