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Dr. Drew
The Untimely Death Of Music Legend, Prince; Visionary, Game Changer, Icon Are Some Of The Words We Have Been Hearing Today To Describe Prince; Prince Autopsy Will Be Performed Tomorrow; The Untold Real-Life Story Of Prince; Fans` Great Experiences With Prince
Aired April 21, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BREAKING NEWS)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER: He is our royalty. He is Minneapolis. He crossed every boundary, every genre. He broke through barriers all over
the place whether they were social or sexual identity or music barriers, no matter what it was. He just crashed right through them. He did not care.
He was just himself. And, I think we all owe him a lot for that, and I do not think he was done.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
DR. DREW PINSKY, HLN HOST OF "DR. DREW" PROGRAM: We are all today mourning the loss of a music legend, Prince, dead at 57. Back with Julie,
Sam, Karamo. On the phone, I have Jason Hanley from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Jason, thanks for joining us. Prince was inducted in the Hall of
Fame in 2004. Can you tell me a little bit about that ceremony?
DR. JASON HANLEY, ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME (via phone): Yes. Prince was inducted back in 2004 into the Rock & Roll of Fame by Alicia Keys. It
is a great ceremony and an incredible year. I mean, that year, I think, Prince -- after his induction, he got on stage as part of a performance
honoring George Harrison, who had passed by that point, and performed along with an all-star cast the song, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
[19:00:00] That is one of the first things I thought of today when I heard the news. And, if you go watch that performance, it is just
incredible. You really got the sense of what an amazing guitar player Prince was, too.
PINSKY: And, Jason, are you getting that same -- do you have the same impression that we are all getting over and over again about what a quiet,
generous, joyous and communal person he was, Prince was, bringing people together and bringing people even today bringing people together?
HANLEY: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think, you know, it is one of the things with an artist like Prince -- and, I do not use the word genius
often, Drew, but I will use it here. A real musical genius.
And, it was amazing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland today, heard the news and walked out on the floor, we started playing
Prince music in the museum and people were just starting to talk to each other right in the museum --
PINSKY: There it is.
HANLEY: -- about their experiences with Prince and looking for anything in our museum that connected to him. But even more than the
artifacts, it was the connection. It was the music and the memories people share of hearing his music and talking to each other about it. Strangers
who never met each other who travelled to the museum were suddenly talking to each other.
PINSKY: Thank you, Jason. That is it. That is it. In this hour, that is what I have learned. That is what I have learned about -- I have
always loved Prince. I have admired him. And, now I have learned about the power, and the clairvoyant, too.
HANLEY: Yes.
PINSKY: I mean, the vision of what this man had. I mean, you thought me about that. I mean, this man --
JULIE BROWN, FORMER VJ, MTV: And, he had a fun fear to him, too. You know, there was a time when --
PINSKY: Julie, take it back to sexy again.
(LAUGHING)
BROWN: No, I am not.
PINSKY: She is taking it there.
BROWN: He was sexy. To finish that story, I was right at the front of the stage when he did the MTV awards. And, when he turned around, he
had the pants on with the butt out. I was in cloud nine, I can tell you.
(LAUGHING)
But the other fun factor about him, there was a time when Michael Jackson had a song, and he was going into the studio and everyone knows how
meticulous Michael Jackson was.
And, he is about to do a song and they were like -- the guys were like, "Well, we will get to it tomorrow." And, he goes, "No. We got to do
it today. Otherwise, Prince will get it."
(LAUGHING)
SAMANTHA SCHACHER, HOST OF "POP TRIGGER"ON HULU.COM: Oh, I get it.
BROWN: So, there was that fun fear of Prince. I think every artist, you know, ever has not a bad word to say --
PINSKY: Yes. I see that.
BROWN: -- about Prince.
PINSKY: I see it. I want to know what happened to him, though. I feel -- I am angry a certain amount, too, because of the things I have
learned today I did not know about the fan connection and the way he would offer his music up for free to you all, the services he had provided to
other people. I feel robbed.
I felt robbed this morning when I first heard about it. And, now, I feel robbed and angry. I am angry for him. He lost some good years. What
happened here? Our special coverage continues. We mourn in the loss of music legend Prince. He died today at age 57. Here is how we all receive
this terrible news. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: CNN has now confirmed that the artist, Prince, is dead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: The death at estate of Prince in Minnesota.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER: You know what? Hold on one second. You guys, is it true? Yes, it has been confirmed. Prince has passed away at
the age of 57.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: Police responded to a medical call at his home in Minnesota this morning. Remember, he was born and
raised in Minneapolis. Then a death investigation began at his estate. We know that he was hospitalized last week for the flu.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER (voice-over): Last week, his plane was in the air, coming back from Atlanta. They had to do an emergency landing,
take him to the hospital. At that time his reps come out and said that he was just suffering with some flu-like symptoms.
