Today is what would have been Prince Rogers Nelson’s 58th birthday. Prince was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis and died April 21, 2016, at his Paisley Park estate in his beloved city, Minneapolis.
Prince is an essence we were privileged to experience. Whether we were consumed in purple clouds first-hand, or we witnessed another person’s second-hand consumption in a funk cyclone – Prince was borderless.
Since the news of his death, our national rhetoric has shifted to an endless love-letter to the musical icon. In culture, politics, the arts, and society at large we see the touch of Prince unveiling itself, and today is no exception.
On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton officially declared the day “Prince Day” in Minnesota, and we here at L’Etage Magazine are offering you three utilities to say happy birthday to the legend in internally:
- Do not close the casket on Prince. Last week, it was announced by the Anoka County, Minn., Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office that Prince’s death was caused by an accidental overdose of the opioid drug fentanyl. When this news came out, many surface-deep fans took the news as an excuse to dismiss Prince. Social media divided into those who were still mourning the legend, and those who were ready to “move on” not that they knew he “did this to himself.” Prince did not selfishly abuse the substance. It was an accidental overdose of a powerful drug that took him from being here on Earth to a cadenza in the sky. Recognize this, and do not allow yourself to begin the process of forgetting him as an effort to cope with the loss. Mourn him in the immortality of his legacy.
- Hear his voice, his heart, his spirit in his music. The one place you can stream Prince’s full collection is Tidal. Budget a subscription to the service for $9.99 per month, or you can sign up for a free month-long trial. His newest album,HITNRUN Phase One & Two, was exclusively released for Tidal last year. Prince’s back catalog isn’t available on Spotify orApple Music: He stripped them from all services last year, and told Ebony, “My thing is this. The catalog has to be protected … Spotify wasn’t paying, so you gotta shut it down.”
- Engage with your communities. Prince was a humanitarian and activist, was very in touch with the human condition and each struggle that pertained to his identity. He worked to contribute to charities, made his performances available for $5, had pop-up performances at benefits, and donated monies. He supported social justice movements, defied stereotypes, and advocated for the rights of artists. Be unashamed and unapologetic in your expressions of love.
Prince is very much alive in our hearts and on this day as we celebrate a 58-year-legacy, L’Etage urges you to identify the fingerprints he has left on our spirits.
Arguably, Prince solidified our trust in art, humanity, modern faith, and expressions far beyond us as individuals. He was a man of faith and was entrusted with a heart that beat for others. He was a vibrato spilling into every musical genre, a watercolor that dripped off edges. He transcended us all far beyond his passing. Prince Is. He always will be an invaluable spirit. Death is a border that we cannot place on him. So do not try. Remember him in the purple hue of rain. Remember him in the mourning of the doves. He went to give paradise a purple touch, to complete our rainbow.
Allow what mattered to him to matter to you. That is how you preserve and respect his legacy.