Ten years ago, the opioid crisis claimed a god

Nights and Weekends Editor

Published April 21, 2026 1:19PM (EDT)

Prince performs his first of three shows onstage during "One Night... Three Venues" in 2009 t (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)

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For many of his 57 years on Earth, Prince was treated like a living god. An untouchable genius of songcraft and sex who straddled the frequently divergent worlds of massive chart success and universal critical acclaim.

He was in our world but not of it, sent down to carry revelations of new ways to be funky, freaky and free.…