D’Angelo, the Grammy award-winning R&B icon who helped launch neo soul in the ’90s, died on Tuesday after a battle with cancer, his family announced. He was 51 years old.
“The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life,” D’Angelo’s family said in a statement. “After a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer, we are heartbroken to announce that Michael D’Angelo Archer, known to his fans around the world as D’Angelo, has been called home, departing this life today, October 14, 2025.”
D’Angelo was born in South Richmond, Virginia in 1974 and started singing as a child. He first came to prominence in 1994 for producing the song “U Will Know” for Black Men United in 1994. He broke through as an artist with the release of his debut album Brown Sugar in 1995. That album is regarded among critics as a seminal record in the development of the neo soul movement and launched his first top-10 single “Lady.” Brown Sugar itself went platinum. D’Angelo followed that up with the classic Voodoo in 2000, which debuted at Number One on Billboard’s 200 albums chart and won best R&B album at the 2001 Grammy Awards. The album’s single “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” won for best R&B performance.
Along with his solo works, D’Angelo collaborated with fellow pioneers like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill, duetting with Hill on “Nothing Even Matters” off her all-time classic The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. That song earned them both a Grammy nomination for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal.
After Voodoo, D’Angelo went over a decade without releasing music, finally ending that long hiatus at the end of 2014 with Black Messiah. The album would also go on to win best R&B album at the Grammys in 2016, while lead single “Really Love” won best R&B song and was nominated for record of the year.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of D’Angelo. He was a peerless visionary who effortlessly blended the classic sounds of soul, funk, gospel, R&B, and jazz with a hip hop sensibility.
A known perfectionist, D’Angelo released 3 albums that were widely celebrated as masterpieces by both the music community and his beloved fans around the world. He was heavily awarded and critically acclaimed for his talents.
RCA, which distributed Black Messiah, issued a statement Tuesday calling the singer “a peerless visionary who effortlessly blended the classic sounds of soul, funk, gospel, R&B, and jazz with a hip-hop sensibility.
“A known perfectionist, D’Angelo released three albums that were widely celebrated as masterpieces by both the music community and his beloved fans around the world,” RCA said. “He was heavily awarded and critically acclaimed for his talents. D’Angelo’s songwriting, musicianship, and unmistakable vocal styling has endured and will continue to inspire generations of artists to come. Our hearts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
D’Angelo’s death has already started a wider outpouring from the music community, with Flavor Flav, DJ Premier posting tributes soon after his death.
“Such a sad loss to the passing of D’angelo,” Premier wrote on X on Tuesday. “We have so many great times. Gonna miss you so much. Sleep Peacefully D’ Love You KING.”
Such a sad loss to the passing of D’angelo. We have so many great times. Gonna miss you so much. Sleep Peacefully D’
Love You KING ????????????️????????— DJ Premier (@REALDJPREMIER) October 14, 2025
“We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind,” D’Angelo’s family said. “We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time but invite you all join us in mourning his passing while also celebrating the gift of song that he has left for the world.”