Brooklyn Borough Hall was illuminated a shade of purple on Thursday night in honor of Prince, whose death at age 57 shocked fans across the city and the world.
Spike Lee held a celebration in honor of the performer's life at his Fort Greene production company 40 Acres and a Mule. Meanwhile, Questlove hosted a tribute to the icon at the Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg.
At Rough Trade NYC, a music store in Williamsburg, employees were prepared for customers to flood the store seeking Prince's music. Employees and customers mourned him.
"He had some great stuff, and I don't think it was appreciated as much as it should have been while he was alive," said customer Edward Lopez.
Citing multiple sources, TMZ reported late Thursday that Prince was treated with a "save shot" for a drug overdose six days before his death. According to TMZ, Prince's reps didn't return calls for comment.
Sheriff's deputies found Prince Rogers Nelson unresponsive on Thursday morning in an elevator at his suburban Minneapolis home, which is named Paisley Park, but responders couldn't revive him.
The Minneapolis native stood just 5 feet 2 inches, but he made a powerful visual impact at the dawn of the MTV era, proving to be the Little Richard for the 1980s. His wispy moustache and tall pompadour to his colorful and suggestive outfits were the counterpart to the openly erotic lyrics that made him one of the most sexually daring artists of the era.
The talented and charismatic singer, songwriter, arranger and instrumentalist drew upon the history of modern popular music and created a gender- and genre-defying blend of rock, funk and soul. With hits including "1999," ''Purple Rain" and "Little Red Corvette," Prince's records sold more than 100 million copies and earned him Grammys, and an Academy Award for "Purple Rain."
No details have been released publicly about what may have caused his death. Prince postponed a concert in Atlanta on April 7 after falling ill with the flu, and he apologized to fans during a makeup concert last week.
An autopsy is scheduled for Friday.
Associated Press reports contributed to this story.