Black Men United Black Men United (B.M.U.) was a collaboration of many African-American male R&B, neo soul and soul music artists. Their only song "U Will Know", written by a young D'Angelo, was released in 1994. It was featured in the film ''Jason's Lyric'', an ...

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and con ...

platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

Lady The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inf ...

sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive. Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor t ...

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestantism, Protestant Charismatic Christianity, Charismatic Christian movement After the formation of his native-

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

musical group, Michael Archer and Precise found success performing in the Amateur Night competition at

Harlem, New York Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater H ...

's

Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a ...

in 1991. The 18-year-old dropped out of school and moved to New York City as an attempt to develop his music career.D'Angelo: Biography
'' NME''. Retrieved January 28, 2009. The group previously enjoyed some notice in Richmond, evenly dividing their repertoire between

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

covers and originals while D'Angelo accumulated compositions of his own and developed his songwriting skills. The group's turnout on Amateur Night resulted in three consecutive wins and cash prize,Samuels, Allison
Pop Music: A One-Man Soul Revival
''

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...

''. Retrieved January 28, 2009. and upon returning home to Richmond, D'Angelo was inspired to produce an album and began composing material. This took place after a brief tenure as a member of the hip hop group I.D.U. (Intelligent, Deadly but Unique).H.W. Wilson Co. (2001), pp. 36–39.

Career

1991–1995: ''Brown Sugar''

At the age of 17, D'Angelo met Afropunk Festival partner Jocelyn Cooper, who signed him to Midnight Songs LLC, her joint venture publishing company administered by

Universal Music Publishing Group Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is a North American music publishing company and is part of the Universal Music Group. It was formerly known as MCA Music Publishing until it merged with PolyGram. Universal Music Publishing is the worl ...

after hearing a demo of the hip hop group I.D.U. (Intelligent, Deadly but Unique), which D'Angelo produced and rapped in. After signing, Cooper introduced D'Angelo to musicians Raphael Saadiq, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Angie Stone to collaborate as songwriters. Cooper then introduced D'Angelo to Fred Davis, Head of A&R and Gary Harris at

EMI Music EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 2012 ...

. After an impressive audition D'Angelo was signed to a recording contract in 1993.Oblender (2001), pp. 35–36. Cooper also introduced D'Angelo to attorney Kedar Massenburg who helped negotiate his contract.Gale Staff (1998), pp. 138–139. Massenburg later became D'Angelo's manager. In 1994, his first significant success came in the form of the hit single "U Will Know".Huey, Steve. D'Angelo: Biography

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

. Retrieved January 28, 2009. D'Angelo co-wrote and co-produced the song for the all-male R&B supergroup

Black Men United Black Men United (B.M.U.) was a collaboration of many African-American male R&B, neo soul and soul music artists. Their only song "U Will Know", written by a young D'Angelo, was released in 1994. It was featured in the film ''Jason's Lyric'', an ...

, which featured R&B singers such as Brian McKnight, Usher, R. Kelly,

Boyz II Men Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan ...

, Raphael Saadiq, and

Gerald Levert Gerald Edward Levert (July 13, 1966 – November 10, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and producer. Levert was best known for singing with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon of the vocal group LeVert. Levert was also a ...

.D'Angelo Signed to RCA Music Group (J Records)

PRWeb Cision Ltd. is a public relations and earned media software company and services provider. The company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois; with clients worldwide. The company went public via reverse ...

. Retrieved December 8, 2008. D'Angelo composed the music for "U Will Know", while his brother, Luther Archer, Midnight Songs LLC writer, wrote the lyrics.Onnell (1997), pp. 103–105. Originally featured on the soundtrack to the film '' Jason's Lyric'' (1994), the single peaked at number 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and at number 28 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Jason's Lyric: Charts & Awards AllMusic. Retrieved January 28, 2009. The music video for "U Will Know" featured D'Angelo as the group's choir director; he reprised the role for the live performance of the song at the Soul Train Music Awards. That same year, he wrote and produced the song "Overjoyed" for the Boys Choir of Harlem,Farley, Christopher John
D'Angelo: Salvation Sex and Voodoo
''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

''. Retrieved September 15, 2008. which appeared on their studio album ''The Sound of Hope'' (1994).Amazon.com: The Sound of Hope
Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved February 1, 2009. The success of "U Will Know" helped build the buzz surrounding D'Angelo, which was followed by a number of highly promoted showcases, and added to the buzz among

music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

insiders. ''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' was released in July 1995. Although sales were sluggish at first, the album was eventually a hit. The album debuted at number six on the US '' Billboard'' Top R&B Albums chart in the week of July 22, 1995. It ultimately peaked at number four in the week of February 24, 1996, and spent a total of 54 weeks on the chart. Chart History: D'Angelo – R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ''Billboard''. Retrieved May 9, 2010. ''Brown Sugar'' also spent 65 weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200 and peaked at number 22 on the chart. Chart History: D'Angelo – Billboard 200 ''Billboard''. Retrieved May 9, 2010. It sold 300,000 copies within its two months of release. The album had been selling 35,000 to 40,000 copies a week through to November 1995, and by January 1996, it had sold 400,000 copies. With the help of its four singles, including the

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

-selling ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hit "

Lady The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inf ...

