Chaka Khan Enters Rehab for Prescription Drug Abuse and Prince's Death Spurred Her to Seek Help

The 63-year-old Grammy-winning R&B and funk singer is known for songs such as "Tell Me Something Good," "Ain't Nobody" and "I'm Every Woman"

By Corinne Heller Jul 10, 2016 8:59 PMTags
Chaka KhanMike Pont/Getty Images

Chaka Khan is in rehab and was motivated to seek treatment after Prince's death.

The 63-year-old Grammy-winning R&B and funk singer, known for songs such as "Tell Me Something Good," a cover of Prince's "I Feel For You," and "I'm Every Woman" (made more famous by the late Whitney Houston), and her sister Yvonne Stevens, aka Taka Boom, recently entered a rehabilitation program to treat their addictions to prescription drugs, multiple outlets reported Sunday.

Khan reportedly said she has been battling an addiction to the same medication that led to Prince's death and that his passing had spurred her decision to seek treatment. Prince died from an overdose of fentanyl, an opioid painkiller at age 57 at his Paisley Park studios in April.

A rep for the singer said Khan has struggled with prescription pain medication dependence and has "voluntarily entered" a treatment program "to get healthy and stay that way." 

"Chaka Khan has entered an addiction rehabilitation and aftercare program which will cause her to postpone all dates scheduled for the month of July," her rep said in a statement with E! News. "Chaka has struggled with a dependence on prescription pain medications and has voluntarily entered the program to get healthy and stay that way. As part of the ongoing outpatient treatment the doctors have urged her to resume recording mid-July and all performances beginning August 1st and onward." 

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Prince was allegedly addicted to painkillers and a day before he died, he was supposed to meet with a doctor who specializes in addiction. The singer never showed up.

He and Khan were good friends. They collaborated on music and performed together several times.

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As a result of her treatment plans, Khan has canceled several summer tour dates, including a gig at the Stanislaus County Fair in Turlock, California that was set to take place Wednesday.

"We are extremely disappointed Chaka Khan canceled because we knew how much the community was looking forward to it, yet at the same time we wish her the best in her health and full recovery," Stanislaus County Fair spokesperson told The Modesto Bee.

Khan had also spent time in rehab for the same issue in 2013.

"The battle of addiction is a serious and long process, which is why I chose to address my use of prescription medications—which came about as a result of the knee surgery I had a few years ago," Khan wrote on her website at the time. "When and if necessary, I will seek alternative methods and traditional treatment to stay ahead of any potential problem. So many are not here today, and have lost this battle with addiction. Because these medications are legal, their abuse is often unknown—until it's too late. If not handled they are a silent killer."

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