Took him in. He was out of the hospital within a couple of hours and he even showed up on stage at a dance night near his home in Minnesota to
say, Hey, I am all good."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: Massive loss in the world of music, pop culture, art. Prince has died.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN MUSIC VIDEO)
"PRINCE" ROGERS NELSON, AMERICAN SINGER, SONGWRITER, RECORDING ARTIST (singing): This is what it sounds like when doves cry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
PINSKY: I am back with Samantha Schacher. I got CNN Commentator Van Jones with me now as well as Shaun Robinson, television host. Thank you
for joining us. Van, we heard from you earlier in the last hour, your deep friendship -- everything you said. I am sure you remember talking, what
you said in that phone interview. You are crying now, too, right?
VAN JONES, CNN COMMENTATOR: Sorry.
PINSKY: No, no, please. Sam? You are going to make Sam weep --
SCHACHER: I am kind of weepy. I am so sorry.
(LAUGHING)
PINSKY: That is ok. You worked directly with him. You were his lawyer, right?
JONES: I was one of his lawyers, yes. I -- yes, you know, I think part of it that is hard is that people are talking about him from the `80s
and he hated that.
[19:05:01] PINSKY: He hated that era?
JONES: No, he did not hate the era. He loved the `80s, but he also - - he had so many things that he wanted to do next. He had just got his catalog back. Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, who was his manager in the last
years, young African-American woman from the labor movement. No legal background, went to war on his behalf with the music industry. He had just
gotten his catalog back.
So, he was talking about wanting to do cartoons for children and be able to control his own music and help the children. There were so many
things that he -- that he was trying to do now. And, he cared so much just about ordinary people. When the "Black Lives Matter," people started
protesting, he understood where they were coming from. He really did.
He was a rebel when he was young, as a musical guy. And, he said, "Look, let us reach out to those kids. Let us go to Baltimore." And, he
said, "I want them to become an economic force. Use your passion to be creative, to create act, to create businesses, and create jobs." So, that
is why he started, "Yes we code" and all these other programs.
PINSKY: I just heard about that for the first time.
JONES: Yes.
PINSKY: That should have been the national news. He would not have that, would he?
JONES: Well, he is a Jehovah`s witness.
PINSKY: Yes.
JONES: He is -- he was -- it is so hard to talk about your friend in the past tense. But you are not allowed to brag and I gave this money, I
gave that money. Give me my award. He hated that. He said, "Listen, I get enough attention. Lift up these people who are hurting."
He would send money. Nobody knew where the money was coming from. You got people watching right now have programs, youth programs, basketball
programs that have money from him. They do not know. And, I am just saying that when you think about how great he was as a musician, just
please understand, that is a part of the greatness.
That greatness was there all the time. The music was part of it, but there was so many other ways that it expressed itself. And, I just do not
want people to think about him as only when we were in high school. He kept living. And, he kept creating, and he kept giving.
PINSKY: I think that has been the recurring theme of the program. And, I did not know that an hour ago.
JONES: Hey, listen, you have got people with solar panels on their house in Oakland right now that do not know Prince paid for them.
PINSKY: I know.
JONES: You have got kids that are getting help through, "Yes We Code," "Green For All." These are programs -- I was the face of those
programs, but it was his heart. It was his money.
Listen, people were not returning my phone calls but if I say, "I am calling because Prince wants me to" -- Listen, I work for the president and
I work for Prince. Prince is going to get phone call return fast than President Obama. Trust me. Trust me.
(LAUGHING)
SCHACHER: That is awesome.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
JONES: Trust me.
SCHACHER: Amen.
PINSKY: And, Shaun, your relation with Prince?
SHAUN ROBINSON, T.V., HOST: Yes. You know, it is so amazing, sitting here, talking next to Van. I first met Prince as a reporter. I
interviewed him on the set of one of his music videos and on another occasion. And, then I came to know him as a friend over the last seven
years. Wow! He -- Van is so right.
I mean, he hit the nail on the head. What was so special about him is that he came with this. I mean, he was so bigger than life. And, once
you got to know this person as a man, as a humanitarian, that is the real takeaway for me. When I think about our conversations and I -- you know, I
have been by his house. We have had parties at his house.
And, there have been times when it was just me, him and one other person. He took my father and me out to dinner one time, and another
friend because there was a project that he wanted me to do for him. And, we talked about it. But what I learned from him -- he would always push
me. He had this nickname for me. He would call me Harriet, for Harriet Tubman.
