R&B legend D'Angelo dies at 51

D'Angelo is known for his songs "Brown Sugar," "Lady" and more.

Grammy-winning R&B artist D'Angelo has died, his family said Tuesday. He was 51.

The singer-songwriter and musician was known for his songs "Brown Sugar," "Lady," "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" and more.

"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," his family said in a statement shared with ABC News.

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."

"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," the family added.

D'Angelo was born Michael Eugene Archer on Feb. 11, 1974, in Richmond, Virginia.

In a 2000 interview with Rolling Stone, D'Angelo said he got his start in music as a child, playing music in the Baptist church where his father was a preacher.

"I played everywhere I could," he told the outlet at the time. "That's the real stomp-down, Pentecostal, holiness church... Shoutin', speakin' in tongues and just fire. That's where I really grew."

D'Angelo's debut album, "Brown Sugar," was released in 1995. He told Interview Magazine in 2013 that he wrote almost all the songs while he was in Virginia, between the ages of 18 and 19.

The critically acclaimed album helped define the neo-soul movement of the 1990s with live instrumentation, '70s soul influences and more. The album's title track also became an R&B anthem.

D'Angelo was nominated for 14 Grammys throughout his career, winning awards for for best R&B album ("Voodoo" and "Black Messiah"), best male R&B vocal performance ("Untitled (How Does It Feel)"), and best R&B song ("Really Love").

D'Angelo's death comes less than a year after the death of Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone, with whom he shared a son, Michael D'Angelo Archer II.

He also leaves behind two additional children, a son and a daughter.