Despite early reports that he had died from complications from the flu, a medical examiner has confirmed that Prince did in fact die of an overdose of the powerful pain relief drug Fentanyl.

The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office in Minnesota released its findings June 2, more than a month after Prince was discovered unresponsive in an elevator at his Paisley Park Estate in April.

AP was the first to report on the news, citing that it was unclear whether Prince had a prescription for the drug, which is a powerful opioid painkiller that it up to 50 times more potent than heroin. A source allegedly did say that he had been suffering from intense knee and hip pain for several years due to his stage performances.

Prince allegedly self-administered the drug, but if it was obtained illegally, whoever provided it to the singer could face criminal charges.

After news of the what caused the singer's death broke, several fans and fellow celebs took to social media to express their sadness and grief over the turn of events, while others said it still didn't matter how he died, since it wouldn't change the fact that he was gone.


For those who don't know, Fentanyl is a synthetic drug which can be prescribed for legitimate medical concerns, but is also considered responsible for a surge in overdose deaths to its strength, though much of it is manufactured illegally.

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