American pop music legend Prince (57), who won seven Grammy, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award, found dead at his home in suburban Minneapolis on Thursday.
Confirming his death, Prince publicist Yvette Noel-Schure told The Associated Press that the music icon - widely acclaimed as one of the most inventive musicians of his era with hits including 'Little Red Corvette', 'Let's Go Crazy' and 'When Doves Cry' - died at his home in Chanhassen. However, no details were immediately released.
The Minneapolis native broke through in the late 1970s with the hits 'Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?' and 'I Wanna Be Your Lover', and soared over the following decade with such albums as '1999' and 'Purple Rain'.
The title song from '1999' includes one of the most widely quoted refrains of popular culture: 'Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999'.
Prince, who was born as Prince Rogers Nelson, inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 2004, which hailed him as a musical and social trailblaser.
He was also fiercely protective of his independence, battling his record company over control of his material and even his name.