D'Angelo

One of the forefathers of the Neo Soul movement, D'Angelo blazed a trail as a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He blended the smooth soul of Al Green, the raw soul of James Brown and the jazzy hip-hop of A Tribe Called Quest with the eccentric funk rock of Prince, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, leading to Rolling Stone ranking D'Angelo #75 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. His legacy is embodied by artists such as Erykah Badu, Maxwell, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Bilal, Frank Ocean as well as frequent collaborator Raphael Saadiq. Born Michael Eugene Archer in Richmond, Virginia on February 11, 1974, he began playing piano at three years old. His father, a Pentecostal minister, had his son playing in the church, helping to shape his music’s gospel influence. D'Angelo moved to New York City in 1991 with his hip-hop group I.D.U. (Intelligent, Deadly but Unique) to get closer to the music industry, and after performing at the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night, D'Angelo signed a solo deal with EMI Records in 1993. The following year, D'Angelo and his brother Luther Archer co-wrote and co-produced the song “U Will Know”, which was featured on the Jason’s Lyric soundtrack and performed by a choir of R&B stars known as Black Men United. In 1995, D’Angelo released his debut album Brown Sugar, where he emerged as a nostalgic figure in modern soul. Armed with a honeyed voice and hip-hop swagger, D’Angelo was equal parts Marvin Gaye and LL Cool J, the consummate musician and the coolest guy in the room. The album peaked at #22 on the Billboard 200 chart on its way to platinum status. His sophomore album, January 2000’s Voodoo, was a near-perfect communion of buttery soul, Crisco-fried funk, and hip-hop thump. The platinum album peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and earned him his first and second Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Untitled (How Does It Feel).” The album’s fourth single, “Send It On”, was written by D'Angelo and R&B singer Angie Stone as a dedication to their son, Michael Archer Jr., who was born in 1998. Following the completion of the Voodoo World Tour in October 2000, D'Angelo experienced personal struggles and withdrew from the public eye. After a few collaborations and live performances over the years, D'Angelo and the Vanguard released the surprise album Black Messiah in December 2014—14 years after the release of Voodoo. The album earned him his third and fourth Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song for “Really Love.” On October 14, 2025, D'Angelo passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 51.

Related performers: Saukrates , T.Sun & TK , DJ Premier & Miguel , Ambur Laineg & Javato Jones

Thanks,

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Number of songs D'Angelo has created by producer

Albums & EPs

2017

Brown Sugar (Deluxe Edition)

Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine (Def Squad Remix) produced by Erick Sermon
Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine (Dreamy Remix) produced by Erick Sermon , No I.D.
Lady (Remix - Just Tha Beat Mix) produced by DJ Premier

2000

Voodoo

Devil's Pie produced by DJ Premier , Pete Rock

Singles