Four years before the news of Prince’s death, “Chappelle’s Show” co-creator Neal Brennan told an amazing story of partying with His Purple Badness — and with Dave Chappelle, Prince, and Questlove.
It’s a weird, delightful story in the way everything involving Prince was weird and delightful. It takes place in 2004, soon after Prince’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and features Prince’s Canadian in-laws, matching gold pajamas and socks, and pancakes.
Yes: Prince had seen the famous “Chappelle Show” basketball-and-pancakes skit, and called it back. Though he was known for being coy and mysterious with his public identity, the Brennan story suggests an excellent sense of humor about himself in private.
TMZ reported the singer’s body was discovered at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota this morning, while the Associated Press tweeted the artist’s publicist confirmed, “Prince has died at his home in suburban Minneapolis.” A death investigation is underway.
While the cause of death is not known at this time, Prince’s private plane made an emergency landing at Quad City International Airport in Moline, Illinois, last Friday morning, as the singer was en route home from a concert in Atlanta. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, had apparently been experiencing flu symptoms, which worsened during the flight. He was released from the hospital after three hours.
Rest in peace, Prince.
Brennan’s story:
The skit Prince referenced:
