As tends to happen when a beloved celebrity passes away without warning – and the findings of an autopsy are still TBC – rumours of possible drug use have been swirling since we lost the late, great Prince last week.
Gossip site TMZ has been going particularly hard on suggestions his death was drug-related, reporting that he was treated for a Percocet overdose the week before his death and “abused” cocaine, among other substances.
And the Minneapolis Star Tribune, citing unnamed sources, has claimed investigators are honing in on the toill painkillers may have taken on the legend’s health during his final weeks.
But legitimate sources close to Prince – that is, people willing to go on record with their names – have slammed the rumours as complete BS, insisting he was a borderline health-nut if anything.
His lawyer of 25 years, L. Londell McMillan, told the Associated Press he lived a clean and healthy life.
“Everybody who knows Prince knows he wasn’t walking around drugged up. That’s foolish. No one ever saw Prince and said, ‘He looks high.’ It wasn’t what he was about.”
He confirmed the hitmaker might have taken basic medication to manage pain but was “not on any drugs that would be any cause for concern. People use medication. The question is, are you on meds in a dangerous way?”
It’s worth noting that the anon source alleging Prince was into coke is a lawyer who repped two of Prince’s now deceased half- and step-siblings more than 10 years ago – hardly a solid source of information.
Prince’s initial autopsy was completed the day after he was found unresponsive at his Paisley Park estate but full details won’t be released until the toxicology results are in, which will likely take a few weeks yet.
RIP :'(
Source: Associated Press.
Photo: Getty / Michael Ochs Archives.
