D’Angelo, the Black Messiah of soul, has died

D’Angelo, legendary R&B singer and neo-soul pioneer, has died. I had 51 years old. He passed away this morning after secretly living with a pancreatic cancer.

There family shared a thought with Variety: “The shining star of our family has dimmed its light for us in this life… After a long and courageous battle with cancer, we are saddened to announce that Michael D’Angelo Archer, known to his fans around the world as D’Angelo, has been called home, leaving this life today, October 14, 2025. We are saddened that he will leave behind only fond memories for his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of music extraordinarily touching that he leaves behind. We ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time, but we invite you all to join us in mourning his passing and at the same time celebrate the gift of song he left to the world.” THE collaborators those closest to D’Angelo remembered him on social media. DJ Premier, who produced the song “Devil’s pie,” wrote: “Such a sad loss. We had so many great times. We will miss you dearly. Rest in peace.”

D’Angelo posted three albums throughout his career, including 1995’s debut “Brown Sugar,” 2000’s “Voodoo” and his latest effort, 2014’s “Black Messiah” with Vanguard. With “Brown Sugar” he developed a signature sound, marrying classic R&B elements with hip-hop influences, before developing a richer, soulful aesthetic for “Voodoo.” He won four Grammy Awards for his last two records and was a crucial figure in ushering in the neo-soul era.