D’Angelo, Grammy-winning R&B singer who became an icon with ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel),’ dies

D’Angelo, the Grammy-winning R&B singer recognized by his raspy yet smooth voice and for garnering mainstream attention with the shirtless “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” music video, has died. He was 51.

The singer, whose real name was Michael Eugene Archer, died Tuesday after a long bout with cancer, his family said in a statement.

It 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.”

In his music, D’Angelo 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 sultry vocal style — a mix of raspy texture and church-bred fluidity — set him apart from his peers. That voice became inseparable from the striking visuals of his 2000 single “Untitled (How Does It Feel).” The minimalist, shirtless music video became a cultural touchstone, igniting conversations around artistry, sexuality and vulnerability in Black male representation. The song earned him a Grammy for best male R&B vocal performance and propelled his sophomore album “Voodoo,” topping the Billboard 200 chart and winning the Grammy for best R&B album.

With an idiosyncratic spirit not unlike Prince, D’Angelo’s devotion was always to the craft — not the machinery around it. In a 2000 interview with The Associated Press, he spoke candidly about the cost of chasing commercial success.

“(Musicians) have gotten trapped into that mode of thinking marketable and commercial. That destroys art, that destroys the essence of what it is about,” he said. “You cannot, you cannot work like that. You cannot make music like that. That’s not what this is about.”

That same year, D’Angelo reflected on his need for solitude amid fame: “I used to hang out a lot, but now I’ve become more of a recluse,” he told AP. “I long for just peace and silence.”

Beyond his own catalog, D’Angelo’s artistry shined in collaborations. He memorably duetted with Lauryn Hill on the soulful ballad “Nothing Even Matters,” a highlight of her landmark 1998 album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” He also contributed to The Roots’ 1996 album “Illadelph Halflife” and was part of the supergroup Black Men United, which yielded one song: “U Will Know,” which D’Angelo wrote and co-produced, for the film “Jason’s Lyric” in 1994.

“I remember hearing your music for the first time… I said to myself damn whoever this is they are anointed,” Jamie Foxx said on social media. “Then when I finally got a chance to see you… Like everyone when they saw the most incredible music video of our time… I was blown away… I thought to myself I have to see this person in concert… I had my chance to see you at the house of blues… You came out and got right down to business… Your voice was silky and flawless… I was graciously envious of your style and your swag…”

Years before stepping back from public view, D'Angelo's life and music were closely intertwined with Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone in the ’90s. The pair met while he was finishing “Brown Sugar” and bonded over their shared Southern roots and deep church upbringing. Stone contributed to the album and later collaborated with him on “Everyday,” a song from her 1999 debut album, “Black Diamond.”

Stone once described D’Angelo as her “musical soul mate,” to the AP in 1999, adding that their working relationship was “’like milk and cereal …. Musically, it was magic. It’s something that I have not been able to do with any other producer or musician.” They had a son together, the artist Swayvo Twain, born Michael Archer Jr.

Stone died earlier this year in a car crash. She was 63.

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

In the years that followed, D’Angelo's life became as defined by absence as by acclaim. After “Voodoo,” he withdrew from the spotlight for more than a decade, fueling speculation about personal struggles and creative battles. His long-awaited return came in 2014 with “Black Messiah,” credited to D’Angelo and The Vanguard. The urgent and politically charged album that arrived amid nationwide protests and helped usher in a wave of activist music responding to police killings of Black Americans and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and won him a Grammy for best R&B album, reaffirming his stature as a generational voice. Its standout single, “Really Love,” earned him another Grammy for best R&B song and earned a nomination for record of the year.

In May, D’Angelo withdrew from being a headliner for the 2025 Roots Picnic in Philadelphia due to “an unforeseen medical delay regarding surgery (he) had earlier this year,” the artists shared in a statement. D’Angelo said he was advised the performance “could further complicate matters.”

Beyond his biggest singles, D’Angelo’s catalog includes fan favorites like “Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine,” “Cruisin’” and “Devil’s Pie.” His influence stretched far beyond the charts: he inspired a wave of artists including Maxwell, Alicia Keys and Frank Ocean.

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this story.

