Fans, some cutting purple, appear the "Prince Born Day Amethyst Bodies Party" in Brooklyn on Saturday.
The dress cipher was purple, and the alone claim was to party. Hundreds of bodies answerable Saturday as Spike Lee threw a huge alfresco affair for Prince advanced of the backward legend's 58th birthday.
Al Sharpton, Rosie Perez, above Prince assembly and others abutting the army in advantageous accolade to the backward superstar, whose altogether is Tuesday.
Prince died April 21, and an dissection appear this anniversary that he had died of an adventitious balance of fentanyl, a able opioid painkiller. But the focus Saturday was on Prince's activity and music, not his death.
For six hours, admirers of all ages awash to hits like "When Doves Cry," ''Starfish and Coffee," ''Erotic City" and added beneath the hot sun. Some dressed as their idol, while others wore T-shirts that bore his likeness; others donned amethyst hair, while one woman had his acclaimed attribute baldheaded on the aback of her head.
"Y'all came to bless Prince today? Will you bless him tomorrow? Will you bless him abutting week? Will you bless him abutting year? Will you bless him the blow of your life?" TV host Sway Calloway asked the crowd, to cheers.
Spike Lee entered the affair captivation a gold Prince symbol, followed by a affiliation of kid drummers, all cutting purple. Lee took turns with Sway as emcee of the event.
Sharpton and others additionally accustomed the accident of addition icon, Muhammad Ali, who died aboriginal Saturday morning.
"As one who knew him for abounding years, I told Spike maybe he larboard 'cause he heard there was a jam session," Sharpton said. "And Prince has acrimonious up the bandage on the added side. And about I see Ali bouncing his easily adage 'Purple Rain, Amethyst Rain." They're accepting a big jam session."
Musician Andre Cymone, who played with Prince and knew him back childhood, said he was still mourning.
"I'm still in shock. A admirable brother, and I'm lost. I can't alike put it into words," he told the crowd.
Basketball abundant Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and John Salley additionally batten at the event.
Lee captivated an ad-lib ball affair in Brooklyn afterwards the accompanist died on April 21. He additionally captivated a agnate anniversary anniversary Michael Jackson in the years back his 2009 death.
Published at 7:03 PM EDT on Jun 4, 2016 | Updated at 10:46 AM EDT on Jun 6, 2016