D’Angelo, the Grammy-winning R&B icon celebrated as one of the architects of neo-soul, has died at the age of 51. The singer, born Michael Eugene Archer, passed away Tuesday morning at his home in New York after a private battle with pancreatic cancer, his family confirmed to Variety.
Rising to prominence in the mid-1990s, D’Angelo redefined contemporary soul with his smooth vocals, musical depth, and genre-blending artistry. His critically acclaimed albums — including Brown Sugar (1995), Voodoo (2000), and Black Messiah (2014) — cemented his status as one of the most influential voices in modern R&B, inspiring artists across generations.
Tributes have poured in from across the music industry, with fans and fellow musicians mourning the loss of a visionary whose work bridged gospel, funk, and jazz with raw emotional honesty. D’Angelo’s legacy as a transformative artist and cultural trailblazer will continue to shape the sound of soul for years to come.
