Angie Stone, Neo-Soul Singer and the Series Rapper, Useless at 63

Angie Stone, neo-soul singer and member of the pioneering all-female hip-hop team the Series, has died on the age of 63.

The singer’s rep Deborah R. Champagne instructed TMZ that Stone died in a automobile twist of fate early Saturday morning following a live performance the former night time in Sir Bernard Law, Alabama; Stone was once scheduled to accomplish in Baltimore Saturday night time, and died en path within the crash on Interstate 65 in Sir Bernard Law County, Alabama. Stone’s daughter Diamond additionally showed her mom’s dying on social media.

“Angie Stone’s voice and spirit will survive perpetually within the hearts of the ones she touched,” Stone’s publicist mentioned in a commentary (by the use of CNN). “Main points relating to memorial products and services will probably be introduced by way of the circle of relatives in the end.”

The Columbia, South Carolina-born Stone (then referred to as Angie B) co-founded the Series in 1979 together with Cheryl “the Pearl” Cook dinner and Gwendolyn “Blondy” Chisolm. After turning into the primary feminine hip-hop act to signal with Sugar Hill Information, the trio launched their first unmarried “Funk You Up,” a monitor that was once later interpolated by way of Dr. Dre (on “Stay Their Heads Ringin’”) and influenced (to the purpose of lawsuit) Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” 

“Bruno Mars took the lyrics, the cadence and the melodies,” Stone instructed Rolling Stone in 2017, “after which they went and reached over to ‘Apache’ and were given ‘Bounce on it/Bounce on it.’ I’m like, OK, now y’all completed did an excessive amount of. We’re broke over right here, OK? We’d like some cash. We’d like a few of that, as a result of we created that!”

The Series launched 3 albums sooner than disbanding in 1985. Stone would then spend the following decade acting in teams like Mantronix, Vertical Cling, and Devox sooner than linking up with neo soul singer D’Angelo, with whom she co-wrote the tune “Jonz on My Bonz” on his acclaimed 1995 debut album Brown Sugar; Stone and D’Angelo additionally dated within the Nineteen Nineties, and welcomed a son in combination in 1998.

Stone, who additionally co-wrote 4 songs for D’Angelo’s 2000 LP Voodoo along with tracks for Mary J. Blige and Prince protege Jill Jones, introduced her personal solo profession in 1999 along with her debut album Black Diamond, which spawned her Quantity One R&B hit “No Extra Rain (In This Cloud).”

“I simply suppose there’s not anything else available in the market truly like Angie Stone,” the singer instructed Rolling Stone in 2000. “My album bridges the space — it sits proper at the cusp of old and young generations. For the primary time in a very long time, adults have a report they wish to make investments fifteen greenbacks in.”

A 3-time Grammy nominee, Stone would cross directly to free up 10 studio albums, maximum just lately 2023’s Love Language. The singer collaborated with artists like Prince (2001’s “U Make My Solar Shine“), Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, Betty Wright, James Ingram, and Stevie Marvel. Stone additionally branched out into appearing, showing in motion pictures like The Scorching Chick, The Combating Temptations, and Trip Alongside.

In a video posted on social media per week sooner than her dying, Stone mentioned “there’s a large grin on my face” as a result of her upcoming plans. “Movie, tv, excursions, artists, songwriting,” Stone mentioned. “There’s numerous tasks. We’re getting again within the combine.”