Lauryn Hill has shared an emotional message following the passing of neo-soul legend D’Angelo, who died on Tuesday (Oct. 14) at 51 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Hill and D’Angelo were kindred spirits in the late ’90s, two artists who reshaped R&B and soul with fearless honesty and spiritual depth. Though they only recorded one song together, 1998’s timeless “Nothing Even Matters” from Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, their chemistry and mutual respect left a lasting mark on music lovers everywhere.
In a moving post, Hill reflected on their connection and D’Angelo’s legacy, describing him as “a beacon of light” and a rare soul whose gifts were both divine and difficult to protect in a world that often takes advantage of brilliance.
“People need reflection. I regret not having more time with you,” she wrote. “Your undeniable beauty and talent were not of this world, and a presence not of this world needs protection in a world that covets light and the anointing of God. You, sir, moved us, stirred us, inspired and even intimidated others to action with your genius.”
Hill thanked him for being a guiding light to generations who might not have known the legacy of soul music before him:
“Thank you for being a beacon of light to a generation and beyond who had no remembrance of the legacy that preceded us. Thank you for charting the course and for making space during a time when no similar space really existed.”
While D’Angelo’s catalogue was small, just three albums: Brown Sugar (1995), Voodoo (2000), and Black Messiah (2014) , Hill praised the emotional honesty and power that radiated through every note. “You showed a unity of strength and sensitivity in Black manhood to a generation that only saw itself as having to be one or the other,” she wrote.
Her message ended with a prayer , a wish for D’Angelo to finally find peace after years of carrying the weight of genius in a world that rarely gives it room to breathe.
“It is my earnest prayer that you are in peace, far away from selfishness, fear, and controlling interests. Far from possessiveness, greed, and manipulation… and that you, Brother, are in bliss and eternal light with our Father in heaven. I love you and I miss you.”
Hill’s post included intimate photos of D’Angelo in the studio and a warm picture of the two artists together, her smiling, him with that thoughtful, quiet look fans came to know so well.
Their creative connection dates back to the late ’90s when both were crafting their landmark albums. D’Angelo once called Hill “warm and sweet” in a 2008 interview with Rolling Stone, revealing that they had planned to appear on each other’s projects while working simultaneously on Voodoo and Miseducation.
As the world continues to mourn, Hill joins a long list of artists, from Beyoncé and Missy Elliott to Justin Timberlake, Tyler, the Creator, and Doja Cat , all paying tribute to a man whose art transcended fame.
In her words and in her silence, Lauryn Hill captured what D’Angelo always represented: light, truth, and soul that could never quite belong to this world.
