R&B singer D’Angelo has passed away after a tragic battle with pancreatic cancer. The neo-soul trailblazer, known for hits like “Brown Sugar,” “Lady,” and “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” passed Tuesday, Oct. 14. He was 51.
His transition was announced in the early afternoon on Oct. 14, leaving longtime music lovers, fans, and peers in disbelief.
In a statement released to Variety, his family confirmed that he had been battling with a private illness for quite some time.
His heartbroken loved ones shared, “The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life… After a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer.” They continued, “We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind.”
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D’Angelo’s relatives ask that fans “respect our privacy during this difficult time but invite you all join us in mourning his passing while also celebrating the gift of song that he has left for the world.”
The crooner’s career spans 30 years and three albums: his debut “Brown Sugar” in 1995, “Voodoo” featuring the sensual “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” in 2000, and “Black Messiah” in 2014. The elusive musician shied away from the media and the spotlight over the years but he enjoyed his work being celebrated with 14 Recording Academy nominations and four Grammy wins.
D’Angelo is survived by three children, two sons and a daughter. His passing comes seven months after a tragic accident claimed the life of his ex, singer Angie Stone. The former couple dated for about four years between 1994 and 1998 and share one child, a son named Michael “Swayvo” Archer Jr.
Angie Stone and D’Angelo in the same damn year
…. A true loss for R&B/Soul music. pic.twitter.com/EowVXuC7oc
— VINCENT (@Vince_Aries) October 14, 2025
Fans online were equally stunned and shocked by the news after having no knowledge that D’Angelo was battling cancer at home.
“I told you a long time ago-You ain’t gone understand everything & everything ain’t meant 4 U, nor I, to understand,” singer Jill Scott began on X, hours after mentioning D’Angelo in a separate celebratory tweet.
“I never met D’Angelo but I love him, respect him, [and] admire his gift. This loss hurts. Love to the family that ate family to him. R.I.P. GENIUS,” she continued. “Lemme stop you now. A mutual friend shared that our beloved D’Angelo was unwell a few days ago. I sent LOVE yesterday. I didn’t know he was leaving us TODAY. Oooooooh my condolences to his family, his musical fam and fans. I am a fan and I mourn. D. Keaton & now D’Angelo. Hurts.
R&B singers Tank and Jamie Foxx penned lengthy messages to D’Angelo, praising him for his “silky, flawless voice” and his captivating performance style.
One Instagram user said, “Someone check on him and Angie’s son, bc BOTH parents in the same year?! Nahhhhh.” Another on Facebook wrote, “This young man just lost both of his parents in a year. Please let him be.”
Michael “Swayvo” Archer Jr reacted to the news of his father’s passing by sharing a rare clip of his last interview with his mom, where they watch D’Angelo talk about how welcoming Michael inspired him. Stone said she always felt they looked alike and had similar features.
“He inspired me to write songs and be a better man and grow up, you know?” said D’Angelo in a clip. Stone called D’Angelo “the love of her life,” and pointed out a tattoo of Michael on D’Angelo’s arm.
A statement from D’Angelo and Angie Stone’s son Michael on the passing of his father:
“I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers during these very difficult times, as it has been a very rough and sad year for me.” “I ask that you please continue to keep me in your thoughts as… pic.twitter.com/2sptOsy5N8
— BROWN GIRL GRINDING
(@LorenLorosa) October 14, 2025
“I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers during these very difficult times, as it has been a very rough and sad year for me,” Michael shared in a statement with Loren Lorosa. “I ask that you please continue to keep me in your thoughts as it will not be easy, but one thing that both my parents [taught] me was to be strong, and I intend to do just that.”
D’Angelo’s daughter, Imani Archer, also shared an old photo of herself and her dad with three heart emojis with bandages on them in a post on her Instagram Story.
Stone, 63, passed in an early morning incident in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 2. She and seven crew members were traveling in a sprinter van that flipped on a highway.
The “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” songstress was the only victim who passed. “Never in a million years did we ever expect to get this horrible news,” said her daughter, Diamond, from a separate relationship, and son, in a released statement.
Michael followed in his parents’ music footsteps by pursuing a rap career. In 2023, he reimagined one of his dad’s song “S—t, D—n, Motherf—ker.” That same year, he spoke about his relationship with his dad.
He told the “Skipping Class” podcast, “We speak cordially. That’s about it.” When asked if he wanted to repair their bond, he said, “If it could be fixed. It’s gone take some work, but it’s my Pops so, it’s still family.”
@tprmediagroup #SwayvoTwain speaks on his relationship with his dad #DAngelo on a new episode of #SkippingClass (presented by The Progress Report) #TheProgressReport #TPRMediaGroup #AngieStone ♬ original sound – TPRMediaGroup
The nature of their bond at the time of the loss is unknown. However, within an hour of D’Angelo’s passing becoming a headline, Michael reshared a clip of himself and Stone looking at the soul artist’s magna opus video for “How Does It Feel.” The post did not include any references to the loss of either parent.
2014’s “Black Messiah” was D’Angelo’s third studio album, regarded as a political declaration inspired by controversial decision-making and events in Ferguson, Missouri, leading up to the tragic Michael Brown case. Last year, his longtime friend and collaborator, Raphael Saadiq, revealed that D’Angelo was hard at work on a new album. It’s unclear if that project will see the light of day.
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