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CHANHASSEN, Minn. – Oakland drummer Sheila E. said she’s heartbroken after she was turned away while trying to record a video at the late Prince’s Paisley Park recording studio.
She posted on Instagram that she showed up unannounced on Friday to the museum in Chanhgassen, Minn., that was once Prince’s home and studio.
She came to mark what would have been her former collaborator’s 66th birthday.
Sheila E. said that when she arrived, she was refused access inside the studio where the two used to cook up his classic hits.
“I can’t go to the studio where I recorded all those records and songs that I did with him and they’re saying no to me?” she said. “Not a nice way to celebrate his birthday. But I’m just being honest and truthful. It ain’t gonna take away the joy that he and I had together.”
In a statement on Monday, Sheila E. Â asked the museum to return her old drum kit which she said Prince personally asked to borrow.
Paisley Park responded on its own nstagram account that it just needed some advance warning.
“Hello Sheila – We love and respect you, and we did offer for you to come in and film in the soundstage or other areas, but we couldn’t allow filming in the studios without prior knowledge and planning, especially with tours going on at the time. We hope to have you back to Paisley Park in the future — just give us a heads-up! Happy Prince Day,” the message read, ended by a purple heart emoji.
Prince had no will when he died in 2016 of an accidental fentanyl overdose, so his estate, including Paisley Park, went to his siblings, who later sold most of their shares. His estate is now owned by two corporations, the music management company Primary Wave and Prince Legacy LLC, with a 2% share still held by his sister, Tyka Nelson.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.Â