There’s something especially heartbreaking about artists who leave us before they’ve had a chance to reach their full potential. In R&B, where emotion, storytelling, and soul collide, we’ve lost more than a few voices way too soon. Some were just getting started, while others were already icons in the making. Either way, their absence is still felt in their music and legacy.
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They gave us songs that still hit, verses we still hum, and sounds that shaped what R&B is today. And though their lives were cut short, their impact is still undeniable. These 25 artists all tragically passed before the age of 35, but not before leaving a mark to be celebrated.