Mary J. Blige is speaking from the heart about the devastating loss of two neo-soul legends, D’Angelo and Angie Stone, admitting she’s still struggling to come to terms with their deaths.
In an emotional conversation with PEOPLE Magazine, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul reflected on the impact both artists had on her life and music, describing them as “beautiful people” with an unmatched creative spirit.
“I worked with him and Angie. I knew Angie very well and I knew D’Angelo very well, and I’m just still shocked and surprised,” Blige shared. “I just can’t believe that both of them are gone.”
She went on to describe the late icons as deeply talented yet private individuals who valued real connections over celebrity status. “They were the most beautiful people and just really nice people to work with and to know. D’Angelo was a beautiful, beautiful person,” Blige said.
Having collaborated with D’Angelo on their 1999 duet “Your Precious Love” and shared a longtime friendship with Stone, Blige reflected on how guarded both were about who they let into their world.
“If they let you in, that means you were special because they didn’t mess with a lot of people,” she explained. “They were very quiet, both of them, and very selective on who they let into their world as far as working with them. I was grateful to have that opportunity to be around them like that.”
Angie Stone tragically died on March 1, 2025, in a car accident near Montgomery, Alabama, at age 63, while D’Angelo passed away on October 14, 2025, at 51 following a private battle with pancreatic cancer.
