Wear something purple! Governor Mark Dayton has officially declared Tuesday, June 7, “Prince Day” in the late pop icon’s home state of Minnesota, according to the Associated Press. The special day will mark what would have been the “Kiss” crooner’s 58th birthday.
The holiday was instated to pay tribute to the seven-time Grammy winner’s contributions to music and entertainment, as well as his lesser-known philanthropy work.
As fans will recall, Prince was passionate about his suburban roots and made a concerted effort to stay out of the Hollywood fray by choosing to settle down in Chanhassen, Minnesota, at his Paisley Park compound.
“He said Minneapolis raised him … [moving] will never happen,” the musician’s good friend and longtime bassist Nik West told Fox News back in April. “He would say, ‘I’m never leaving … there’s a legacy here for me.’ He was just all about just being who he was — being at home.”
Aside from Gopher State festivities, Prince’s birthday will be celebrated in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted Prince in 2004. The institution will hold a “Let’s Go Crazy” dance party in theme with his 1984 single of the same name. Additionally, the Purple One was remembered by Spike Lee on Saturday, June 4, in New York City. The famed film director, 59, threw a huge bash in honor of Prince just a few days ahead of the musician’s birthday.
As Us Weekly previously reported, the legendary singer died at age 57 after he was found unresponsive in an elevator at his home on Thursday, April 21. His death was the result of “self-administered” Fentanyl toxicity, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Prince’s autopsy gave no additional details surrounding his death, and it remains uncertain whether he was prescribed the drug (he was known to suffer from a hip problem) or if it was illegally obtained elsewhere. His remains have since been cremated, and his family paid tribute to his memory during a private memorial service held on Saturday, April 23.
