In the months before his death, music icon Prince showed troubling signs of memory loss that left him visibly shaken, according to a former bandmate.
BrownMark, bassist for Prince’s band The Revolution, recalled moments of confusion and concern during a recent interview. He said the artist appeared increasingly distressed as his memory declined.
“You could see the panic in his face,” BrownMark said. “His memory was like really, really shot at that point.”
Prince died on April 21, 2016, at age 57. Officials later determined he died from an accidental fentanyl overdose.
Troubling Signs Behind the Scenes
BrownMark said he first noticed something was wrong after reconnecting with Prince years after their professional split. The musician invited him to Minneapolis to collaborate again.
But when BrownMark arrived, Prince appeared to forget the invitation entirely.
“I knew something was wrong,” BrownMark said. “Something was not right with his memory and his behavior.”
He described waiting alone for days, unable to reach Prince. When they finally met, the interaction raised more concerns.
According to BrownMark, Prince struggled to recall recent conversations and plans. At one point, he allegedly forgot he had asked the bassist to relocate.
“You could see the panic in his face because you can see he just remembered what he had done,” BrownMark said.
The bassist said these lapses became more frequent over time.
A Private Struggle
BrownMark believes Prince’s memory issues may have been linked to opioid use. The artist had been dealing with chronic hip pain in his final years.
“Man, [pills] just clouds your memory,” BrownMark said.
Reports indicate Prince thought he was taking prescription pain medication. Investigators later found counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
Prince had planned to meet with an addiction specialist one day after his death, according to reports.
Despite the apparent struggles, BrownMark said Prince remained intensely private.
“He ain’t gonna let nobody see him sweat,” he said.
The bassist described Prince as a perfectionist who maintained strict control over his work and image throughout his career.
Legacy Overshadowed by Final Days
Prince remains one of the most influential artists in modern music. His work continues to shape pop, funk and rock decades after his rise to fame.
Still, BrownMark’s account offers a glimpse into a difficult period near the end of the artist’s life.
The revelations add to a growing understanding of the pressures and health challenges Prince faced privately.
For BrownMark, the experience remains deeply personal.
“He wasn’t going to tell anybody,” he said.