Lauryn Hill honors D'Angelo after his death from pancreatic cancer

Lauryn Hill on Tuesday posted a heartfelt tribute to D'Angelo after the singer and songwriter died Oct. 14 at age 51 following a private battle with pancreatic cancer, his family said. In an Instagram and X post, Hill called D'Angelo a "beacon of light" and reflected on their friendship and musical collaboration that helped shape the neo-soul movement of the 1990s.

"People need reflection. I regret not having more time with you," Hill 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." She thanked him for "charting the course" for a generation and praised the way his work presented "a unity of strength and sensitivity in Black manhood."

Hill and D'Angelo famously recorded the duet "Nothing Even Matters" for her 1998 solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The song, noted for its vocal chemistry, earned a Grammy nomination for best R&B performance by a duo or group and remains one of the defining collaborations of both artists' careers.

D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, rose to prominence with his 1995 debut Brown Sugar, followed by Voodoo in 2000 and...