Tyka Nelson, sister of singer-songwriter Prince, poses during a press preview of the "My Name Is Prince" exhibition, at the O2 Arena in London on Oct. 26, 2017. Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images
Tyka Evene Nelson, the only full sibling of music icon Prince, died on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, according to family members. She was 64 years old.
Nelson’s cousin, Chazz Smith, announced her passing in an Instagram post on Monday, stating, “Our family is very saddened to share the news of my cousin Tyka Evene Nelson who passed away this morning.”
Charles ‘Chazz’ Smith (L) and Tyka Nelson as children. Courtesy of Chazz Smith
Another relative, Frank Collier, expressed his shock on Facebook, writing, “so i just found out about my cousin Tyka Nelson .....im at a loss for words. [sic]”
Nelson’s death was also confirmed on her official Facebook page with a post that read, “Tyka Evene Nelson 1960-2024. It’s time 4 a new direction, It’s time 4 jazz 2 die, 4th day of November, We need a Purple high.”
Born to John L. Nelson and Mattie Shaw Nelson, Tyka was Prince’s only full sibling. She is survived by her sons, President and Sir, as well as half-siblings Sharon Nelson, Norrine Nelson, and Omarr Baker.
According to an interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune in June, Nelson planned a retirement performance at the Dakota in Minneapolis, scheduled for June 7— what would have been Prince’s 66th birthday. In the interview with the newspaper, Nelson shared insights into her life and relationship with her famous brother.
“I’m getting older,” Nelson told the Star Tribune. “I really wasn’t a singer. I’m a writer. I just happen to be able to sing. I enjoy singing.” Despite releasing four albums, Nelson insisted that writing was her true passion, revealing that she was working on a memoir about herself and her family.
According to Discogs, a website and database for music discovery, record collecting, and community interaction, Nelson released four albums between 1988 and 2011, and reached No. 33 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with her hit “Marc Anthony’s Tune” in July 1988.
Nelson’s connection to Prince’s estate has been a subject of interest since the musician’s untimely death in 2016. She disclosed to the Star Tribune that she had sold all but 2 percent of her shares to Primary Wave, a New York music management group.
Prince’s death on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57, was attributed to an accidental fentanyl overdose. The toxicology report revealed that the level of fentanyl in Prince’s liver was 450 micrograms per kilogram, far exceeding the 69 micrograms per kilogram threshold associated with overdose or fatal toxicity cases.
In the aftermath of Prince’s death, his heirs, including Nelson, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in April 2018. However, as reported by the Associated Press in January 2020, plaintiffs began dismissing defendants, including medical professionals and facilities involved in Prince’s care in the weeks leading up to his death.
Family members weren’t immediately available to speak with NTD News on Nelson’s death.