(LAUGHING)
SCHACHER: Wow!
PINSKY: My goodness.
ROBINSON: Yes. And, it was because he was always telling his people, the people who got to be around him to push further like I was -- I told
him one time -- I was talking to him on the phone. And, I said, "Hey, there is this project that I would like to do. You know, I would like for
you -- maybe you could be an executive producer."
And, he said to me, "Do you own it? Will you own it?" And, I go, "Well, I had not thought about that." And, he was like, "Well, I will not
do it." And, he says, "You come back to me when you own something and then we could talk." And, that is the kind of person he was.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
He always wanted you -- he always wanted you to be in control, in control of your destiny. And, I got to know him. The advice that he gave
me over this last seven years is just priceless. It is life changing. And also I got to know the really fun part of him.
Always wanted you to be in control, in control of your destiny. I got to know him. The advice that he gave me over this last seven years is
just priceless. It is life changing. And also I got to know the really fun part of him. As a matter fact --
[19:10:09] PINSKY: I keep hearing he was funny.
SCHACHER: I know.
PINSKY: He should have been a stand up quality.
(LAUGHING)
ROBINSON: Very funny. We went to dinner with my dad. And, I am thinking, I got these new purple shoes. I am going to wear purple shoes.
And, trust me, he did not care if you were wearing purple, he really did not. But, I said after dinner, I go, "Oh, yeah! Prince, you see my purple
shoes? He said, "Harriet, those are lavender."
(LAUGHING)
PINSKY: I know I have Jean Casarez out there at the Apollo. Do I have time to go to her? Jean. Hi, Jean. You are live at the Apollo.
What is going on there tonight?
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Dr. Drew, more and more people are coming here. They are in shock. There is disbelief. I see tears in
people`s eyes. And, the Apollo, I want you to look at the marquee right here. This is the honor that they are giving to Prince tonight here.
And, further down are all the people that are listening to Prince music. The Apollo is playing the music tonight. And, they have their
iPhones and they are recording each other. They are dancing to the music. I guess in a sense it is a celebration here.
But, I think people are still trying to assimilate that this 57-year- old musical genius is gone. And, he has got a lot of ties to the Apollo`s theater, Dr. Drew, because in the 1990s, he shot a special with VH-1. And,
in 2010, he had the press conference right here that announced his welcome to America tour.
PINSKY: Wow. Jean, thank you so much. We have to take a break. We have much more from our panel, much more from our audience. We are
discussing the untimely death of music legend, Prince. Stay with us.
(PRINCE MUSIC PLAYING)
[19:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER (voice-over): Prince was the perfect performer for his time. A blast of brilliance arising just as MTV and the
Walkman were revolutionizing music. He had the sound. He got that look and he had a vision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE: I learned early on this is what I wanted to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: For almost 40 years, he stayed in the vanguard of musical innovation. A fan says he captured his final
performance in Atlanta only a week ago and posted it on Twitter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE (singing): Purple rain purple rain oh, yeah
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: And, this is how it all ended, police and rescue workers at his studio in Minneapolis, streaking fans outside.
Prince had not been well. He had to cancel some concerts and his plane even had to land at one point for treatment. He spoke to some fans about
it just a few days back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE FAN OF PRINCE: So, he talked about what happened and he said he was OK. And, he said do not waste your prayers on me right
now. And, you know, wait a few days.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE ANNOUNCER: Prince in his first motion picture.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Like the character he played in his first movie "Purple Rain," Prince Rogers Nelson came from Minneapolis, the
son of a jazz, pianist and a social worker and he remained tied to the city.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE INTERVIEWER: We do not think of L.A., Nashville, all these hot spot New York places. Minneapolis gets it done, too.
PRINCE: Minneapolis has always been the bomb. You do not have to go outside of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: But, his influence was global. Prince produced more than a dozen chart-topping songs, won seven Grammys, and
Oscar. Celebrity tributes are pouring in. Justin Timberlake: "Numb. Stunned." Katy Perry: "The world just lost a lot of magic." Whoopi
Goldberg: "This is what it sounds like when doves cry."
Prince contributed songs to endless other acts and was renowned as a musical perfectionist, a virtuoso at both composing and performing. But he
was also noted for his personal humanity, taking care of struggling friends and even contributing a song to Baltimore in the wake of the devastating
riots.
(BEGIN MUSIC VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE (singing0: At least a little better than the day in Baltimore
(END MUSIC VIDEO CLIP))
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Prince was endlessly prolific. His memoir was supposed to come out next year. As it is, he is gone at 57.
