(UPDATE) Chaka Khan Addicted to Pain Killers, Says Prince’s Death Motivated Her For Rehab

Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan (real name Yvette Marie Stevens) is entering rehab. The 63-year-old Grammy Award winning singer canceled her concert at the California State Fair after announcing she entered into rehab for drug addiction, according to Cal Expo officials.

Fair officials received a message from Khan’s representative stating that the singer was entering into an addiction rehabilitation and aftercare program for addiction to prescription pain medication, said Sabrina Rodriguez, a Cal Expo spokesman.

In the past, Khan struggled with drug abuse and alcoholism. Her drug use, which at times included cocaine and heroin, ended in the early 1990s. Khan had an on-and-off struggle with alcoholism until 2005 declaring herself sober.

Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan is an American singer-songwriter whose career has spanned four decades, beginning in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. Widely known as the Queen of Funk, Khan has won ten Grammys and has sold an estimated 70 million records worldwide. Khan was ranked at number 17 in VH1’s original list of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll. In 2015, she was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time; she was previously nominated as member of Rufus in 2011. Khan was the first artist to feature a rapper with “I Feel for You” in 1984. In the course of her solo career, Khan has achieved three gold singles, three gold albums and one platinum album with I Feel for You. With Rufus, she achieved four gold singles, four gold albums, and two platinum albums.

Chaka Khan

No further details about rehab have yet been shared.

UPDATE #2. According to the Associated Press, Chaka and her sister have entered a drug rehabilitation program to battle their addictions to prescription drugs. Khan says the death of her good friend Prince helped hasten her decision to get help. In a statement released to The AP Sunday, she said she has been battling an addiction to the same medication that led to Prince’s death. Prince was found dead at his Minnesota home April 21.

Unfortunately, I will miss concert appearances over the summer. However, it’s vital that I put my health and well-being first. I know that I am disappointing some of my fans, but I also know they would want me to recover and be well and healthy.”

Khan said the pair,

agreed we would take this journey together and support each other through the recovery. The tragic death of Prince has had us both rethinking and reevaluating our lives and priorities. We knew it was time to take action to save our lives. My sister and I would like to thank everyone for their support, love and prayers.

[The Sacramento Bee, Associated Press]

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