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Home » Culture » Prince among men: an explosion of grief from the world's music community

Prince among men: an explosion of grief from the world's music community

Sahil Bhalla | Updated on: 10 February 2017, 1:50 IST

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If you said that almost no-one has had a greater influence on the music industry as a whole than Prince, people might think you're exaggerating - but barely.

Yesterday, the music world was rocked by the sudden death of the legendary artist at 57 of causes not yet known.

Prince, who passed away at the tender age of 57, was among the top influencers of his generation. Not just for his musical ability but also for his ability to both support and take on the music industry.

That's why the outpouring of grief and loss we've seen in the hours since his death seems so personal.

Prince's sister: "He loved all of you. Thank you for loving him back." https://t.co/QUKecNIV0J
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 22, 2016

Like most memorable artists, Prince was provocative - pushing the boundaries on a host of issues of race, gender, and more. He was also passionate about protecting the rights of artists themselves.

"People think I'm a crazy fool for writing 'slave' on my face," Prince said in a 1996 Rolling Stone interview. This was in reference to a feud with Warner Bros three years earlier when the label refused to release his music when he wanted. "But if I can't do what I want to do, what am I? When you stop a man from dreaming, he becomes a slave. That's where I was. I don't own Prince's music. If you don't own your masters, your master owns you."

Fast forward to 2014 when Prince signed a new deal with Warner Bros. This time, the deal gave him full control of his catalog. His life long dream of getting control of his art was achieved.

For the next seven days, SiriusXM has introduced a 24-hour channel dedicated to Prince:

SiriusXM has launched a 24-hour Prince channnel! https://t.co/sURoilcJ0b
— billboard (@billboard) April 22, 2016

And if you haven't heard Prince's cover of Radiohead's Creep from Coachella 2008, stop everything and get to it now. As Slate says, "Prince's cover of Radiohead's "Creep" is a small, eight-minute miracle".

It's no surprise then that miracle man is revered not just by fans but fellow celebrities from around the world. It's safe to say this man is a hero among heroes.

Something Eric Clapton acknowledged years ago.

Eric Clapton was asked about how it felt to be the world's best guitarist.

His response: "I don't know. Ask Prince".
— Stig Abell (@StigAbell) April 21, 2016

Here's some of the love coming the late rockstar's way:

Will Smith

Will Smith mourns Prince's death: ''I just spoke with him last night.'' https://t.co/YpOjwuCPBY pic.twitter.com/rJlhwiMCj3
— E! Entertainment (@e_entertainment) April 22, 2016

Vishal Dadlani

Today, nothing exists but #Prince. Musicians always speak of his guitar-playing with hushed awe. Here's why. https://t.co/5hJ7UeMml5
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) April 22, 2016

Duran Duran

"Devastated to hear the news about Prince. An enormous talent that we were all big fans of." - Duran Duran pic.twitter.com/478Q9dVF7K
— Duran Duran (@duranduran) April 21, 2016

Katy Perry

And just like that...the world lost a lot of magic ✨ Rest in peace Prince! Thanks for giving us so much...
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) April 21, 2016

Billy Idol

Oh my god I can’t believe that Prince has died…he was a great great talent…RIP
— Billy Idol (@BillyIdol) April 21, 2016

Justin Timberlake

Numb. Stunned. This can't be real.
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) April 21, 2016

It was Raspberry Beret. I was 4 years old. Yes, 4. I remember that I instantly loved it. "Mommy, who is that singing?" Seems weird but it's true. More than a "once in a lifetime" artist... Just a ONCE IN FOREVER ARTIST. I'm still in shock as I write this and I feel this overwhelming grief. But, we should all turn away from that and HONOR this musician that changed all of our lives, our perspectives, our feeling, our whole being. From another planet? Probably. Royalty, for sure. Us worthy..? Laughable. They say don't meet your idols... That they let you down. But, some of my greatest, funniest (yes, he was hilarious), and most prolific encounters and conversations about music came from the moments that I spent with him. It would be silly to say that he has inspired our music... It's beyond that. He's somewhere within every song I've ever written. I am sad, but I will smile when I think of every second that I had the fortune of being in his company. We have lost our greatest living musician. But his music will never die. Prince, NOTHING COMPARES... #RIPPrince

A photo posted by Justin Timberlake (@justintimberlake) on Apr 21, 2016 at 11:04am PDT

Spike Lee

I Miss My Brother. Prince Was A Funny Cat. Great Sense Of Humor.

A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Apr 21, 2016 at 10:18am PDT

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He Changed The World!! A True Visionary. What a loss. I'm Devastated.🦄 This is Not A Love Song.

A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Apr 21, 2016 at 11:17am PDT

Lenny Kravitz

My musical brother... My friend... The one who showed me the possibilities within myself, changed everything, and kept his integrity until the end, is gone. I am heartbroken.

A photo posted by Lenny Kravitz (@lennykravitz) on Apr 21, 2016 at 10:52am PDT

The Weeknd

i promise this was the greatest moment of my entire life. i wish i could relive it everyday. pic.twitter.com/i7oax7tLYr
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) April 21, 2016

President Obama

First published: 22 April 2016, 5:36 IST

Sahil Bhalla Prince Warner Bros Justin Timberlake Madonna vishal dadlani Katy Perry The Weeknd

Sahil Bhalla @IMSahilBhalla

Sahil is a sports and tech correspondent on the speed news desk at Catch. A gadget freak, he loves offering free tech support to family and friends. He studied at Sarah Lawrence College, New York and worked previously for Scroll. He selectively boycotts fast food chains, worries about Arsenal, and travels whenever and wherever he can. Sahil is an unapologetic foodie and a film aficionado.