R&B and neo-soul icon D’Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, has died at the age of 51 following a private battle with pancreatic cancer.
His Wikipedia page has since been updated to reflect his passing, listing his three kids among his survivors.
Journalist Marc Lamont Hill was among the first to share the news publicly on Tuesday.
“My sources tell me that D’Angelo has passed. Wow. I have no words. May he rest in perfect peace,” Hill wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Fellow music legend DJ Premier, who collaborated with D’Angelo on the 1998 track “Devil’s Pie,” also confirmed the news in a tribute.
“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,” he wrote.
D’Angelo’s rise in the 1990s helped reshape the sound of modern R&B and neo-soul. His debut album, Brown Sugar (1995), introduced him as one of the genre’s most authentic voices, with hits like “Lady” and “Cruisin’.”
He followed up with Voodoo (2000), a Grammy-winning album praised for its raw emotion and live instrumentation. The record’s standout track, Untitled (How Does It Feel), became an instant classic.
After a lengthy hiatus, D’Angelo returned in 2014 with Black Messiah, a critically acclaimed album that fused social consciousness with his signature groove and introspection. The project earned widespread praise for addressing political themes while maintaining his timeless sound.
The Grammy winner is survived by three children: a son, born in 1998, from his relationship with late R&B singer Angie Stone; a daughter, born in 1999; and a younger son, born in 2010.
Stone, who shared one child with the singer, tragically died earlier this year in a car accident.