The music world is mourning D’Angelo, the neo-soul icon who redefined R&B. Image: Frans Schellekens/Redferns.
(The Post News)– Following a battle with cancer, Grammy-winning R&B and soul musician Michael Eugene Archer, known by his stage name D’Angelo, passed away at the age of 51, according to his family.
D’Angelo, a neo-soul pioneer, created a sound that impacted a whole generation by fusing R&B with hip-hop, jazz, and funk. He won four Grammy Awards and put out three critically regarded albums over his career. The intimate, single-shot technique of the music video for the untitled track (How Does It Feel) made it memorable and demonstrated his audacious artistic vision.
His relatives told CBS News in a statement that “the brightest star of our household has lost its brightness for us to this life.” The family further encouraged listeners to honor the timeless tunes he offered the world, saying the singer left behind a long legacy of poignant music.
From all throughout the music industry, tributes flooded in. Artists who paid tribute to him included Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Doja Cat, and Missy Elliott. “We lost an authentic original today,” Hudson tweeted, while Doja Cat referred to him as “a genuine voice of soul and motivation for the future. “Your voice will always be heard, D’Angelo,” Doja Cat noted.
Meanwhile, Tyler the Creator wrote, “We were fortunate to be living to take pleasure in his art,” attributing his “musical DNA” to D’Angelo.
D’Angelo’s Career
D’Angelo, who was raised by a Pentecostal priest in Richmond, Virginia, began learning to play the piano from the age of three. He played in local bands like I.D.U., Michael Archer and Precise, and Three of a Kind when he was a teenager. Notwithstanding his achievements, he battled alcoholism personally and lived through a severe vehicle accident in 2005.
His 2014 album Black Messiah, which was influenced by nationwide demonstrations against the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, marked his comeback to the public eye after he had been out of it for almost ten years. In 2016, the song won the Grammy for Best R&B Album.
The legendary hip-hop producer of Devil’s Pie, DJ Premier, referred to his passing as “a sad loss” and recalled their friendship, stating, “We had several great times.” Rest in peace, D’. I cherish you, King.
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