Tyka Nelson dies at 64; music fans mourn demise of Prince’s sister

Tyka Nelson, Prince’s sister and American singer, died at the age of 64. Her son, President Nelson, confirmed the news. Tyka Nelson’s cousin Charles ‘Chazz’ Smith also disclosed the heartbreaking news of the singer’s death on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
“Our family is very saddened to share the news of my cousin Tyka Evene Nelson who passed away this morning,” the post reads. According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, Tyka’s sister, Sharon Nelson, paid an emotional tribute to her sister and said, “She had her own mind. She’s in a better place.”
After the tragic news, social media was flooded with comments commemorating the music sensation. “Just hearing that Tyka Nelson, sister of music legend #Prince, has passed away. Our hearts are with her family during this difficult time. Please respect their privacy as they mourn,” a user wrote on X. Another social media user said, “Respect. Condolences. Gratitude.” “Purple Heart,” another fan said. 
“Rest in peace to Tyka. Our hearts are with the entire Prince family,” a user said. 
A fan also recalled the moment he met the singer. “Just hearing that Tyka Nelson, sister of music legend Prince, has passed away. I was incredibly lucky to meet and speak to her in #Minneapolis in 2019 she was very lovely and incredibly friendly and we had a very wonderful in depth conversation about her life and Prince (sic) ,” he posted.
Tyka Nelson was born on May 18, 1960, in a family of musicians. Her father, John L Nelson, was a jazz musician while her mother Mattie Della Shaw was a jazz singer. The legendary singer, who had seven half-siblings, released four albums and claimed the 33rd spot on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in July 1988 with “Marc Anthony’s Tune.” She married Maurice Phillips and had six children.
Tyka and Prince, the siblings, were accomplished musicians. Tyka’s brother died on April 21, 2016, due to an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl. Prince, who died at the age of 57, was found dead in an elevator at his Minnesota home. According to Tyka Nelson, Prince spoke to her just days before his untimely passing.