Denise's home-going and funeral tribute will be spectacular, I can already imagine. And I hope its a celebration of her life and not the hard times. I also hope it includes ALL of her life, for without Vanity, we may have never known Denise.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

This is Denise explaining to Joan(who just couldn't comprehend) her being saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly Denise overdosed two years after this & Joan is no longer with us..

[Edited 2/16/16 14:25pm]

Sorry you are entitled to your beliefs but please do not get in ones feelings because you been checked

Comments deleted - this is a thread about paying respects to Denise Matthews - please stay on topic

langebleu - moderator

I had a premonition in these later years that something like this would happen and now that it has it's just a sad moment. This is the same lady that I when I was a teen I rode my bike across town to buy her album because it was already out of print after only 3 years. I saw her in person back in 2005 during a womens retreat. I was happy that she took her faith VERY seriously. I think that's what inspired Prince to clean up his act. I tried to buy her book, but I never seen where it was released and I was not preordering it. I want to keep the family in my prayers. We'll miss you Vanity (Denise), but I'm glad you are no longer suffering.

This is something I wanted to add separately, it's just something I've always wondered about and if any other orger has. I wondered if Vanity was pregnant with Prince's child during all that chaos back in 83/84, but either miscarried or aborted it because they both couldn't be parents because their priorities wasn't in raising a child or family. I noticed Vanity never has children either.

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/kURf5AD.jpg[/img:$uid]


Vanity, circa 1983.

[Edited 2/17/16 4:28am]

Man such a loss for me. I was a big fan. I enjoyed her solo albums and her underrated acting skills. I'm shocked she did very little acting. Rest In Heaven. I saw her once when she was promoting her first solo album at a club. I even have pictures I think. She had great energy and bought up people to dance on the stage. RIP Denise.

So weirdly difficult to sleep last night couldn't stop thinking about her & Prince they perfectly represented seeing the 80s through rose tinted glasses during that pre-PR period. Saw this picture of insta someone took with her at an airport in 2011 https://www.instagram.com...e_of_k.y.e

@Joey would love 2 see those pics! Someone should put out her versions of No Call U and Extraloveable in her honour

GuyBros said:

TonyVanDam said:

Now THAT^ is a classic picture! Vanity AND Apollonia at the same place at the same time?!? Oh hell yeah, I miss the 1980's more than ever.

How in fuck have I never seen this picture!? Yaaaaaaaaaaaaassss Mothers!!!

the 1985 AMA's Vanity presented the award to Prince & the Revolution

all of Uptown where there that night Prince the Revolution Sheila E and band Apollonia 6 Jill Jones etc

Brenda Bennett Vanity Apollonia

I’m so sad to hear about Vanity passing away. Whenever I think of her I’m always reminded of a funny story. Back in 2009 I was hired by a company and working in the capacity of a revenue manager. As the economy was starting take a downturn my first big assignment was to re-forecast the company’s budget for the year. The morning I was to present it to the CEO I was completely stressed out, being that it was my first meeting with him and I was still relatively new to the company. Several blocks from my office I stopped at a red light. As I was flipping through radio stations, Nasty Girl came on. I stopped, rolled down the window, lit a cigarette and yelled out “Don’t you wanna come with me, do you think I’m a Nasty Girl?” As I turned to blow smoke out the window, the guy in the car next to me was looking at me with complete disdain. I just looked right back at him like “So What.” … maybe it was because I’m a guy. Anyway that afternoon when I walked into the conference room for my budget meeting, the CEO just happened to be that guy sitting at the stop light next to me earlier that morning … I was more than a little embarrassed. So, funny story aside, I have always loved Vanity since the first time I saw her on TV back in the early 80’s. I was only 5 when I remember seeing the video for Nasty Girl and I was in love. I will miss her!

V10LETBLUES said:

V10LETBLUES said :

It must be said, the hard sober truth when it comes to drug addiction, there is never anyone to blame but yourself. It's never a good time too hear it, but when the impact is the greatest it must be said. It wasn't the persona or the music or the sex that destroyed her kidneys, it was hard drugs. Crack cocaine. When you smoke crack cocaine, you don't live happily ever after.

OldFriends4Sale said:

WOW

another mistype of your phone?
You are a CLASS Act you are

lovely person

yes any typos are.

The truth is not always pretty and one would be a fool not to mention it.

no happy ending ever ended with "..she smoked crack and lived happily ever after" That's the truth of drug abuse. There are consequences.

