Grammy-Winning R&B Star, D’Angelo Dies at 51 After Battle with Cancer
Grammy-winning R&B singer and neo-soul pioneer Michael Eugene Archer, better known as D’Angelo, has died at the age of 51 following a battle with cancer, his family announced on Friday.
In a statement shared with CBS News, the family described D’Angelo as “the shining star of our family,” adding that while his light has dimmed, “the gift of song he has left for the world will shine forever.” They urged fans to celebrate his remarkable musical legacy.
D’Angelo rose to prominence in the mid-1990s as one of the defining voices of the neo-soul movement, blending R&B, jazz, and hip-hop influences into a deeply emotional and sensual sound. His critically acclaimed debut album, Brown Sugar (1995), catapulted him into stardom, while his 2000 follow-up, Voodoo, cemented his status as one of the most influential artists of his generation.
Over his career, D’Angelo released three studio albums and earned four Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album for Voodoo and Black Messiah. His provocative video for Untitled (How Does It Feel) became a pop culture milestone, celebrated for its minimalist intensity and artistic boldness.
Born in Richmond, Virginia, D’Angelo was the son of a Pentecostal minister and began playing piano at age three. By 18, he had won the amateur night competition at Harlem’s Apollo Theater three weeks in a row — a victory that led to a publishing deal with EMI.
Following his meteoric rise, D’Angelo faced personal struggles, including alcoholism and a near-fatal car crash in 2005. He returned to the spotlight in 2014 with Black Messiah, a politically charged album inspired by racial justice protests in the United States. The project earned widespread acclaim and won the Grammy for Best R&B Album in 2016.
Tributes have poured in from across the music world. Legendary producer DJ Premier, who worked with D’Angelo on “Devil’s Pie,” wrote on social media, “Such a sad loss. We had so many great times. Gonna miss you so much. Sleep peacefully, D’. Love you, King.”
Rappers Tyler, the Creator and Flavor Flav also paid tribute, calling him an “icon” whose music transformed modern soul.
D’Angelo had reportedly been working on a fourth studio album alongside longtime collaborator Raphael Saadiq before his passing.
His 2000 album Voodoo remains one of the most celebrated R&B projects of all time, recently ranked 28th on Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest albums ever made, placing it just above The Beatles’ White Album.
