2 weeks ago
2
Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson has died at 64 years old.
The gospel singer, who was two years younger than Prince, passed away on the morning of Monday, November 4, her family told The Minnesota Star Tribune. Though Tyka’s son, President Nelson, confirmed his mother’s death, he declined to share any details.
“She had her own mind,” Tyka’s half-sister Sharon Nelson told the outlet. “She’s in a better place.”
Tyka’s cousin Charles “Chazz” Smith also confirmed the news via a statement shared on Facebook on Monday.
“Our family is very saddened to share the news of my cousin Tyka Evene Nelson who passed away this morning,” Charles captioned a black and white photo of two toddlers, one appearing to be a young Tyka, standing in front of a car.
Like Prince, who died in 2016, and her late parents, jazz singer Mattie Della Shaw Baker and musician John L. Nelson, Tyka became successful in the music world. She released four albums between 1988 and 2011. Tyka reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in July 1988 with her song “Marc Anthony’s Tune,” which she wrote because she had a crush on the singer. Additionally, her song “L.O.V.E.” reached No. 52 on the chart.
Tyka retired from music in June and planned to hold one final farewell concert in Minneapolis. However, she became ill and didn’t make it to the show, which continued on without her. Her last public performance took place in Australia in 2018.
“I’m getting older,” she told The Minnesota Star Tribute ahead of the farewell show in June. “I really wasn’t a singer. I’m a writer. I just happen to be able to sing. I enjoy singing.”
Tyka also revealed to the outlet that she had been writing a memoir.
Tyka was married to Maurice Phillips. She had six children.
The jazz singer was open about her relationship with Prince, even though she and her brother were not always on the best terms. In 2003, Tyka told The National Enquirer, “I love my brother. But I’m not a yo-yo. He can’t just keep spinning me in and out of his life.”
Prince was found dead at 57 years old in an elevator at his Paisley Park home in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on April 21, 2016. His cause of death was ruled as an accidental fentanyl overdose.
Tyka revealed to the Star Tribune that she spoke to her brother four days before he died.
“He kept avoiding questions. I kept getting mad,” she explained. “I felt like, ‘Talk to me for two seconds.’ He’d change the subject, make a joke and then we’d both laugh. He asked me [if I could] find more information about our family. Prince wanted me to find Sharon’s number. I didn’t question it. It was like, ‘Send this picture to that person.’ OK. What for?”
Tyka accepted Prince’s American Music Award for Top Soundtrack on his behalf after his death in 2016.
In addition to Sharon, Prince and Tyka had four other half-siblings: Omarr Baker, Norrine Nelson, John Nelson (who died in 2021) and Alfred Jackson (who died in 2019).
English (US) ·