Prince to posthumously receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
MINNEAPOLIS — While the music world is still wrapping up celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of Prince's landmark "Purple Rain," another honor has been announced for the late Minneapolis rock superstar: a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
Prince will be one of the few rarely-awarded posthumous stars. The Minneapolis native died April 21, 2016 at age 57 following a fentanyl overdose at Paisley Park, his Chanhassen studio. At the time of his death, Prince had never been nominated to receive a star, nor had paperwork ever been sent in to finalize one.
Prince's impending addition to the storied Hollywood walk was announced by, among others, fellow "Minneapolis sound" collaborator, and ex-member of The Time, Jimmy Jam.
There are nearly 2,800 stars on the Walk of Fame. According to the organization maintaining and developing the Hollywood tourist attraction, only one posthumous star is allowed any given year, and is subject to a two-year waiting period. Ray Liotta, Luciano Pavarotti, Carrie Fisher and Jenni Rivera are among those recently given stars posthumously, according to the organization.
Prince joins Fantasia, Depeche Mode, Los Bukis, The B-52s, Green Day, The Isley Brothers, Busta Rhymes, George Strait, Keith Urban and WAR among the newest recording industry additions to the walk.
Other entertainment notables who were announced this week for star honors include Jane Fonda, John Carpenter, David Beckham, Emilio Estevez, Colin Farrell, Bill Nye, Molly Shannon, and Screen Actor Guild president Fran Drescher.
Over the last weekend, the First Avenue nightclub — which rose to national prominence thanks to its central role in "Purple Rain" — was the scene of a massive celebration in Minneapolis, as fans converged to pay tribute to the Purple One's bestselling album. While some took pictures and explored where Prince performed, others rushed to Prince's favorite music store, Electric Fetus, to add to their collection of all things Prince.
A new musical version of "Purple Rain" is expected to debut in Minneapolis before its run on Broadway in spring 2025.