Some of his final words on stage, "If I could, I would give you the world."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: We are looking right now at live pictures of Prince`s estate in Minnesota. I think most people are aware we lost Prince today at the
age of 57. And, a lot of media trying connect the dots about what happened to him. Spoken to people on his side and they are asking us to be patient.
In due course, we will know the answer. Do not go for the publicist spin. He is entitled to his privacy for now. Let us think about the
memory and the contributions and not speculate and not worry about what was going on.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
Because we will find out, we will find out. We will have our answers. No answers will bring him back. I am back with Sam Schacher, Van
Jones, Shaun Robinson. And, joining me on the phone, Kevin Frazier, co- host "Entertainment Tonight." Kevin, it is a sad, sad day.
KEVIN FRAZIER, CO-HOST OF "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT" SHOW: Drew, it is one of those sad, sad days that you look around and you know exactly where
you were when this news broke and then you just think of all the many times.
I mean, that he literally embraced me and allowed me access to so many things, whether it is a party, whether it is an event, whether it is
just having dinner at his house or going, you know -- going somewhere and traveling with him.
So, it breaks my heart, because we in the media live off the access and the fact that he kind of embraced me and gave me these things when I
first came here and got into the entertainment field. I mean, it is something I know Shaun and Van experienced that.
You sit down for dinner with him and he has politicians, educators and other people besides entertainers. And, he is sitting down there,
talking about what is going on in the world. He cared about what was happening in the world, not just, "Hey, this next album or this musical
thing." He cared about the world.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
[19:20:09] PINSKY: Van, you want to put a code on that?
JONES: It is very hard for people to understand. When you have lyrics like that that touch 7 billion people, when your name is one
syllable and it is one syllable good on seven continents, there is genius underneath that and work underneath that and study underneath that. That
is impossible to describe. He could have been a world famous theologian.
FRAZIER: Yes.
JONES: His knowledge of the bible. He could have been the world famous philosopher. You could debate with him about Socrates, Egyptian
philosophy. I mean, you are talking about a guy -- So, you go and hang out at Paisley Park, you do not know who you are going to see there. You will
see a young model, who you assume is there because she is pretty. And, it turns out, she has three PhD`s. I mean, this guy is unreal.
ROBINSON: Yes. What Van and Kevin says could not be more true. I mean, when you have a conversation with him, he does not want the, "Oh, my
God. I love this song" kind of conversation. He wants to mow what you are doing to change the world, to make the world better.
I remember, I got an e-mail from him through his assistant. I just published my first book and I was signing a book for a little girl. And,
some kind of way, they got the image off of, I think it was, Getty images and they sent it to me.
And, he said, "Much respect." And, those are the kinds of things that excited him. He wanted to be around people, who were using their
platform for the good of other people.
And, so, you learned that -- It was not like a fan boy moment. He did not like the fan boy moment around him or the fan girl moment. He
wanted to know, what are you doing? How are you using your celebrity to make --
PINSKY: He would push you?
ROBINSON: Oh, my gosh! He would push you constantly.
JONES: You would not accept, "Well, I did this. I did that." "Well, why?" And, "Who did that help?"
ROBINSON: Exactly.
JONES: And, also if you were trying to do it to get credit, if you were trying to do it because you wanted the fame and glory behind it, he
really did not appreciate that. He said I have enough attention. Let us help these other people. I think the other thing that I feel like the
young artists can really take from him, he was so generous as an artist. He wrote songs for other people. I mean he collaborated -- he is not, "Me,
me, me." He was --
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
PINSKY: (INAUDIBLE) what he did that day. Kevin, you want to make a last comment here?
FRAZIER: I was going to say. I remember sitting at dinner, we are all having a great dinner and everybody was talking, and all of a sudden
the dessert in come these radio station executives. And, he literally just turned on them and blasted them for what was in heavy rotation. He is
like, "What are you trying to feed the kids that are out there?"
SCHACHER: Wow.
FRAZIER: And, I remember him saying exactly like, "I am in love with a stripper in heavy rotation, but yet you will not play something that is
going to feed people. I do not understand. I am going to let you explain it."
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
SCHACHER: Can I --
PINSKY: Thank you, Kevin. I have to go to break. We will continue our coverage on the death of musical legend, Prince. But, first, have a
look at this clip from the NFL. It is Prince performing in the ring during the Super Bowl halftime show.
