D'Angelo's Son Reflects on Feeling 'Cheated' by His Dad's Death

Michael Archer Jr. opens up about the loss of both his parents in 2025.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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In a clip from the ABC News Live special 'Love & Neo-Soul: Honoring D'Angelo,' the late musician's son Michael Archer Jr. spoke about feeling 'cheated' out of more time with his father, the Grammy-winning neo-soul icon D'Angelo, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2025 at the age of 51. Archer Jr. also discussed the challenges of losing both his parents, D'Angelo and Angie Stone, within the same year.

Why it matters

D'Angelo was a pioneering and influential figure in the neo-soul music genre, known for albums like 'Brown Sugar' and 'Voodoo.' His unexpected death at a relatively young age has left a void in the music community, and his son's emotional comments provide a personal perspective on the loss.

The details

In the clip, Archer Jr. reflects on discovering his father was sick with pancreatic cancer around June or July 2025, and then finding out D'Angelo was in the hospital. He says he feels 'cheated' out of more time with his father, especially as he was 'excited for what the future held for us.' Archer Jr. also notes that as he gets older, people tell him he looks more like his father, though he thinks he resembles both his parents.

  • D'Angelo died in October 2025 at the age of 51.
  • Angie Stone, D'Angelo's ex-wife and Archer Jr.'s mother, died in March 2025.

The players

Michael Archer Jr.

The son of D'Angelo and Angie Stone, who has been reflecting on the loss of both his parents in 2025.

D'Angelo

The Grammy-winning neo-soul musician who died of pancreatic cancer in 2025 at the age of 51.

Angie Stone

The co-founder of hip-hop trio The Sequence and the ex-wife of D'Angelo, who died in a car crash in 2025 at the age of 63.

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What they’re saying

“I feel, like, cheated in a sense, you know, especially with my father. I was just excited for what the future held for us.”

— Michael Archer Jr. (ABC News Live)

The takeaway

The tragic loss of both D'Angelo and Angie Stone within the same year has left their son Michael Archer Jr. grappling with the pain of losing his parents at a young age. His raw emotions and desire for more time with his father highlight the profound impact these deaths have had on their family.