If James Brown was the “Godfather of Soul,” then D’Angelo was the “Godfather of Neo-Soul.” He emerged at a time when R&B was dominated by male groups, studio singers and producers running “lab-generated” hit factories.
His music ushered in a new era for the genre that shifted the culture of Black Music back toward the glory days of funk, soul and R&B. D’Angelo’s sound was a throwback to the days of pure musicianship. With his sound, he paved the way for a collective of artists who proved that the rich legacy of Black music’s future was safe in their hands.
He died Tuesday after a private battle with cancer. He was 51.
“The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life,” his family said in a statement, according to CBS News. “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.”
D’Angelo was equal parts mercurial and unpredictable. His 1995 debut, “Brown Sugar,” and its infectious title track introduced him as a laid-back singer and keyboardist who looked more like a hip-hop artist than a soul crooner.
For his 2000 follow-up “Voodoo,” he turned the R&B world on its head by emerging as a sex symbol with the release of the seductive music video for his lead single “Untitled (How Does It Feel).” The video was shot with him in the nude.
Fueled by that lead single, D’Angelo avoided the sophomore jinx with his second album. Then, at the height of his popularity, he essentially disappeared from the industry for more than a decade.
D’Angelo’s R&B heartthrob era was a far cry from his Pentecostal roots.
Michael D’Angelo Archer was born on Feb. 11, 1974, in Richmond, Virginia. The son of a preacher, his talent for music was discovered at the tender age of three. By the time he was 5, he was playing organ for his father’s church.
D’Angelo was still a teen when he branched out to New York to pursue a career in music as part of an R&B singing group that leaned on cover music as well as original material. He was also working on original compositions for himself as a solo artist.
At age17, he was introduced to Afropunk Festival partner Jocelyn Cooper. She signed him to Midnight Songs LLC, her joint venture publishing company administered by Universal Music Publishing Group. Ironically, what caught Cooper’s attention was a demo of a hip hop track from the group I.D.U. (Intelligent, Deadly but Unique). D’Angelo was featured on the song as a rapper and producer.
Cooper introduced D’Angelo to attorney Kedar Massenburg, who helped negotiate his first major label recording contract. Massenburg later became D’Angelo’s manager.
D’Angelo gained wider attention in 1994 with “U Will Know,” a hit single he co-wrote and co-produced for the all-male R&B supergroup Black Men United, which featured many of the biggest names in the genre.
His genre-defining debut solo album was released the next year. The platinum-selling “Brown Sugar” was followed up by “Voodoo,” which remained on the Billboard charts for more than 33 weeks.
After his long hiatus from the music industry, D’Angelo released his Grammy-winning third album “Black Messiah” in 2014.
Nominated for 14 Grammys over the course of his career, D’Angelo won four awards, including Best R&B Album twice for “Voodoo” and “Black Messiah.” He also won Best R&B Vocal Performance for “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” and Best R&B Song for “Black Messiah’s” “Really Love.”
He is survived by his three children, including his son and namesake Michael Archer, whom he shared with former partner and fellow R&B star Angie Stone. Stone was tragically killed in an automobile accident on March 1.
“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,” his family said. “We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time, but invite you all to join us in mourning his passing while celebrating the gift of song he has left the world.”