(PRINCE PERFORMANCE VIDEO CLIP)
[19:25:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUDACRIS, RAPPER (On the phone): In Hollywood, he would throw these parties where he would invite 30 people and perform at home. Like the
memory that I want to take is, I think a lot of people obviously know him for his music, his stage performance and what he has done, you know, just
to transcend music in general, but he was a guy who had a very big sense of humor. He was an individual that, as we all know, was the most confident
person in the world. He did not care what anyone said. I think that is what made people love him even more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: That was Ludacris, who joined me just a few minutes ago. And, tonight, we are all mourning the loss of Prince who died today at his
home in Minnesota. What this amazing -- well, I am back with Sam Schacher, Van Jones, Shaun Robinson.
And, what this amazing man has done for me, just today, has brought me together with people. Van, we have crossed paths a million times. I
feel like I know you today. Shaun, again, a million times, I feel like I connected to you. Ludacris, somebody, I have admired at a distance
forever. I got a piece of him today. All around this one man.
SCHACHER: Continuing to bring people together.
PINSKY: Even in his absence.
ROBINSON: Right.
JONES: He is a mentor to so many of us. He changed my life. When I left the White House --
PINSKY: You worked for the president. How much changing did you need?
(LAUGHING)
JONES: But, you know, listen. Nobody stays in the White House forever. But, you know, I stayed less time than I wanted to. And, when I
left, I felt low. He called me over to his house. Prince was never there for you when you did not need him.
If you did not need Prince, if you did not need help -- if you got a bestselling book, he is not going to call you. If you have a bad day, that
is when your phone is going to ring. He just knows it.
SCHACHER: This is what at least we got to hear, because as a super fan, I need to hear that. I need to hear that he exceeded expectations.
We all know he is an anointed, gifted, genius of an artist, but to hear what a humanitarian he is, to me, exceeds all expectations. And, it is
inspiring me to now want to live better.
PINSKY: Right.
ROBINSON: Also, you know, I think one of the things that makes me so emotional is that in seven years, we have lost Michael Jackson, Whitney
Houston and Prince, in seven years. That is it. All before leaving us before the age -- by 57. That is young.
[19:30:08] PINSKY: Oh, yes.
ROBINSON: It makes -- I remember when Michael Jackson died. It seemed as though Prince at that time and Van, you could probably speak more
to -- he was more aware of his own mortality during that time and deeply affected by that.
And, then, I mean, Prince wrote the soundtrack to our lives. And, so, did Michael Jackson, and so did Whitney Houston. And, to lose another
icon you think, "My Gosh, what is happening? And what could we have done?"
PINSKY: Let me go to the audience real quick.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER: You know, in talking about bringing people together, I have a fond memory of going to his concert with
my friends for $25.
ROBINSON: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER: That was a gift. That was a gift. I cannot tell you the amount of money I have spent on other concerts
in a day and age where concerts are $150 and up. So, it is a memory, a night that I will never forget. And his music really spoke volumes. And
hearing his stories about real-life stories, things I did not know, it is touching.
PINSKY: Van?
SCHACHER: Yes.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
JONES: You know, one of the things that I think that people do not appreciate is that he is just -- he is a guy.
PINSKY: Yes.
SCHACHER: Yes.
JONES: He is a human being. And Vanity died, OK? Vanity from Vanity 6. OK, She just died a few months ago. If you just watched the
shows that he just did, no band, no band. Just him and a piano. I have never seen that before.
Even at the house. He will play the piano, but everybody has -- even me, he make me handle a little tambourine. Everybody got to play.
Everybody got to perform. You never see him perform by himself even at the house. "I want to be by myself with the piano and a microphone."
SCHACHER: Wow.
JONES: Six, seven, eight songs are all about Vanity. There was not he wrote. He did not perform them all, but they are all about her. I just
want people to keep in mind that people can have a broken heart. You can have a broken heart.
And, you can lose the love of your life even if you have only been with them for 20 years or however long it has been. You know, and so,
these are the things that as we go in due course, understand, this is a human being. And, he is mentoring everybody. You have to ask sometimes,
who is mentoring him?
PINSKY: Yes.
ROBINSON: Right.
JONES: Who is mentoring Whitney? Who is mentoring Prince?
PINSKY: But, Prince, it sounds like, you know, all the research shows this. And, every great myth, legacy and every philosophy helping other
people fills you. So, he was getting -- he could have things go bad and still feel full. But still, things can go bad even so. Yes, ma`am?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER: Just speaking about Prince bringing people together. I went to catholic school for the first time in
high school, 14 years old, I knew no one in the school. And, I was introduced through a friend and our connection was because of Prince. We
both were fans of Prince.
And, to this day, I am 35 years old now. She moved to Houston, but we are still connected because of Prince and it is just so sad, and I am
still in denial. He just continues to bring us together. And, she texts me, she is saying, "I cannot believe it. It is a sad day."
