The son and grandson of Pentecostal preacher men, D'Angelo was raised up on church music. His first professional music contract was a publishing deal. And his first work of note was the anthem "U Will Know" - written for the movie Jason's Lyric, sung by an all-star group under the moniker B.M.U. (Black Men United), and featuring Gerald Levert, Brian McKnight, Aaron Hall and Stokley of Mint Condition, among a sea of many more soul men.
However, once D'Angelo began recording his own music, he deftly integrated defiant slabs of hip hop attitude, collaborating with DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest on his debut "Brown Sugar," rappers Redman and Method Man on "Left & Right," and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson - leader/drummer of The Roots - a heavy presence on D's sophomore Voodoo sessions. Perhaps most potent of anything in his canon is "Devil's Pie," a scathing yet swinging rundown on runaway hedonism - produced by DJ Premier of Gang Starr, introduced in the urban flick, Belly, and a worthy successor to the soundtrack classics of Curtis Mayfield.
Also of note were D’Angelo’s obvious homage to the sensual vocal layering of Marvin Gaye, the falsetto flights of Prince, and the bulls-eye of Al Green's unfettered soul. Then there were his lyrical gifts, such as the sticky-icky/sexy-sexy double-entendres of "Brown Sugar" and the more literally lovely “Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine.” His jazzy side first showed through on "Smooth" on which he kicked a piano solo alongside guitarist Mark Whitfield, then sprouted wings on later recordings and tours with trumpeter Roy Hargrove and guitarist Charlie Hunter. Though the openness of his tracks attracted the nouveau avant-garde’, when it came time for the mega hits, D'Angelo found the perfect partner in Raphael Saadiq, the former lead singer of Tony! Toni! Toné! who co-penned and co-produced his two biggest love songs: "Lady" and "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" - which both peaked at 2 on Billboard's Top R&B Singles chart. D returned the favor as a guest on Saadiq's ghetto fabulous "Be Here."
It wasn't long after his meteoric ascendance to soul royalty status that D'Angelo was recording duets with two of the most conscious daughters in the game: Erykah Badu (on Marvin & Tammi's "Your Precious Love") and Lauryn Hill (on the sensuous afterglow gem "Nothing Even Matters"). To flex his affinity and affection for the soul gold of old, D'Angelo recorded plenty-plenty covers, including Smokey's "Cruisin'," Prince's "She's Always in My Hair," and original Temptations member Eddie Kendricks' revolutionary club classic "Girl, You Need a Change of Mind." Best of all was his take on Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love" (so sexy it was prominently used in an episode of the The 'L' Word) and "Heaven Must Be Like This," a serene masterpiece primarily penned by Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner of the Ohio Players that sweetly captured the crux of D'Angelo's spiritual and sensual sides.
D’Angelo’s most memorable - and notorious - promotional stunt was his beefcake video turn for "Untitled." By the arrival of Voodoo, brother man definitely had his mojo workin’ - boasting a six-pack and musculature for miles. The camera lovingly and languorously panned his chocolate chiseled torso - stopping just short of his crotch. The most enamored of admirers were reported to have rushed their TV sets, peering directly down the screen, in vain, for…“more.”
Now all fans are fiendin’ for more of his music, which the man will begin delivering this year. D’Angelo spent the last few years tightening up his game. Now “Playa Playa 1” is back in the lab orchestrating both new music and his return. And when all the galactic elements align within their righteous celestial patterns, you can best believe Brother D’Angelo will be breakin’ us off with some wickedly twisted new alchemy.
Happy Holidays!!! Passin thru to drop off a whole lotta luv on ya page!!! I 'm your#1 fan, LOVE ur music. Wishing U contd success and much more BLESSINGS LUV and LIGHT!!!!
Hi Michael. I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to touch base and say that any time you might want to hang out would be great. Just shoot me an email or give me a call. Have a great day!
Let the light shine your way and the stars guide your steps.Whenever you have a dream inside your heart, never let it go, cause the dreams are the tiny seeds, which are forms of beautiful tomorrow!Thanks for being my new myspace friend.All the best and stay in touch.xoxo
yo man, thanks for the add, just wanna say playa, you changed my whole perspective on music. Im only 14. I took up guitar and piano because of you. You're a genius. Keep them hits comin'. Thanks again for the add, it's an honour, peace godbless...
A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:
For cutting the grass: $5.00 For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00 For going to the store for you: $.50 Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25 Taking out the garbage: $1.00 For getting a good report card: $5.00 For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00 Total owed: $14.75
Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote:
For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge
For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge
For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years: No Charge
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge
Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.
When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you." And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL".
Out of curiosity, do you have any sentiments towards the passing of Michael Jackson, and if so, how would you say that you've been affected by his passing?
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