D'Wayne Wiggins, the iconic musician and co-founder of the beloved R&B act Tony! Toni! Toné! He will be honored in a grand celebration of life this May in his hometown of Oakland, California. An event that (like Wiggins himself) promises to be nothing less than soulful, the city and Wiggin's family will honor his tremendous accomplishments in music and culture.
The announcement was made Thursday (March 20) through an emotional Instagram post by the Wiggins family, who thanked everyone for expressing overwhelming love and support since his passing.
"The life we shared with you is a monumental treasure," the family's statement read, "and the outpouring of love from fans, friends, fellow musicians, and communities around the world has been nothing short of extraordinary." "Every message, tribute, and shared memory bears witness to how deeply D'Wayne's music spoke to souls across generations and borders."
To celebrate his life and lasting impact, the family will hold an outdoor music festival in Oakland with city officials in his name, paying homage to his legacy. The event has invited fans, friends, and fellow artists to celebrate Wiggins most appropriately with music. The exact details of the event have yet to be revealed, although the family promised it will be held in May and will be the only official public celebration in the prince's honor.
Along with the public tribute, the family is to hold a private memorial service, following Wiggins' example. They have requested privacy while grieving this loss as they prepare for his life celebration.
He was 64 and died on Friday, March 7, 2025, from complications from bladder cancer. He had fought the illness privately for approximately a year, finally dying peacefully in the company of immediate family and loved ones.
His family first announced his death days after they had told fans he was undergoing "medical complications." His death rippled across the R&B and Hip-Hop worlds, and an outpouring of tribute messages came in from both artists and fans.
Wiggins helped define the sound of contemporary R&B. As a founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné! he wrote enduring classics like "Feels Good," "Anniversary," and "It Never Rains (In Southern California)." His work with the group in the late 1980s and early 1990s was a defining chapter in R&B history, and he influenced generations of subsequent musicians.
And with the Raiders now in Las Vegas and the A's moving, the public tribute will surely be an emotional lift-up for the East Bay and Oakland, which is preparing to honor its human-rights-humanizing homeboy. With his music playing on in the hearts of fans, D'Wayne Wiggins' legacy will live on through the songs that inspired love, heartbreak, and healing. In the coming weeks, the Wiggins family and Oakland city officials will provide official event details. This will be an icon-worthy farewell.
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