Prince's Cousin Recalls Singer's Overdose A Week Before Death: "He Died On The Plane"

BY Erika Marie 5.9K Views
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Prince
After the incident, Prince reportedly returned to life as normal.

Music icon Prince's talents were so beloved by millions that fans almost believed him to be invincible. So, when he was found dead in his home in April 2016, the world paused in shock. A coroner would later determine that Prince died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, leading to revelations about the musician's addiction to opiates.

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In a forthcoming episode of E! True Hollywood Story, Prince's cousin, Charles Smith, candidly speaks about the singer's near-death experience that occurred just a little over a week prior to his death. According to Charles, Prince was in his private plane when he stopped breathing. "He died on the plane," he says. "Then, they brought him back."

Immediately after the singer was revived using Narcan, a drug that counteracts the effects of opioids, he was rushed to a hospital. "Somebody said they wanted to test his blood, and Prince refused to get his blood tested. Somebody was hiding something," Charles recalls. He added that things didn't change much after that incident. "Prince is back to being Prince again and they take him back home. He should've never left that hospital."

"He's flown back to Minneapolis," Charles shares. "I'm like, what? Who does that? After you almost die on the plane. Just look at how many chances everybody had, that was in that circle, to say something or do something. He didn't have a chance." Watch the clip below and tune in for the full episode this Sunday.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.