'Prince Day' Declared in Minnesota to Mark Late Singer's Birthday

Minnesota, Governor Mark Dayton announced June 7 as 'Prince Day' in honor of the late singer, on Monday. This year would have been his 58th birthday celebration.

In Governor Dayton signed the proclamation, he encourages Minnesotans to wear purple on Prince Day. This is meant to commemorate his exceptional contributions to music and the arts and entertainment industry and his quiet philanthropy.

Rogers Nelson or 'Prince' was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was one of the best-selling recording artists of all-time. He's a prominent singer, writer, and multi-instrumentalist, he went on to create revolutionary music and an iconic identity, which later inspired the movie Purple Rain. - CBS SF Bay Area reports.

The declaration comes on the heels of the PRINCE Act or Personal Rights in Names Can Endure. The law specifically drafted with Prince's estate in mind, it offers an 'extended publicity control', protecting the deceased person's name, image, voice, and signature for 50 years after the individual's death. The full proclamation of Prince Day can be read here as mentioned in Pitchfork.

Prince rose to fame in the 80's when gender bending was common. He was known for his fetish fashion of flamboyant gay overtones. He was seen sporting eyeliner and blush, clad in mauve coat and wing collar at the back cover of his records even appearing nude.

There are more commemorations planned for Tuesday including a "Let's Go Crazy" dance party at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, which introduced Prince in 2004. Spike Lee hosted a huge birthday tribute to Prince in New York on Saturday.

The seven-time Grammy Award winner died on April 21 resulting from accidental overdose of the narcotic painkiller fentanyl. As a practicing Jehovah's Witness though, Prince himself might not have celebrated his birthday had he lived.