A look inside D'Angelo's health struggles before his death

D'Angelo, who was known for his hits like "Lady" and "Brown Sugar," passed away on Tuesday, October 14. The news of his sudden death from pancreatic cancer was confirmed by his family in a statement to Variety. The "Higher" singer who was fifty-one years old at the time of his death, was in hospice care surrounded his family and son, Michael Archer Jr., whom he shared with his ex-girlfriend, singer Angie Stone. A part of the statement released by his family read:

"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."

D'Angelo, whose real name was Michael Eugene Archer, rose to fame in the mid-1990s with the release of his debut album Brown Sugar in 1995. The critically acclaimed album would later received four Grammy Award nominations. D'Angelo collaborated with several prominent artists during his career, and went on to win two Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Performance and Best R&B Album for his second album, "Voodoo." Despite record-breaking success, D'Angelo battled several personal health struggles related to alcoholism and other issues throughout his life.

More about D'Angelo's personal struggles prior to his death, as the legendary R&B artist passes away

D'Angelo, who is survived by his three children, also struggled with issues related to his weight. According to People Magazine, a source close to the performer shared that the "Untitled: How Does It Feel" singer was living a reclusive life prior to his death and refused to leave his house. They said:

"D’Angelo was very eccentric; he had a manager, but he wouldn’t work. He was a recluse; he didn’t like going out of the house.”

The source further added that his issues with weight stemmed from his status as a s*x symbol in the late 1990s and 2000s. They explained, saying:

“He battled with his weight. The chiseled machismo man that people fell in love with, that wasn’t his natural aesthetic. He was naturally a bigger guy. He never was comfortable being a sex symbol, but also he didn’t like people seeing him on his heavier side, so he was always really conflicted

According to New York Post, D'Angelo's struggles with fame were further highlighted in the documentary, "Devil's Pie." In a February 2025 interview with Variety, Questlove referenced the "Unshaken" singer's struggles in his personal life while speaking about the then-upcoming documentary, "Sly Lives (aka the Burden of Black Genius)." He said:

"The origin of his personal story is literally being a chosen one – being a fifth or sixth or seventh wheel in a situation in which he was not even looking or asking for what he got, and yet he was chosen."

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D'Angelo was reportedly "extremely overwhelmed" following the death of his ex-girlfriend and one-time collaborator Angie Stone earlier this year, on March 1. According to People Magazine, back in 2005, D'Angelo was arrested and charged with the possession of drugs and for driving under the influence. Although it is not known exactly when he was diagnosed with cancer, a source close to the pioneering artist revealed that he had been hospitalized several months prior to his death, and was surrounded by his close family members for support.

At the moment, D'Angelo's family has requested privacy as they navigte this difficult time. The "Charade" singer was reportedly in the process of recording his fourth studio album at the time of his untimely passing.

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