Sad news to report…..

Neo soul PIONEER, D’Angelo has passed away at the age of 51!

Reports state  D’Angelo (born Michael Eugene Archer) had died after a private battle with pancreatic cancer.

The singer’s family confirmed his death in a statement to Variety. “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, departing this life today, October 14th, 2025. 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.  We ask that you 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.”

“He was in hospice for two weeks but had been in the hospital for months,” the source tells PEOPLE of the star’s pancreatic cancer battle.

DJ Premier, who collaborated with D’Angelo on the 1998 track “Devil’s Pie,” shared a post via X on Oct. 14 lamenting the news.

“Such a sad loss to the passing of D’angelo. We have so many great times. Gonna miss you so much. Sleep Peacefully D’ Love You KING,” DJ Premier wrote.

The Richmond-born son of a Pentecostal minister began playing the piano at the age of 3, and by 5 years old D’Angelo was playing the instrument with his father at church. A few years later, he began playing the piano at his grandfather’s Pentecostal church.

Growing up, he and his two cousins formed the group Three of a Kind and began performing at local talent shows. By 16, he formed another band called Michael Archer and Precise with his brother, Luther.

That year, D’Angelo landed a slot during Amateur Night at the Apollo, where he sang “Feel the Fire” by Peabo Bryson. While he didn’t win at the time, he returned to the stage the following year to perform “Rub You the Right Way” by Johnny Gill in 1991 and took the first place.

With his monetary prize, he returned to Richmond, bought a four-track recorder and started writing what would become most of the songs that made up his 1995 debut album Brown Sugar. Brown Sugar peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Top R&B Albums chart went platinum within a year of its release. It also earned D’Angleo four Grammy Award nominations. 

While D’Angelo continued collaborating and performing throughout the years, he didn’t release his third studio album, the acclaimed Black Messiah, until 2014. The album peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s U.S. Indie Store Album Sales and U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It also won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and is considered a modern neo-soul masterpiece.

Throughout his career, D’Angelo collaborated with artists including Questlove, Common, Q-Tip, J Dilla Lauryn Hill, Raphael Saadiq and Angie Stone.

An elusive figure who burned bright in the spotlight, D’Angelo released three albums throughout his career including his 1995 debut “Brown Sugar,” 2000’s “Voodoo” and his last album, 2014’s “Black Messiah” with the Vanguard. He developed a signature sound with “Brown Sugar,” marrying classic R&B tropes with hip-hop influences, before developing a richer, soulful aesthetic for “Voodoo.” He won four Grammy Awards for his latter two records, and was a crucial figure in ushering the era of neo-soul.

In 2024, D’Angelo collaborated alongside Jay-Z on the track”I Want You Forever,” which was featured on The Book of Clarence soundtrack. In a 2024 interview with Rolling Stone‘s Music Now podcast, Saadiq had also confirmed that D’Angelo was working on new music.