Did Tyka Nelson inherit Prince's fortune after his death? 6-year legal battle over singer's estate explored

Tyka Nelson - the younger sibling of the deceased singer, Prince - passed away on Monday, November 4. While the cause of Nelson's death is not yet revealed, the news was shared by her son, President Nelson, with the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Following Prince's passing in April 2016, Tyka became one of the six heirs to his fortune, alongside their five half-siblings—Sharon Nelson, Norrine Nelson, John Nelson, Omarr Baker, and Alfred Jackson.

The distribution of the singer's wealth among his siblings was finalized in the Carver County district court in Minnesota a year after Prince's death, in May 2017. The judgment came after the singer died without a will, or a spouse or children to pass down his wealth to.

However, as the siblings struggled to come up with a consensus about the estate's distribution plan, it ended up back in court, where a legal battle ensued for six years.

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The final judgment of Prince's estate distribution came in 2022

The distribution of Prince's estate among his siblings returned to the court because of a disagreement between his siblings about it. The inappropriate evaluation of the estate fueled the disagreements further. According to Comerica Bank & Trust, the estate was valued at $82.3 million, while in 2020, the IRS estimated its worth to be $162.3 million.

However, the lawyers representing the heirs settled on the final evaluation of $156 million. During the course of the legal battle, three out of the six estate heirs—Tyka Nelson, Omarr Baker, and Alfred Jackson—sold their interests to Primary Wave, the music publishing company that represented Prince.

Therefore, in August 2022, when the Minnesota Judicial First District declared its judgment about the estate, it was split from the middle between Primary Wave and the remaining three siblings, Sharon Nelson, John Nelson, and Norrine Nelson, equally.

According to the court orders, Comerica Bank & Trust would retain $3 million in reserve funds, to pay for the expenses associated with closing the estate, including tax returns and professional fees.

Following the judgment, Primary Wave told Billboard it was "extremely pleased" with the finalization of the closing of Prince's estate, adding:

"When we announced our acquisition of the additional expectancy interests in the estate last year bringing our ownership interest to 50%, our goal was to protect and grow Prince's incomparable legacy. With the distribution of estate assets, we look forward to a strong and productive working relationship."

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Tyka Nelson shared a close relationship with Prince

While Prince's estate was split among six siblings, Tyka Nelson was his only full sibling. Two years younger than the singer, Tyka shared the closest relationship with Prince among all the siblings.

In the late 1990s, Nelson struggled with cocaine addiction, and she allegedly prostituted herself to support her children as a single mother. Tyka revealed in an interview with The National Enquirer in 2003 that she had pawned the car gifted to her by Prince, as well as her kids' TV, for buying drugs.

Upon learning about Tyka Nelson's addiction, Prince entered her into rehab, which helped her regain sobriety, eventually leading to her return to the world of music.

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Tyka Nelson released four studio albums in her career - Royal Blue in 1988, Yellow Moon, Red Sky in 1992, A Brand New Me in 2008, and Hustler in 2011.

Her last live performance was hosted in Australia in 2018, which was a tribute show for Prince. Nelson was also planning a farewell concert for herself earlier in June 2024, which was set to take place in Minneapolis. However, the show was canceled later due to her ill health.