Unfortunately, I Was Right About Prince!

UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 13: RITZ CLUB Photo of PRINCE, Prince performing on stage – Purple Rain Tour (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)

 

 

But quite actually, not surprised!

Medical examiner: Prince died of Fentanyl overdose

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Prince died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a powerful opioid painkiller that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin, autopsy results released Thursday show.

The findings confirm suspicions that opioids played a role in the death of the superstar musician, who was found dead April 21 at his Minneapolis-area estate.

Apparently, those previous reports of ‘flu-like’ symptoms were just a cover-up for the fact that Prince was addicted to painkillers thanks in part to the fact of worn-out joints, an aging body and a desire to continue to perform.

After being in the limelight for decades, it is hard to sit down and be relegated to retirement and obscurity. Many of us think that the money alone would be good enough for us, but put yourself in their shoes and it would more than likely look differently to you, as was the case with Prince, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and all of the great ones who suffered career setbacks, sensational scandals, an aging body and fickle fans. I have stated it before and I state it again, when people are put on a pedestal, worshipped and idolized, it does something to them and they cannot ‘enjoy’ being an average person any longer. Drugs are going to play a role in their lives; that is a given. There are only a few celebrities who have not succumbed to the lure of drug addiction; be they from painkillers or other opioids or narcotics.

I understand that it has been said that Prince lived a ‘clean’ life; no alcohol or drugs and that he was a ‘vegetarian’. Although, it was first suggested that he was a vegan and I also understand that since that was changed, could it also be a lie that Prince was addicted to fentanyl? We could argue about it all day and all night, but one fact remains, Prince was getting old. Fifty-seven is not young in the music industry and Prince was in the music industry for decades and the wear and tear on joints after all the punishment he put them through are going to start acting up and to counter the pain, medication is necessary. No amount of a vegetarian lifestyle or religious practices are going to ease the ache of painful hip joints and arthritic knees. Get real!

Devil worshippers are not to blame for Prince’s death. The ‘illuminati’ did not cause Prince’s hip and knee pains. If you look at the old videos of Prince in action, you cannot fail to walk away without saying that after years of that type of abuse, pain at the age of 57, as a result was to be expected especially since he continued to perform. But notice that his later performances were tame in comparison. The man just could not leap about and jump from high speakers anymore. He more than likely tried to do without the painkillers but he was expected to do more than just stand up on stage, clutching a microphone and to put those joints in use meant either deal with it and try not to grimace or take painkillers because the show must go on. There were adoring fans who needed to be entertained and get their money’s worth from the performance. The ‘fans’ care not for aging joints. They want their ‘gods’ to never age, never show human frailties, and above all, never be like the rest of us. That is not why Prince was ‘idolized’, for being like the rest of us.

And we would think that since Prince is dead, has been cremated, it would be ‘case closed’, but it is only just beginning. Now, comes the blame game. Who gave Prince the fentanyl? Who helped Prince overdose on a powerful opioid painkiller? Who is responsible? Ultimately, it was up to Prince as to whether or not to take the drugs that helped him to continue to perform.

I can only speculate as to whether or not Prince was pushed by an overwhelming desire to continue to achieve perfection even in the face of much suffering so that he could perform or was it a desire to just dull the pain of aging joints to just allow him to walk without suffering. I don’t know. What I do know is that if he could stand the pain in his day-to-day activities, then I see no reason for fentanyl. But if he were taking fentanyl in order to perform, than that was on Prince.

Lastly, the opioid epidemic that is increasingly in the news, will surely get a boost in coverage now that it has been concluded that Prince died from an abuse of opioids. Too bad the crack epidemic that decimated Black communities all across AmeriKKKa did not get the same attention and calls from politicians and the CDC to have crack addiction treated as a medical condition instead of what it was treated as, a crime. But then, look at who the face of opioid addiction is, other than Prince, of course.