Get over yourself already.

http://dying.about.com/od/thegrievingprocess/fl/Funeral-Etiquette-7-Insensitive-Comments-to-Avoid-Using.htm

Funeral Etiquette: 7 Insensitive Comments to Avoid Using

It's often difficult in life to find the right words or know what to say at times, particularly when attempting to comfort the bereaved. Unfortunately, even when well intentioned, many comments made at funerals, wakes/visitations and in condolence letters are misguided and thoughtless. Here are seven insensitive comments you should never utter to someone grieving the death of a loved one. Unfortunately, whether expressed overtly or through implication, comments of this sort are all too real.

He/She Deserved to Die
While it defies common sense that anyone would suggest this to someone mourning the death of a loved one, judgmental expressions -- even through implication -- that the deceased somehow deserved to die are far more common than you think. Those making this thoughtless type of remark typically disapproved of some aspect of the deceased's lifestyle and feel the need to express or imply that opinion after the fact, whether to make themselves feel superior or to affirm their own opposing actions and choices.

Examples:
• She smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. I wasn't surprised... Everyone knows it's unhealthy... What did she expect?

• I told him he needed to go on a diet... exercise more... stop drinking... get help for his addiction.

• He always hung around with the wrong crowd... lived under a dark cloud.

http://addictions.about.com/od/familyrelationships/tp/unsupportive_during_loss.htm

* Don't Criticize the Addict

There are many reasons you might feel tempted to criticize the addicted person who has died. You may feel it is supportive, for example, to point out that the person who has died was abusive to the person left behind, and that they will not have to put up with that abuse any longer. However, the grieving person is probably feeling overwhelmed with many contradictory feelings, and has to make peace with the relationship that is now over. Being reminded that the addicted person was cruel, thoughtless, or unable to deal with their own problems is unnecessary, in bad taste, and hurtful to the person left behind.

[Edited 2/17/16 9:13am]

2020 said:

Whatever you do go to Billboard NOW! http://www.billboard.com/...tour-video [Edited 2/16/16 21:29pm]

Thank you! just saved it in time, its gone now.

Was beautiful to see.

Truly Heartbroken but God made "Beauty from Ashes"

...will love her joyous spirit for ever

Don't give up, I'll still love you...

Hope that her family or management can find a major publisher for her book 'Blame It On Vanity', she was passionate about it - wrote & designed it and selected the photos. Her testimony is a powerful one, it deserves to be heard by more people! The original edition goes for crazy prices that most cannot afford, and the recent reprint was either sold out or down to the last few copies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RepUNEsxLyY

So true! Drugs, alcohol, sex, money, material possessions, etc won't ever fill that void.

R.I.P. Denise Matthews what a beautiful soul, she dedicated the last 20+ years of her life to God and her testimony reached & touched many.

[Edited 2/17/16 10:03am]

nextedition said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

This is my favorite perfomance of her on Soul Train....

Fabulous Playlist of

Denise Vanity Matthews

Vanity 6

Sheila E

Klamaxx

Ahhhhh...she was and is such a gift from God

AHHHHH...she was and is such a gift from God

^ From Taimak, her co star in 'The Last Dragon' movie. [https://twitter.com/iamtaimak]

[Edited 2/17/16 10:38am]

MandalayWay said:

taimak guarriello ‏@iamtaimak Feb 16

Bye bye beautiful star your love will forever shine in my heart #V #Denise #Beauty #Glowing #rip #thelastdragon

^ From Taimak, her co star in 'The Last Dragon' movie. [https://twitter.com/iamtaimak]

[Edited 2/17/16 10:38am]

Thank you
Loved that movie
And continues to prove the charismatic shining star she was and on her way to be

OldFriends4Sale said:

It's ironic how U started that Vanity6 thread with all those beautiful pics not long ago. It's like a memorial toward this beautiful woman.It's almost like U knew! Thank u 4 that..

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

It's ironic how U started that Vanity6 thread with all those beautiful pics not long ago. It's like a memorial toward this beautiful woman.It's almost like U knew! Thank u 4 that..

Yes thank you oldfriends4sale I love that thread. I also wrote this on instagram literally hours before she past "

"Happy Valentine's Day to Prince and Denise's polygamous relationship which lasted from early 1982 to August 1983. The true OG music couple. --Now 7 seconds of silence to comprehend a world without Nasty Girl, 17 Days, Sex Shooter, We Can Funk (moral majority) and Wonderful Ass all of which would not exist without this union triggering inspiration in Mr Nelson's brain. (Honourable mention the holy grail 81 track kiss me quick)"

Come back denise

Dilan said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

It's ironic how U started that Vanity6 thread with all those beautiful pics not long ago. It's like a memorial toward this beautiful woman.It's almost like U knew! Thank u 4 that..

