The beloved R&B artist and leader of the 90s neo-soul movement, D’Angelo, has passed away at 51 after battling cancer for many years. As a four time Grammy Award Winner for Best R&B Album, who remained charted throughout his career, D’Angelo’s made a mark on his musical era.

D’Angelo, known for tracks like “Untitled” and “Brown Sugar.” His battle with cancer has been private, many have noticed his musical disappearance since 2018. Despite his last album, Black Messiah, standing out – with political and global commentary – it still gained mass amounts of love, with a number 5 rank in the Billboard 200, with the song “Really Love” winning a Grammy for Best R&B song. 

After his passing on October 14th, artists like Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, and Tyler the Creator posted messages on their social media acknowledging his impact and their personal connection to his music. 

His streams have increased over 700% according to Billboard. As loyal fans grapple with the loss, and new listeners discover his songs, his music will likely continue to shape our world even without him in it. In the wake of his passing, his family encouraged everyone to “celebrate the gift of song that he has left for the world.”