POP superstar Prince has died at his recording studio aged 57, his publicist has confirmed.

The singer cancelled tour dates last week as he battled illness.

Police responded to a medical emergency at his studio in Paisley Park, Minneapolis, today and confirmed a fatality this afternoon.

The Purple Rain star's representative Yvette Noel-Schure has confirmed the death to the Associated Press.

Real name Prince Rogers Nelson, the Grammy award-winner had a medical incident on April 15 which led to an emergency landing of his private jet in the US.

The singer, songwriter, arranger and instrumentalist was widely acclaimed as one of the most inventive musicians of his era, drawing upon influences ranging from James Brown to the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix. His hits included Little Red Corvette, Let's Go Crazy and When Doves Cry.

The Minneapolis native broke through in the late 1970s with the hits Wanna Be Your Lover and soared over the following decade with such albums as 1999 and Purple Rain.

The title song from 1999 includes one of the most widely quoted refrains of popular culture: "Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999."

Today's investigation began in the morning, Carver County chief sheriff's deputy Jason Kamerud told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

It is understood Prince had been suffering from flu.