Award-winning R&B singer Michael Eugene Archer, known to his fans as D’Angelo, has died at the age of 51 from cancer, his family announced in a statement.
His family said Tuesday that the singer left behind an “extraordinarily moving legacy of music” and asked his fans to celebrate “the gift of song he left to the world.”
The influential singer was known for pioneering the neo-soul genre, which blends R&B music with other genres, including hip-hop and jazz.
His three albums have earned him four Grammy Awards. The music video for his hit song, Untitled (How Does it Feel), gained mainstream attention after he starred in the one-shot video, naked, singing the song.
“Our family’s bright star has dimmed its light for us in this life,” his family said in a statement obtained by CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. news partner.
D’Angelo began his career as a songwriter and has worked alongside music greats like Lauryn Hill and The Roots.
He rose to fame in the 1990s with his debut album Brown Sugar. Her song, Lady, from this album, reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1996.
This song earned him several Grammy nominations and secured his place on the music scene.
