David Z, Longtime Prince Associate and Key Architect of ‘the Minneapolis Sound,’ Dies at 78

Aug 3, 2026 12:53pm PT David Z, Longtime Prince Associate and Key Architect of ‘the Minneapolis Sound,’ Dies at 78

By Jem Aswad

Plus Icon

Jem Aswad

Executive Editor, Music

jemaswad

Latest

David Z, Longtime Prince Associate and Key Architect of ‘the Minneapolis Sound,’ Dies at 78 7 minutes ago
The Rolling Stones ‘Behind the Song’: See Mick Jagger and Producer Andrew Watt’s Deep Dive on the Creation of ‘Mr. Charm’ (EXCLUSIVE) 2 days ago
Ariana Grande’s ‘Petal’ Introduces an Angry and Angular Ari: Album Review 4 days ago

See All

MINNEAPOLIS - APRIL 1989: Record producer David Z (aka David Rivkin) producing a record in Minneapolis, Minnesota in April 1989. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Photo: Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

David “Z” Rivkin, the Grammy-winning producer and musician who helmed Prince’s early demo tapes and engineered several of his albums, helped create Lipps Inc.’s 1980 smash “Funky Town,” and later worked with such artists like Fine Young Cannibals, the Jets and Jonny Lang, has died, his brother Bobby “Z” Rivkin (longtime drummer for Prince & the Revolution) confirmed to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

He died Sunday from complications of an infection in a hospital in Burbank, Calif., his brother said; he was 78.