RIP D'Angelo

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RIP d’Angelo (February 11, 1974 – October 14, 2025) - artwork by yanncouedor

D’Angelo died from pancreatic cancer in New York City on the morning of October 14, 2025, at the age of 51.

Michael Eugene Archer[1] (February 11, 1974 – October 14, 2025), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (/diˈændʒəloʊ/), was an American R&Bmusician. Widely regarded as one of the most definitive neo-soul acts,[2][3]Billboard named him one of the greatest R&B artists, while Rolling Stonemagazine ranked him 75th on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

He first garnered attention after co-writing and co-producing the 1994 single "U Will Know" by the R&B supergroup Black Men United. His debut studio album, Brown Sugar (1995), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received widespread acclaim from music critics, who have credited the album with ushering in the neo-soul movement. It featured the title track, the Smokey Robinson cover "Cruisin", and "Lady", which peaked within the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

D'Angelo then collaborated with artists such as Angie Stone, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill, with whom he performed on the 1998 song "Nothing Even Matters". His next album, Voodoo (2000), debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and received critical acclaim. Its lead single "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" was released alongside an impactful music video.[4][5] The song earned him the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, while the album itself won Best R&B Album.

Afterwards, D'Angelo became increasingly uncomfortable with his growing status as a sex symbol. He then had numerous personal struggles, including drug addiction and alcoholism, which resulted in limited musical output for several years. After over a decade spent mostly out of the public eye, he released his third and final studio album, Black Messiah (2014). The album debuted in the top five of the U.S. Billboard 200 and topped the year-end Pazz & Jop critics' poll by The Village Voice. It won Best R&B Album at the 58th Grammy Awards, while the single "Really Love" won Best R&B Song and was nominated for Record of the Year.