Yes thank you oldfriends4sale I love that thread. I also wrote this on instagram literally hours before she past "

"Happy Valentine's Day to Prince and Denise's polygamous relationship which lasted from early 1982 to August 1983. The true OG music couple. --Now 7 seconds of silence to comprehend a world without Nasty Girl, 17 Days, Sex Shooter, We Can Funk (moral majority) and Wonderful Ass all of which would not exist without this union triggering inspiration in Mr Nelson's brain. (Honourable mention the holy grail 81 track kiss me quick)"

Come back denise

OMG Dilan. You have such knowledge!!!

I was playing DMSR in the car the other day and always thought she was on it. I don't know though.

But you bring up sone great tunes tehre, We Can Funk and Wonderful Ass.

babynoz said:

Anybody know if her mom is living?

[img:$uid]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y240/delivertheword/celebs/vanity%20mom_zpsgh2dj3pv.jpg[/img:$uid]

Great photo

OldFriends4Sale said:

Beautiful pic-Vanity was and still is my fav Prince protege ever. I will truly miss her

OldFriends4Sale said:

Wonderful of Andre to say this

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

It's ironic how U started that Vanity6 thread with all those beautiful pics not long ago. It's like a memorial toward this beautiful woman.It's almost like U knew! Thank u 4 that..

I was thinking the same thing today. And how 9 pages in people really loved Vanity 6 and how much really happened between 1981-1983 in Uptown. She/They really made an impact

I know Denise said she hadn't had one lonely moment since she "came to the Lord", but I can't help but to wonder if that was completely true. Her life just seemed so sad even during the years after she had been "saved". It seemed like all she had was her fellow churchgoers and her cats. Did she have any CLOSE friends - ones she could call or meet up with at any time of the day whenever she was feeling down, or was the last 25 years just her and "Jesus"? Also, when she went to the hospital on Sunday, did she have friends or family there with her to at least keep her company? I sure hope so. I hate to think she died with no friends or family around.

It just really breaks my heart thinking about how sad her life ended up. Yes, I know she professed to be the happiest person she knew after "coming to Jesus" (and I hope that was the truth), but I can't help but to think that she missed out on so many simple pleasures during the last 25 years of her life because of her beliefs (having a boyfriend, listening to mainstream music - not all pop music is filth and smut, having a group of friends that weren't just church people, etc.). Just little things like that.

Also, someone earlier in the thread said her sister passed away a few years ago - what happened to Patricia? That's terrible.

The poor woman's life just seemed so hard and sad from beginning to end.

Diana80 said:

I know Denise said she hadn't had one lonely moment since she "came to the Lord", but I can't help but to wonder if that was completely true. Her life just seemed so sad even during the years after she had been "saved". It seemed like all she had was her fellow churchgoers and her cats. Did she have any CLOSE friends - ones she could call or meet up with at any time of the day whenever she was feeling down, or was the last 25 years just her and "Jesus"? Also, when she went to the hospital on Sunday, did she have friends or family there with her to at least keep her company? I sure hope so. I hate to think she died with no friends or family around.

It just really breaks my heart thinking about how sad her life ended up. Yes, I know she professed to be the happiest person she knew after "coming to Jesus" (and I hope that was the truth), but I can't help but to think that she missed out on so many simple pleasures during the last 25 years of her life because of her beliefs (having a boyfriend, listening to mainstream music - not all pop music is filth and smut, having a group of friends that weren't just church people, etc.). Just little things like that.

Also, someone earlier in the thread said her sister passed away a few years ago - what happened to Patricia? That's terrible.

The poor woman's life just seemed so hard and sad from beginning to end.

Yes she had a difficult life, but she did more in her short life than most of us will ever do. I really hope that she was happy and came to peace with her inner issues. I also hope that she knew how many of her fans really loved her and we all knew that Prince loved her. Yes dying alone is sad, but we all have to make that journey alone one day. I choose to think of her the way she was in those years when she made Prince's fans her fans too

None of us truly know how or if Denise and Prince made peace with each other, but I truly wish that he will step up and pay for her funeral and give her the home going that all of her fans know that she deserves.