Facts About Prince That Show Why He's True Music Royalty

To his legions of fans, Prince wasn’t just a pop star, but an idol. Some have even dubbed him the greatest musician of the 20th century thanks to his iconic back catalog and unrivaled musical ability. But behind Prince’s sometimes outrageous public persona, he actually craved privacy. So much so that when he died in April 2016, he still largely remained an enigma. That’s why these secrets about the superstar will probably come as a surprise to even his most dedicated followers.

1. Prince loved to cook… especially eggs

After the star’s death, some of his close friends sat down with GQ to share their best stories about him. Rapper and dancer Cat Glover revealed, for instance, “Prince was never an eater. He would usually smell his food. Literally. I never really seen Prince eat.” That said, background vocalist Jill Jones said, “Prince did the cooking. Scrambled eggs. He put curry [powder] and a little bit of Cheddar cheese in them. It was really good, actually.” Dancer Misty Copeland agreed, saying, “Yeah, he has made me scrambled eggs. Breakfast was his forte. He liked to use a lot of seasoning... [His eggs] were delicious.”

2. He had a swear jar

In the early ’00s, the musician joined the Jehovah’s Witness faith, and he adhered to the church’s principles devoutly. This included governing the language that he’d allow to be spoken within his recording studio. Prince’s friend James Lundstrom revealed that the singer was very serious about his “cuss bucket.” In 2017 Lundstrom recalled to the BBC, “He didn’t want to dishonor the faith. He wasn’t joking. You had to pay in cash in the bucket. He would charge you between three and ten dollars per swear word.”

3. He traveled under a non-regal pseudonym

While Prince may have used his real first name on his way to fame, he wasn’t afraid of a pseudonym or two. For instance, when writing songs, he would sometimes use pen names including Jamie Starr, Joey Coco, and Alexander Nevermind. And when Prince traveled, he also took on a new name: Peter Bravestrong. The star used this on-the-road pseudonym to label the luggage that he took with him to his last concert in Atlanta, Georgia. Investigators later found the Bravestrong suitcase at the star’s Chanhassen, Minnesota, home and recording studio.

4. He wore a wig in Purple Rain

Prince made his on-screen acting debut in the movie Purple Rain. Starring in the role of “The Kid,” the part was – perhaps unsurprisingly – based on the singer himself. And although the 1984 rock musical did indeed feature some truths about the star and his life, one thing about his performance was phony. Believe it or not, but the bouffant hairstyle that he sported during one period of production was actually a wig. Earl Jones, the singer’s hairstylist, confirmed that the musician had worn a wig for the movie’s re-shoots, as he had cut and dyed his hair after filming had originally ended.