FILE - D' Angelo and the Vanguard perform at the Apollo Theatre in New York on Feb. 7, 2015. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - D'Angelo performs at the "Made In America" music festival in Philadelphia on Sept. 1, 2012. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - D'Angelo performs during FYF Fest in Los Angeles on Aug. 23, 2015. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - This July 6, 2012 file photo D'Angelo performs at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. (Photo by Cheryl Gerber/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - D'Angelo performs during FYF Fest at L.A. Memorial Sports Arena & Exposition Park in Los Angeles, Aug. 23, 2015. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 17, 2025--

Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, today announced the next three vertiports to be added to Dubai's electric air taxi network, alongside Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Skyports Infrastructure, who will be responsible for building the vertiports. The sites, at the American University of Dubai, Atlantis the Royal and the Dubai Mall, will enable Joby to deliver high-speed, emissions-free connections between some of Dubai’s most high-profile destinations, as part of its six-year exclusive agreement with the RTA to establish air taxi services in the Emirate.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251117321480/en/

The news comes as Joby successfully completed a landmark flight test, becoming the first electric air taxi company to conduct a point-to-point flight in the UAE. On Sunday 9 November, Joby landed its aircraft at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) following a 17-minute piloted flight from its test facility in Margham, underscoring Joby’s commercial market readiness and ability to operate in shared airspace. Tens of thousands of attendees will have the opportunity to see Joby’s aircraft in action at this week’s Dubai Airshow, with demonstration flights planned for each day of the show.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), stated that “the successful completion of the first crewed flight of the electric aerial taxi marks a new milestone in Dubai’s distinguished record of leadership and innovation. The successful completion by Joby Aviation of the first air taxi flight between two distinct locations underscores the success of RTA’s operational framework for developing Dubai’s aerial mobility ecosystem. This milestone paves the way for a new phase of integration among smart mobility systems across the emirate, further strengthening the confidence of global partners in Dubai’s regulatory and technological environment and establishing it as a leading global platform for future mobility trials.

“RTA is steadily progressing towards the commercial launch of the aerial taxi service in 2026, solidifying Dubai’s position as the city of the future and a global hub for innovative and sustainable urban mobility solutions, combining efficient infrastructure with high quality of life," His Excellency confirmed.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation,said: “From flight demonstrations to infrastructure, we're making incredible progress on all fronts as we look ahead to launching commercial passenger service in Dubai next year. By working alongside the RTA, other government agencies and infrastructure partners, we’ve been able to streamline development of the world’s first air taxi service and are closer than ever to making urban air transport an everyday reality for residents and visitors across the UAE.”

Today’s vertiport announcement brings together three major Dubai property developers - Emaar Properties, Atlantis The Royal, and Wasl Asset Management Group - to deliver a network of valuable and high-traffic sites across the emirate:

Alongside the vertiport at Dubai International Airport, which is set to be completed in the first quarter of 2026, these sites will make up the initial vertiport network for Joby’s air taxi service in Dubai, which is set to launch in 2026.

About Joby

Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi. Joby intends to both operate its fast, quiet, and convenient air taxi service in cities around the world and sell its aircraft to other operators and partners. To learn more, visit www.jobyaviation.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding the development and performance of our aircraft, the growth of our manufacturing capabilities, our regulatory outlook, progress and timing, including our plans to begin carrying passengers in 2026, timing and potential locations of our vertiports, and planned participation in the Dubai airshow; our business plan, objectives, goals and market opportunity; plans for, and potential benefits of, our strategic partnerships; and our current expectations relating to our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects, capital needs and growth of our operations. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, “intend”, “believe”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “can have”, “likely” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. All forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including: our ability to launch our air taxi service and the growth of the urban air mobility market generally; our ability to produce aircraft that meet our performance expectations in the volumes and on the timelines that we project; complexities related to obtaining certification and operating in foreign markets; the competitive environment in which we operate; our future capital needs; our ability to adequately protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; our ability to effectively respond to evolving regulations and standards relating to our aircraft; our reliance on third-party suppliers and service partners; uncertainties related to our estimates of the size of the market for our service and future revenue opportunities; and other important factors discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 27, 2025, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 8, 2025 and August 7, 2025, and in future filings and other reports we file with or furnish to the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates and beliefs as of the date of this release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

Joby’s air taxi en route from its flight test facility in Margham to Al Maktoum International Airport, marking the first electric air taxi company to conduct a point-to-point flight in the UAE. Credit: Joby Aviation