Grammy-winning R&B and neo soul icon, D’Angelo passed away Tuesday. The singer, whose real name was Michael Eugene Archer, died Tuesday after a long bout with cancer, his family said in a statement. He was 51.

His loved ones called him “a shining star of our family and has dimmed his light for us in this life,” adding that they are “eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind.”

The ‘How Does It Feel’ musician “blended hip-hop grit, emphatic soul and gospel-rooted emotion into a sound that helped spearhead the neo-soul movement of the 1990s. Earlier this year, the Virginia native celebrated the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album “Brown Sugar,” a platinum-selling offering that produced signature hits like “Lady” and the title track. The 1995 album earned him multiple Grammy nominations and cemented him as one of R&B’s most original new voices.

D’Angelo’s legacy also includes the music he made with fellow neo soul singer Angie Stone. They would connect while completing his “Brown Sugar” album and “bonded over their shared southern roots and deep church upbringing,” which developed into a romantic relationship. Stone contributed to the album and they later would collaborate on the song “Everyday” from Stone’s 1999 debut album “Black Diamond.” The two had a son together, artist Swayvo Twain, born Michael Archer Jr. Stone, who passed away in car accident earlier this year, once described D’Angelo as her “musical soul mate.”

D’Angelo also has a daughter, Imani Archer, who is also a music artist.

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