Black Excellence: D’Angelo
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/nx-s1-5574071/dangelo-dead-at-51-obituary
D’Angelo, the visionary R&B singer who helped pioneer the neo soul sub genre, has died following a battle with cancer, according to a statement from his family published by multiple outlets. He was 51.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Angelo
Michael Eugene Archer[1] (February 11, 1974 – October 14, 2025), better known by his stage name D’Angelo (/diˈændʒəloʊ/), was an American R&B musician. Widely regarded as one of the most definitive neo-soul acts,[2][3] Billboard named him one of the greatest R&B artists, while Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 75th on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
He first gained attention after co-writing and co-producing the 1994 single “U Will Know” by the R&B supergroup Black Men United. His debut album, Brown Sugar (1995), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received widespread acclaim from music critics, who have credited the album with ushering in the neo-soul movement. It featured the title track, the Smokey Robinson cover “Cruisin“, and “Lady“, which peaked within the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.