R&B and soul legend D’Angelo has passed away at the age of 51 following a private battle with pancreatic cancer. Born Michael Eugene Archer in Richmond, Virginia, D’Angelo changed the sound of modern soul music with his timeless mix of gospel, funk, jazz, and hip-hop influences.

His debut album Brown Sugar (1995) helped usher in the neo-soul movement of the 1990s, sitting alongside artists like Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and Lauryn Hill.

The album sold over two million copies and delivered instant classics such as “Lady,” “Cruisin’,” and the title track “Brown Sugar,” solidifying D’Angelo’s place in music history. His follow-up, Voodoo (2000), became a cultural touchstone. The single “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” not only earned him a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance but also made him an icon of both sound and sensuality. The album itself won Best R&B Album at the 2001 Grammys and has since been hailed as one of the greatest records of its era.

Fans and fellow artists have already begun flooding social media with tributes, celebrating his genius and thanking him for sharing his gifts with the world. D’Angelo is survived by his children and close family, who have asked for privacy as they grieve this loss.