Overview

• His family confirmed he died on October 14 from pancreatic cancer and asked for privacy while inviting the public to join them in mourning.
• A foundational figure in neo‑soul, he helped define the genre alongside artists such as Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.
• His landmark releases—Brown Sugar (1995), Voodoo (2000), and Black Messiah (2014)—earned 14 Grammy nominations and four wins, with Voodoo topping the Billboard 200.
• He recorded with the Soulquarians at Electric Lady Studios and collaborated widely, including a featured appearance on Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
• Coverage notes long gaps between albums linked to struggles with fame and alcoholism, and a 2024 comment from producer Raphael Saadiq said he was preparing a follow‑up to Black Messiah.