PINSKY: But, you know, there is one thing about -- I believe that a lot of consciousness and lot of human existence is us existing in other
people. He still exists in you.
SCHACHER: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER: Definitely.
PINSKY: Yes. We have to take another break. We have a lot more coverage. Believe it or not, we have more to be said. Hope you will stay
with us. We are covering the untimely death of Prince at the age of 57. We will be right back.
[19:35:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN HILL: He was of everyone. You know, he performed all types of music. He performed -- he was doing EDM before EDM was big. He was
putting Indian influences in his music. He was of this world. He was one of the first people to understand the power of the internet.
Very few artists understood the power of the internet in the mid 90s. People were not leaving major labels. And, Prince was a pioneer in the way
he thought about music. Not just about music but about the business of music.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: Visionary, game changer, icon. These are some of the words we have been hearing today to describe Prince.
ROBINSON: You forgot comic.
SCHACHER: We just learned.
(LAUGHING)
PINSKY: We just learned from Van -- I will get to that in a second. We heard a little bit of that. We sort of ignored it, but Van confirmed
it. Music legend died today at 57. The Hollywood reporter says an autopsy will be performed tomorrow. In due time, we will have our answers about
what happened to this man that has changed the lives of so many.
I am back with Sam Schacher, Van Jones and Shaun Robinson. And, Van, I am going to have you describe what Sam was just saying. What did you
say, you compared Kevin Hart, Eddie Murphy and Prince?
JONES: Yes.
(LAUGHING)
PINSKY: Those are three guys that I would not have put in the same phrase before today.
JONES: You tell me if I am right or wrong. If Prince had never touched a musical instrument, if some miracle happens, some tragedy, he
never touched it, he still would be one of the most famous people in the world as a comic.
(LAUGHING)
SCHACHER: It is crazy.
JONES: This guy was so funny.
PINSKY: Did you experience that, too, as a super fan?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE FAN OF PRINCE: Well, yes. There was a performance with an artist. I do not want to say, Beyonce. And, apparently she
sweetened her tracks.
And, he was on stage, literally half an hour after they performed, he was on stage and said -- he started talking over the music and he was just
saying, "So, there was an artist up here performing tonight. And, they wanted me to lip sync. You know what I said to that, right?" And,
everybody went -- It was just --
(LAUGHING)
PINSKY: Yes. And, the other thing of just him being funny, the weird moniker that he got occasionally was really just him being so far
ahead of everybody else, Shaun, right?
[19:40:05] ROBINSON: Well, yes. What we were talking about is that when Prince first came on to scene with the makeup and the clothes and
everything, we did not know how to handle that. Because we had never seen that to that degree before.
But, what you learned about him when you were in his presence, as Van knows, as Kevin Frazier knows, he was a totally normal, brilliant guy. I
mean, if there was anything abnormal about him, was that he was so smart.
PINSKY: We can see that -- We had some Larry King footage a few minutes ago and you kind of see that kind of popping through when you sit
down and talk quietly to the guy, there it is.
I actually got on the phone right now from Atlanta, Headkrack. He is live right now. Host at "Dish Nation" and "The Ricky Smiley Show."
Headkrack, you give us your thoughts about the loss of this great man.
HEADKRACK, HOST, DISH NATION: I mean, I am shocked. I am awed, pretty much every word that you can think in that same spectrum of words.
I mean, you know, was like a security blanket. When we lost James Brown, it was like, "Yoh, thank God, we still got Michael Jackson and Prince."
When we lost, Michael Jackson, it is like "Oh, thank God, we still got Prince." Even with the passing of Phife of A Tribe Called Quest
recently, we still got Prince. And, I think no one really saw this coming.
I think one of the stories that a lot of people always continue to share about Prince is like he gave. Even if it was not monetarily, the
things his music did for people was just, you know -- you cannot even describe it with words. I come from the roughest, darkest parts of what
the `80s and `90s had to offer. Like Prince`s music was like the shining blips of those troubled times.
Like you can think back on certain songs, like you know, were my parents together when this came out? What girl did I like when this song
dropped? You can listen to almost any Prince song and it will take you to a moment in time, you know?
PINSKY: You know, the other thing that we were discussing a little a while ago when Karamo was in here that he pushed the African-American
community to address gender issues that have really become top of mind these days. And, he is the first one --
SCHACHER: Gender for everybody, right?
PINSKY: Let us put it, for all of us. Forget about just the African-American community.
