New York, 15 October (H.S.): D'Angelo, the four-time Grammy-winning singer and songwriter whose visionary albums pioneered the neo-soul genre and reshaped the sound of modern R&B, has died at the age of 51. His family confirmed that the influential musician, born Michael Eugene Archer, passed away following a cancer diagnosis.In a statement, his family celebrated his legacy of extraordinarily moving music and asked fans to honor the gift of song that he has left for the world.

D'Angelo became a cultural force in the 1990s, blending sultry R&B with intricate elements of jazz, hip-hop, and gospel. His work created a new musical vocabulary that influenced a generation of artists.Tributes immediately poured in from across the music industry. Rappers Doja Cat and Missy Elliott, along with singers Jill Scott and Jennifer Hudson, paid their respects. Hudson called him a true original, while producer DJ Premier, who collaborated with D'Angelo, mourned the loss of a KING.

D'Angelo's career was defined by three landmark albums. His 1995 debut, Brown Sugar, was a critical and commercial success that established him as a major new voice. He achieved global superstardom with his 2000 masterpiece, Voodoo, which earned two Grammy Awards and was lauded for its complex, layered sound. The album's hit single, Untitled (How Does It Feel), became iconic for its daring, single-shot music video.

After a long hiatus from the public eye during which he struggled with personal challenges, he made a powerful return in 2014 with Black Messiah. The politically charged and musically ambitious album was met with universal acclaim and won the Grammy for Best R&B Album.

A native of Richmond, Virginia, D'Angelo was a self-taught piano prodigy who began playing at age three. After winning the amateur night contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater for three consecutive weeks as a teenager, he was signed to a record deal that launched his celebrated career. He was reportedly in the studio working on his fourth album with collaborator Raphael Saadiq at the time of his death.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar