Tyka Nelson, 55, may soon become a VERY wealthy woman. As the only close, living relative of the late musical legend, Prince, Tyka seems like the most likely person to inherit Prince’s $800 million estate. But while her brother is obviously more well known, Tyka too had a singing career and overcame QUITE a lot of hardship in her life — including drug addiction!
“I know he loved you too,” Tyka told Prince fans following The Purple One’s tragic death on April 21 after he was found unresponsive in an elevator at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
The singer, whose birth name was Prince Rogers Nelson, was divorced twice and only had one child, who died one week after he was born. Therefore, Prince’s younger sister, who’s also his only full biological sibling, is the closest living relative survived by Prince. Here’s what you need to know about her:
1. She is married and has six children.
Tyka is married to Maurice Phillips, whom she was seen on the grounds of Paisley Park with on April 23 when family and friends gathered to say their goodbyes to Prince. The couple have six kids: daughters Danielle Phillips, Crystal Phillips, Chelsea Phillips, and sons Rachard Phillips, Sir Montece Laeil and President LenNard Nelson. President helped his mother carry Prince’s ashes at First Memorial Waterston chapel on April 25.
2. She has overcome a drug addiction and bounced back after a stint in prostitution.
Tyka battled an addiction to crack cocaine and prostituted herself to support her children, according to the September 23, 2003, issue of The National Enquirer. “I was a single mother and my boys were babies. I sold my body for food, money, and Pampers. I pawned the car Prince had given me and sold the kids’ TV for drugs,” she revealed in the outlet’s “exclusive interview.” Thankfully Prince admitted Tyka to rehab in the early 2000s. And in 2008 she was able to continue her music career once she was finally sober.
3. Similar to her brother, Tyka is also a musician.
Musical ability certainly runs in the family! After all, Tyka and Prince’s parents, John L. Nelson and Mattie Shaw, were jazz musicians. Tyka grew up with a love for music and, according to a 2008 interview with City Pages, she began writing songs when she was only 10 years old. But while her older bro was an international sensation, Tyka revealed that she “hasn’t collaborated” with him since they were young. Even so, Tyka experienced her fair share of success as she released six albums. She also plays four instruments: piano, guitar, bass, and clarinet.
4. She did not always have the best relationship with Prince.
“I was the overweight kid who didn’t have a boyfriend. I listened to other people say, ‘You’re ugly, you’re fat, you’re stupid,’ and I believed it,” Tyka revealed in her interview with City Pages as she described growing up in Minnesota with her brother. “My brother, he just thought I was crazy,” she added. The siblings also apparently had a strained relationship early on in Prince’s career. “I love my brother. But I’m not a yo-yo. He can’t just keep spinning me in and out of his life,” she shared with The National Enquirerin 2003.
5. She and Prince also have four half-brothers and three half-sisters.
Before he married their mother, Mattie, Tyka and Prince’s father, John, had three daughters and two sons with Vivian Nelson: Lorna Nelson, Norrine Nelson, Sharon Nelson, Duane Nelson, and John R. Nelson. Sadly Duane died in 2011 and Lorna passed away in 2006. After their divorce, Mattie later remarried and had two sons, Omarr and Alfred.
What do you think about Tyka? Do you think she’ll be the one to inherit Prince’s fortune?
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