Minnesota lawmakers have voted to honor Prince by naming one of the state’s highways after the iconic artist.
The purple signs will be going up on a seven-mile stretch of highway that will now be designated the Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway. Located in the Minneapolis suburbs of Chanhassen and Eden Prairie, it will run right past Paisley Park, Prince’s 65,000-square-foot complex which now operates as a museum, event venue, and recording studio. Information as to when the signs will literally go up is forthcoming, and will be announced soon.
The bill earned unanimous approval from the Minnesota House of Representatives last month on the seventh anniversary of Prince’s death, and was passed by the Minnesota Senate 55-5. It is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz.
“Prince was a true genius, a visionary artist who pushed the boundaries of music and cultures in ways that will never be forgotten,” state Sen. Julia Coleman said in a statement to other lawmakers. “His influence can be heard in the work of countless musicians who came after him, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of artists to this day.”
Paisley Park will host its annual Celebration event featuring celebrity appearances and panels honoring Prince’s life and work from June 8th through June 11th. For the 2023 iteration, Paisley Park has just announced that they will be unveiling previously unreleased music from Prince’s vault.
The exact number of new songs that the public will get to hear is unknown, but artists like Chaka Khan, Stokley Williams (of Mint Condition), Chuck D, D-Nice, Doug E. Fresh, and more have signed on to participate in the event. Ticket sales are ongoing here.
Looking for the best Prince playlist to listen to while you cruise up and down his highway? Look no further — last year, in honor of the Purple One’s birthday, Consequence made a list of the top 10 definitive Prince songs.
