The music world woke up to some sad news this morning. The “Queen of Soul” has passed away, after a battle with advanced pancreatic cancer that she’d reportedly been experiencing since the ’60s.

She was reported to be gravely ill earlier in the week and things from there took a turn for the worse. Her family has released a heartfelt statement as the world mourns the death of an icon.

“In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins knew no bounds. 

We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”

Franklin was a legend of the music scene and has been sampled countless times. Check out a song or two and send yourself through a funk and soul filled Youtube spiral as we pay our respects to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.