“Angie Stone, Grammy-Nominated R&B Singer and Actress, Passes Away in Car Crash at 63”.Viet

Angie Stone, Grammy-Nominated R&B Singer and Actress, Dies in Car Crash at 63

Angie Stone, the acclaimed R&B singer and co-founder of the pioneering hip-hop group The Sequence, has passed away at the age of 63. A representative confirmed to PEOPLE that Stone was killed in a car crash involving an 18-wheeler on Saturday, March 1.

Stone’s daughter, Ladi Diamond, shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook, writing, “My mommy is gone.”

Born Angela Laverne Brown on December 18, 1961, in Columbia, South Carolina, Stone’s music career began in the 1970s when she co-founded The Sequence with her high school friends Cheryl Cook (“Cheryl the Pearl”) and Gwendolyn Chisolm (“Blondy”). The group is considered one of the first female hip-hop groups, and their 1979 track “Funk You Up” remains a classic in rap history.

In the 1990s, Stone transitioned to R&B, performing with the group Vertical Hold before embarking on a successful solo career. Her debut solo album Black Diamond (1999) included the hit “No More Rain (In This Cloud),” and her 2001 album Mahogany Soul featured the timeless hit “Wish I Didn’t Miss You.”

Stone also earned recognition as a talented songwriter, working with major artists like D’Angelo, Alicia Keys, and Lenny Kravitz. In addition to her music career, Stone made appearances on reality TV shows such as VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club and R&B Divas: Atlanta. She also acted in films including The Hot Chick and The Fighting Temptations, and made her Broadway debut in 2003 in the musical Chicago.

Throughout her career, Stone released 10 solo albums and received three Grammy nominations, including Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 2003 and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 2004. She was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022.

In a 2020 interview with The Breakfast Club, Stone reflected on her early career, saying, “I was self-taught. I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was ambitious,” and emphasized her resilience, stating, “I’m a rubber band. You can stretch me, but I won’t pop. I’m going to always do me.”

Stone is survived by her daughter Ladi, son Michael (whom she had with D’Angelo), and two grandchildren.