Prince's cause of death confirmed by medical examiner

WASHINGTON

The singer Prince died of an opioid overdose, according to autopsy results released Thursday.

The report issued by the Minnesota Medical Examiner's Office lists Prince's cause of death as fentanyl toxicity.

The opioid is hundreds of times more powerful than heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and carries with it a high probability of addiction.

The CDC lists fentanyl as a drug of abuse.

The acclaimed musician was found dead April 21 in an elevator at his Minneapolis-area Paisley Park home and studios. He had previously cancelled a tour stop in Atlanta due to illness.

Unconfirmed reports had swirled that Prince had been abusing prescription painkillers prior to his untimely death.

Leading up to his death the pop star met twice with Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg, a Minneapolis-area family care physician.

Warrant documents reportedly say that the doctor prescribed Prince with medications, but do not spell out whether Prince took them or what they were.

And an addiction treatment doctor was reportedly in touch with Prince prior to his death.

The storied musician wrote more than 30 albums. He won seven Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for the 1984 film Purple Rain.

Prince Rogers Nelson, known by his eponymous mononym, was born in Minneapolis on June 7, 1958. He was known for his androgynous sexuality and glamorous style that permeated his music.

His controversial 1984 hit "Darling Nikki" prompted the formation of the Parents Music Resource Center. The group went on to urge record labels to place the black and white "Parental Advisory" labels on albums with explicit lyrics.

But beyond the controversy, his music has gone on to captivate generations of fans.

Shortly after Prince's death, President Barack Obama said, "the world lost a creative icon."