JONES: But, you know what? He did not do it -- it was not like he had some big agenda -- I mean, for better or worse.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
But, the thing about it was -- I would ask him sometimes about that sort of stuff. He said, "We were just being ourselves." And, we were --
PINSKY: Is not that the gender identity today? That is just it. You could not articulate it any better than that, right? Be yourself.
SCHACHER: Yes.
JONES: I think for some people, some academics might come in, make it be something it was not. He was going to express himself at every level
in every way. He saw Liberace and James Brown, you know, some of these of people. He said, "You know what? I am going to take it a completely
different direction," and he did.
PINSKY: Our audience warm-up guy, Bill. Are you out there, Bill? You had an interesting story. I wanted you actually to tell your story to
us. I know I am pulling you out of your usual role, but go ahead.
BILL, FAN OF PRINCE: No, no, no. I was in Vegas. And, my friend got invited to go see the show. And, I have my best friend had a condition
where she was pregnant and she lost the baby, but the baby poisoned her.
SCHACHER: Oh my God.
BILL: And, they thought she was going to die. So, Prince was her person. And, I was like, "Oh, my Gosh. This just happened to her, but I
am flying her out. She is coming to see it." So, we went to the show. When the show is done, Prince invited my friend and two people back to his
house.
And, I am like, "You have to take her." So, my friend got to go back there. They go become to the house and Prince walked up to her and goes,
"I can tell, what is going on?"
SCHACHER: Whoa!
BILL: "I can tell there is something sad about you." And, she is like, "I just lost my child." And, that is right when Prince lost his
child, then he pulled her aside. And, they prayed together and he gave her his number and said if you are ever sad or need to talk, call me." And, she
is a complete stranger.
SCHACHER: Wow!
BILL: But, it changed her life, though.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
Literally, I mean it changed her life. She was postpartum. It was everything. That moment changed her entire life.
PINSKY: There is a note to be had in that, which is that we change one another. Humans change -- our brains affect brains.
JONES: And, listen, you could probably find thousands of people that could say something similar. He was not -- we were just talking about
this. He was so private and at the same time, he was so open. And he would just follow.
One time, we were in the Caribbean together. And, I got a phone call to leave. You know, he slept late. So, I was like, "I am not going to
bother the guy. I am just going to go." So, I am getting in the car. And, as the car is going down the hill, we come around and he is standing
there at the bottom of the hill.
And, he just knew that I was leaving. Nobody called him. He just totally just knew. He said, "Look, travel safely. Travel well." And,
then he just kind of, poof, disappears again. It is like --
(LAUGHING)
PINSKY: Can you make him reappear again? When you say it --
JONES: He did have this sense, this intuition about people.
PINSKY: Stay with us. We will be right back.
[19:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: We are mourning the loss of Prince who died today at age 57. I need to go out to a CNN reporter, Polo Sandoval, live at the Fox Theater
in Atlanta, precisely where Prince performed his final concert last week. Polo, what is going on there?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Drew, it really is incredible what a difference seven days makes. Last Thursday, there were thousands of
people who had packed into the theater that you see behind me watching Prince on stage. T
They obviously did not know it at the time, but they were taking in what is now, as you mentioned, the final public performance of Prince.
And, now tonight we have seen people drawn to the historic Fox Theater here in midtown, Atlanta, for a different reason. And, that is to remember this
pop pioneer.
[19:50:00] There is a very small but meaningful makeshift memorial that is formed outside at the front the theater, a couple of roses, some
flowers that have been dropped off there by fans. Some of them, a few that I have been able to speak to.
Grateful that they had the opportunity to share in that moment a week ago. Then, of course, Drew, as you may imagine, there are so many others
including yours truly, wishing that they would had been in this building seven days ago to be able to share that moment and of course watch as
Prince performed at that night.
PINSKY: Thank you, Polo. Appreciate the report. Van, you wanted to make a quick, quick comment about his spiritual connection and his musical
heritage. Two separate points.
JONES: I guess I think that the fact that he was Jehovah`s witness meant that he could not speak publicly about his good works.
PINSKY: Yes.
JONES: They are not allowed to give money then brag about it.
PINSKY: We are not offending his memory by talking about him.
JONES: Well, I do not care. I am going to talk about him.
PINSKY: OK.
(LAUGHING)
JONES: He knows my heart. I just think it is important now -- it is not to do anything but to make sure that the theological conversation, the
bible.
ROBINSON: I got to tell you. Of all the times that I have been with him, it always came back to a spiritual component. Prince was one of the
most spiritual people I have ever known.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
And, he talked about being a Jehovah`s witness. Larry Graham, his idol. His mentor. Somebody who was his one mentor, his adviser was also
Jehovah`s witness, and he would talk. You know, he would freely talk about his spirituality.
