Prince Be Of P.M. Dawn Dead At 46

Attrell Cordes, who was known in the music world as Prince Be has died.

He was 46.

The P.M. Dawn singer died from kidney disease at his home in New Jersey on Friday (June 17).

Cordes’ kidney condition is believed to be linked to his ongoing battle with diabetes.

Formed in 1988, P.M. Dawn were comprised of the crooning Attrell and his brother Jarrett, whose stage name was DJ Minutemix. Attrell adopted the moniker Prince Be The Nocturnal, but was known by many as just Prince Be. The Cordes brothers were raised by their mother and their stepfather George Brown, who was an original member of Kool and the Gang. Brown’s presence no doubt introduced the boys to the foundational soul grooves that coursed through their music.

Combining elements of smooth ’70s soul, R&B, New Wave and hip-hop, P.M. Dawn were one of the most sonically inventive outfits of the late ’80s. Their single “Set Adrift On Memory Bliss,” which featured a well-placed sample of Spandau Ballet’s “True” along with an unforgettable vocal delivery from Prince Be, reached #1 in 1991 and the album from which it came–Of The Heart, Of The Soul And Of The Cross: The Utopian Experience–served notice that P.M. Dawn were a group of limitless creativity and sonic invention.

Their second effort–1993’s The Bliss Album…?–was another triumph and found the Cordes brothers skillfully avoiding the sophomore slump. It also showcased their diverse range of musical taste and featured not only a duet with Boy George, but a cover of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” and a tasteful sample of George Michael’s “Father Figure.”

Their third album, Jesus Wept found Stere Embers’ David Porter gushing, “P.M. Dawn’s unique blend of sampling, instrumentation and production has yielded one of the most lushly beautiful and heartfelt albums of the decade.”

Over the course of their fascinating career P.M. Dawn released five albums, including 2000’s mail order-only Fucked Music.

They also covered Jimi Hendrix and Puddle of Mud, sampled Deep Purple and remixed White Zombie.

In 2005 Prince Be suffered a stroke and though he was suffering from its effects–it paralyzed the right side of his body–he still managed to not only perform on the NBC program “Hit Me Baby, One More Time” but to win the $20,000 first prize, which the group donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

A post on P.M. Dawn’s Facebook page tonight reads: “Prince Be Rest In Peace forever more, Pain from Diabetes can’t harm you anymore.”