Grammy-winning R&B singer D’Angelo has passed away at the age of 51. The singer, who was recognized for his raspy yet smooth voice and garnered popularity with the ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel)’ music video, took his last breath on Tuesday after a prolonged battle with cancer.According to AP, his family has released a statement that reads, “A shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life,” adding that they are “eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind.”Born as Michael Eugene Archer, D’Angelo merged hip-hop, emphatic soul, and gospel-rooted emotion into the music, which contributed to spearheading the neo-soul movement in the 1990s.The late singer had celebrated the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album, ‘Brown Sugar’, featuring songs like ‘Lady’ and the title track, which were massive hits. The 1995 album brought several Grammy nominations for him. And with that, he established himself as one of R&B’s greatest original voices.The music video of his song ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel)’ became a cultural touchstone as it sparked discussions over artistry, sexuality, and vulnerability in Black male representation. The song brought him a Grammy in the best male R&B vocal performance category. It resulted in his sophomore album ‘Voodoo’, topping the Billboard 200 chart and eventually winning the Grammy for best R&B album.As per the report, D’Angelo was involved with Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone in the ’90s. The duo met each other when he was completing his ‘Brown Sugar’ album. They bonded over their shared Southern roots and deep church upbringing. She had worked on and collaborated with him on his song ‘Everyday’ from her debut album, ‘Black Diamond’.She once called D’Angelo her “musical soulmate.”The duo share a son, Swayvo Twain, born Michael Archer Jr. Stone passed away in a car crash earlier this year. She was 63.Meanwhile, D’Angelo also has a daughter, Imani Archer, who is a music artist as well.D’Angelo also has a daughter, Imani Archer, who is also a music artist.After his album ‘Voodoo’, D’Angelo took a hiatus from music for more than a decade.
The big comeback
He made a comeback in the year 2014 with the album ‘Black Messiah’, released with his band, ‘The Vanguard’. It became a massive success, hitting No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. It won D’Angelo a Grammy for Best R&B Album. The single, ‘Really Love’, also bagged a Grammy for Best R&B Song and was nominated for Record of the Year.
Recent news
In May 2025, the singer had to cancel his headlining spot at the 2025 Roots Picnic concert in Philadelphia. He expressed that he had to do it due to an “unforeseen medical delay” related to surgery he had earlier in the year. As per the singer, the medical team had told him that the performance could make his medical issues worse.