But also even if you did not subscribe to that, he wanted you to be on a higher spiritual plane, to know that we are here, so whatever happens,
I beg people, whatever happens, whatever news comes out a month from now, we find out, oh, this is what -- that aside, we have lost somebody who was
here to make the world a better place.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
And, if we want to honor his memory, we will try to continue his work by helping other people, and that is what it is. It is not about -- as you
know, we know so many celebrities, they cannot do anything without issuing a press release about how great they are.
PINSKY: Yes.
SCHACHER: Right.
ROBINSON: He was not like that.
JONES: He was not.
ROBINSON: He was the quiet philanthropist.
JONES: And, when you mention a Larry Graham, Larry Graham was a part of sly and the family stone.
ROBINSON: Yes.
JONES: Now, do not forget, Prince did not come out of nowhere. Prince comes out of an African-American musical tradition. He looks at a
James Brown. He looks at a Little Richard. He looks at a sly and the family stone with Larry Graham. He looks at a James Brown --
PINSKY: Jimmy Hendrix.
JONES: Jimmy Hendrix. Those were his forbearers. I want to take their best and I want to take it to a completely different level. And, so,
when he does that, suddenly you have Michael Jackson and Prince. And, suddenly MTV has to let them in. For most people like, "Good music." We
were like, "Black people are able to break through now."
ROBINSON: Right.
JONES: You have to remember, in the 1980s, there were no African- Americans on MTV. There were no African-Americans on pop radio. And, so, Michael and Prince burst through and made that happen. And, that is why
you see African-Americans saying, "Hey, hey, this is one of our guys."
PINSKY: Got it.
SCHACHER: Right.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
JONES: This is one of our guys.
PINSKY: Please stay with us. More to be said. We will be right back.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
[19:55:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: Tonight, we are mourning the loss of a music legend, Prince, who died today at age 57. I am back with Sam, Van and Shaun. And, I
started this show tonight two hours ago, thinking I was going to learn about a musician and I learned about an extraordinary human being.
And, in addition to allowing me to touch people, I have always admired and touched them in ways where I feel connected, I feel communal
with this audience today. I feel like I have gotten to know people that I thought I knew, but I now know them in a much more intimate and deep way.
The one thing, Van and Shaun, you told me about him is he was always pushing you, pushing you to the next thing.
ROBINSON: Yes. Level up. That was his thing. I would say it very briefly.
PINSKY: What is the next level?
ROBINSON: Level up. Whatever you are doing --
PINSKY: What is level up for you? Tonight, say it on the record, what is --
ROBINSON: My level up is -- my level up is to have my own talk show.
(LAUGHING)
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
PINSKY: OK. Good enough. Van.
JONES: I mean, I cannot even -- I just wish that we got a chance to do this stuff that he wanted to do next.
ROBINSON: Yes.
PINSKY: Well, maybe -- I was thinking when you and I were talking during the commercial break about the cartoon you wanted to make about the
Egyptians, the kids --
ROBINSON: All those things.
PINSKY: Maybe he have --
JONES: You know what?
ROBINSON: Yes.
JONES: That is my level up. He wanted to do a cartoon about the lost city of Amarna in Egypt and it was going to be a way to get children
engaged with history and positive things. I am going to make sure that happens.
ROBINSON: Yes.
SCHACHER: Yes.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
ROBINSON: Yes!
SCHACHER: For me, I have learned just tonight what an empathetic soul he was. And, for me, as a person, I have been inspired by Prince my
whole life, but now I am more inspired to just be better. I want to be more empathetic. I want be better. I want to touch people.
PINSKY: More empathetic. CJ (ph)?
(LAUGHING)
CJ (ph): My level up is to continue doing what, you know, what spoke to me and what he told my friends.
PINSKY: Which is what?
CJ: Being -- living through God, living positive, inspiring other people, doing better for my children and everybody I meet.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
SCHACHER: Drew, I want to know your level up.
PINSKY: My level up is to be able to leave -- I am leaving my radio show behind, and it is part of the --
ROBINSON: That is sad.
SCHACHER: Right. "Love Line."
PINSKY: My "Love Line."
SCHACHER: You live.
PINSKY: I did it for 30 years and level up is to focus on my family and my productivity in the morning to do things like be available to do
stuff like what Van was talking about, right? You and I --
JONES: I will look into that.
PINSKY: So, we will do that.
SCHACHER: Amazing.
[20:00:00] PINSKY: I hope you have been enriched. I have been enriched by this man just sitting and talking about him and his life.
Thank you all for watching. I really appreciate it. Nancy Grace is up next.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END)
END
