BlackFacts.com presents the black fact of the day for April 21.

Prince passed away.

He was a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and producer among the most talented American musicians of his generation.

Prince’s recording career began with funk and soul marketed to a Black audience; his early music also reflected the contemporary musical impact of disco.

With very few African American residents, his hometown, Minneapolis, Minnesota, was an unlikely site for the development of a major Black star, but Prince even managed to lead other local musicians, to major success.

Purple Rain (1984) made him one of the major stars of the 1980s and remains his biggest-selling album.

In 1994, Prince began to release albums in quick succession as a means of releasing himself from his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. He also began appearing with the word "slave" written on his face.

Prince formally adopted the "Love Symbol" as his stage name. At this time, Prince was referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince" or "The Artist".

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

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