Neo-Soul Pioneer D’Angelo, Four-Time Grammy Winner, Dies at 51 — Music World Pays Tribute

D’Angelo, the four-time Grammy-winning architect of Neo Soul, has died at 51 after a battle with cancer — a singular voice silenced in the genre he helped forge.

Sad news today: D'Angelo, the four-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer behind 'Lady,' 'Brown Sugar,' and the slow-jam earthquake that is '(Untitled) How Does It Feel,' has died of cancer. He was 51.

'The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life ... After a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer, we are heartbroken to announce that Michael D'Angelo Archer, known to his fans around the world as D'Angelo, has been called home.'

How he changed the sound of R&B

Born Michael Archer on February 11, 1974, he first turned heads as a co-writer and producer on 'U Will Know,' a Top 5 R&B single performed by the supergroup Black Men United for the film 'Jason's Lyric.' It is a stripped-down, gospel-tinged track that basically announced: this guy is different.

From there, he helped shape what became known as neo-soul, the warm, live-instrument corner of R&B that took hold in the mid-to-late 90s. The movement is usually mentioned alongside names like Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, and Jill Scott — and, notably, Kedar Massenburg, a music executive often credited with pushing the sound into the mainstream. Yes, it is a little unusual to see an exec listed next to the artists, but that is how this scene gets told.

The run, by the numbers

• Breakthrough: Co-wrote and produced 'U Will Know' for Black Men United, a Top 5 R&B hit tied to 'Jason's Lyric.'
• Debut era: Dropped 'Brown Sugar,' which bowed at No. 6 on Billboard's R&B albums chart. Singles 'Cruisin'' and 'Lady' both hit the R&B Top 5; 'Lady' also cracked the pop Top 10.
• Second album, five years later: 'Voodoo' arrived after a stretch of writer's block and detonated, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
• Awards from 'Voodoo': His first two Grammys — Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for '(Untitled) How Does It Feel' — plus a nomination for Best R&B Song for the same track.
• Later chapter: 'Black Messiah' earned him two more Grammys, including Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song for 'Really Love.'

Why the music stuck

D'Angelo had that unteachable mix of swagger and softness: swing-heavy grooves, church in the harmonies, and a voice that could flirt or floor you in a bar or a bedroom. He made R&B that felt live, human, and unhurried — the kind of records that set a tone the second they start.

Sending love to his family, friends, and the fans who grew up on these records. A giant, gone way too soon.