D'Angelo, the Grammy-winning R&B singer known for his raspy yet smooth voice and for gaining mainstream attention with the Untitled (How Does It Feel) music video, has died at the age of 51.
The singer, whose real name was Michael Eugene Archer, died on Tuesday, according to a statement from his family.
In their statement, his family confirmed that he died after a prolonged battle with cancer. They described him as "a shining star of our family whose light has dimmed for us in this life," adding that they are "eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind."
Pioneer Of Neo-Soul
In his music, D'Angelo blended hip-hop grit, emphatic soul, and gospel-rooted emotion into a sound that helped spearhead the neo-soul movement of the 1990s. Earlier this year, the Virginia native celebrated the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album Brown Sugar, a platinum-selling release that produced signature hits such as Lady and the title track. The 1995 album earned him multiple Grammy nominations and established him as one of R&B's most original new voices.
D'Angelo's sultry vocal style-a mix of raspy texture and church-bred fluidity-set him apart from his peers. That voice became inseparable from the striking visuals of his 2000 single Untitled (How Does It Feel). The minimalist, shirtless music video became a cultural touchstone, sparking conversations about artistry, sexuality, and vulnerability in Black male representation. The song earned him a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and propelled his sophomore album Voodoo to the top of the Billboard 200 chart, which also won the Grammy for Best R&B Album.
Collaborations And Musical Legacy
Beyond his own catalogue, D'Angelo's artistry shone in collaborations. He memorably duetted with Lauryn Hill on the soulful ballad Nothing Even Matters, a highlight of her landmark 1998 album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He also contributed to The Roots' 1996 album Illadelph Halflife and was part of the supergroup Black Men United, which produced the single U Will Know, written and co-produced by D'Angelo for the film Jason's Lyric in 1994.
Personal Life And Family
D'Angelo was partnered with Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone in the 1990s. The pair met while he was completing Brown Sugar and bonded over their similar backgrounds: both are from the South and both grew up in the church. Stone worked on the album with D'Angelo, and the pair co-wrote the song Everyday for her 1999 debut album Black Diamond.
Stone described D'Angelo as her "musical soul mate" to the Associated Press in 1999, adding that their working relationship was "like milk and cereal ... Musically, it was magic. It's something that I have not been able to do with any other producer or musician."
They had a son together, the artist Swayvo Twain, born Michael Archer Jr.
Stone died earlier this year in a car crash at the age of 63.
D'Angelo also has a daughter, Imani Archer.
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