The Recording Academy confirmed on Wednesday, Jan. 28, that Lauryn Hill will take the lead on the memoriam segment at the upcoming Grammy Awards. The tribute will honor the lives and legacies of D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, two artists whose influence shaped generations of soul and R&B.
Hill’s role carries personal and artistic weight. She worked closely with D’Angelo on “Nothing Even Matters,” a standout track from her Grammy Award winning album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Her connection to Roberta Flack is equally significant, having helped introduce “Killing Me Softly With His Song” to a new era through the Fugees’ album The Score.
While the tribute is meant to celebrate legacy, it has also surfaced tension around who was invited to attend. The Recording Academy confirmed to The Breakfast Club’s Loren LoRosa that D’Angelo’s daughter Imani and his brother Luther will be present. However, his son Michael Archer Jr., also known as Swayvo Twain, shared that he and his siblings were not invited.
“I want to start by expressing my gratitude to the Recording Academy for honoring my father’s legacy on one of the biggest nights in music,” Archer Jr. said. “Any recognition of his impact and contributions to the culture truly means a lot to my family and me. It would’ve been a pleasure to attend but unfortunately my siblings and I haven’t received an invitation to be part of this moment celebrating our parents’ lives and work. We remain thankful for the acknowledgement of my father and for the love people continue to show his music and legacy. Our respect for what Pops built will always come first.”
Archer Jr. lost both parents in 2025. D’Angelo passed from pancreatic cancer last October, while Angie Stone died in a car accident last March.
The memoriam will also feature Post Malone, Slash, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, and Andrew Watt honoring Ozzy Osbourne.
The 2026 Grammy Awards air live Sunday, February 1, from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on CBS and Paramount+.