*Before a crowd estimated to be around 5000 or so, Stevie Wonder and other performers saluted Prince on the steps of LA’s City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles Friday evening.
Among those other performers on hand to honor Prince at the free show were Eric Benet, Aloe Blacc, Faith Evans and Deitrick Haddon.
Prince was born in Minnesota, but “we all know the City of Angels is where he found his wings,” council member Marqueece Harris-Dawson told the crowd. At one point during the tribute show, several doves were released into the crowd as “When Doves Cry” played.
Benet did a cover of Prince’s “Wanna Be Your Lover“ and “Raspberry Beret.”
.@EBenet wants to be your lover #prince #tribute #LA pic.twitter.com/ZLfHbpoWqZ
— USA TODAY Life (@usatodaylife) May 7, 2016
“There’s all this love out there for him,” Benet told USAToday. “I know Prince is probably sitting on top of that building right now, we can’t see him, but he’s looking down and he’s like, ‘I’m feeling y’all for this.’”
Stevie’s rendition of “Purple Rain” closed the concert, electrifying the crowd.
“In the spirit of Prince, we gotta love one another. And we can’t just talk about it, we gotta be about it,” Wonder said.
The #Prince memorial concert finale was #PurpleRain with Stevie Wonder pic.twitter.com/rGDySWHPUM
— USA TODAY Life (@usatodaylife) May 7, 2016
“It’s an emotional evening,” said DJ Adam 12, who worked with Prince for 20 years at L.A. nightclub Glam Slam. “Everybody has different beliefs in the universe and religion. Whatever the higher power is that you believe in, reached down and touched Prince,” he told USAToday, before taking the stage with some of Prince’s original band members. “He was the most talented, beautiful, special human being I think ever born. He touched a lot of people.”
Prince died at age 57 on April 21, days after reportedly being treated for an overdose of the opioid painkiller Percocet. The singer was reportedly in possession of painkillers at the time of his death.
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