Justin Bieber has angered fans with a thoughtless response to a Prince tribute.
Justin Bieber
The 'Sorry' hitmaker has faced a backlash after appearing to take issue with guitarist Andrew Watt hailing the late singer - who was found dead at his Paisley Park estate yesterday (21.04.16) - as
"the last of the greatest living performers."
Responding to the former California Breed guitarist's lengthy Instagram post paying tribute to his idol, Justin commented: "Well not the last greatest living performer."
His post has since been deleted, but not before sparking outrage online.
One follower blasted: "I'm content to say that Prince has more talent in his little toe nail than @justinbeiber will ever have (sic)"
Another posted: "R.I.P Prince #legend can't believe Bieber disrespected him like this, shame (sic)"
Justin is one of very few stars not to have spoken out following Prince's passing.
Meanwhile, Andrew's original post hailed Prince as his "guitar idol" and lamented how the world will be much less "cool" without him.
Alongside a photo of himself on stage in a Prince T-shirt, he wrote: "This past Tuesday night before my show I was picking out an outfit...
"I was so tired from the past week of endless traveling and gigging that I grabbed my Prince shirt and said f**k it I'm gonna channel the purple one tonight...
"I didn't shower after the gig out of pure exhaustion...I went to sleep in that shirt and then I wore it again all day yesterday...
"today waking up to this news I am truly beside myself...devastated...the last of the greatest living performers...my guitar idol...his connection to ALL his instruments yielded a sexual transcending aura and the world is just less fucking cool without him walking on it...
""Electric word life It means forever and that's a mighty long time But I'm here to tell you There's something else... The after world" #RIPPRINCE (sic)"
Tagged in Prince Justin Bieber