Jill Jones, who sang on Prince's 1999 album and had a long, complicated relationship with him, has alleged that in 1984, after she slapped him for kissing her friend, Prince responded by punching her repeatedly in the face. According to Jones, she wanted to press charges but was warned against it by Prince's circle. She also avoided going to hospital for fear the story would leak.
Jones described Prince as 'loveable, adorable, but he could be hateful too,' according to the Daily Mirror. She said she was told she would ruin his career and that those around him saw him as a source of money. Jones added that had she come forward earlier, it might have prevented further incidents.
He was loveable, adorable, but he could be hateful too.
Prince later apologized to Jones by giving her balloons, toys, and candy after she had surgery, according to Jones. She described the apology as unusual but meaningful. Jones has been wrestling for more than three decades about whether to open up about the incident, saying she was waiting for an apology.
Jones gave testimony for a Netflix documentary directed by Oscar-winner Ezra Edelman. However, the documentary series was shelved by Prince's estate, which said it would cause 'generational harm' to his image. The exact nature of the argument at the hotel in 1984 remains unclear, and Prince never publicly responded to the allegations.
I was told I would ruin his career….they saw him as just money for them. They could make a lot of money. It just shows me how many people benefit.
The current status of the documentary and any legal actions regarding its release are unknown. Prince's parents, John Nelson and Mattie Shaw, had a volatile relationship, which may have influenced his behavior.
Had I come forward…it wouldn’t have happened.
But basically, after that, we made up because I had a surgery and he gave me a ton of toys, and this is how the apology was: balloons, toys and candy.
It was really hard for us to not be around each other. He always thought I would be there. He would always say: 'I’m always gonna know you.'
I’d been holding on to it for so many years….I think, because I was waiting on an apology.
See, this is the craziest thing with domestic violence: you wait for an apology sometimes from someone that you love, you think they’re going to, and they want to move on and not talk about it, and you allow it.
It was an era of time where men did knock around their wives. It was just something that happened.
It took me ye