" and R&B top-ten singles "

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

" and "Cruisin", the album reached sales of 500,000 copies in the United States by October 1995.Ayers, Anne.
D'Angelo Cruisin' Through His First Tour
''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'': 14.D. November 1, 1995.Gold & Platinum – Searchable Database: Brown Sugar
. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 9, 2010. On February 7, 1996, it was certified platinum by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

, following shipments in excess of one million copies in the U.S. The album was certified gold in Canada on May 9, 2000.Search Certification Database: Brown Sugar
. Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 9, 2010. Its total sales have been estimated within the range of 1.5 million to over two million copies.Wells, Chris
"Pop: Just Got to Keep It Real"
''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

''. Retrieved May 9, 2010.

1996–2000: Sabbatical period and ''Voodoo''

Following the success of his debut album ''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' (1995), D'Angelo went into a four and a half-year absence from the music scene and releasing solo work. PR
D'Angelo Signed to RCA Music Group (J Records)
.

PRWeb Cision Ltd. is a public relations and earned media software company and services provider. The company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois; with clients worldwide. The company went public via reverse ...

. Retrieved December 8, 2008. After spending two years on tour promoting ''Brown Sugar'', D'Angelo found himself stuck with

writer's block Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. Mike Rose found that this creative stall is not a result of commitment problems or th ...

.Seymour, Craig
Why D'Angelo's No. 1 Album Almost Didn't Happen
. ''Entertainment Weekly''. Retrieved August 9, 2008. On the setback, D'Angelo later stated "The thing about writer's block is that you want to write so fucking bad, utthe songs don't come out that way. They come from life. So you've got to live to write." During his sabbatical period, he generally released cover versions and remakes, including a cover-collaboration with Erykah Badu of the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell duet song " Your Precious Love" for the soundtrack to '' High School High'' (1996). D'Angelo also covered

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...

's "She's Always in My Hair" for the ''

Scream 2 ''Scream 2'' is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie Kennedy, Laurie Metcalf, Jerry O'Connell, Elise Neal, ...

'' soundtrack (1997), as well as the

Ohio Players Ohio Players is an American funk band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their songs "Fire" and " Love Rollercoaster", and for their erotic album covers that featured nude or nearly nude women. Many of the women were models feat ...

' "Heaven Must Be Like This" for the '' Down in the Delta'' soundtrack (1998). He also appeared on a duet, "Nothing Even Matters", with Lauryn Hill for her debut solo album '' The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' (1998). The much-delayed follow-up to ''Brown Sugar'', '' Voodoo'', was released in 2000 on Virgin Records after the EMI Records Group was absorbed by the former label. ''Voodoo'' received rave reviews from contemporary

music critic '' The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of mu ...

s.Evanoff, Rob
Review: ''Voodoo''
. '' All About Jazz''. Retrieved December 21, 2008. who dubbed it a "masterpiece" and D'Angelo's greatest work.Columnist.
Hot Singer D'Angelo
. '' Jet'': 58–62. July 3, 2000.McPherson, Steve
Warp + Weft: ''Voodoo''
Reveille Magazine. Retrieved December 21, 2008.Scholtes, Peter S
Review: ''Voodoo''
. ''

City Pages ''City Pages'' was an alternative newspaper serving the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area. It featured news, film, theatre and restaurant reviews and music criticism, available free every Wednesday. It ceased publication in 2020 due to a ...

''. Retrieved December 21, 2008. The album debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart,0 ''Billboard'' Music Charts: ''Voodoo''
''Billboard''. Retrieved August 9, 2008. selling 320,000 copies in its first week.Century, Douglas

''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

''. Retrieved January 23, 2009. It entered the ''Billboard'' 200 on February 12, 2000, and remained on the chart for 33 consecutive weeks. As of 2005, the album has sold over 1.7 million copies in the US, according to

Nielsen SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...

.Hall, Rashaun
D'Angelo Heading To J?
''Billboard'': July 26, 2005. Archived fro
the original
August 9, 2008. In 2001, ''Voodoo'' won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album at the

43rd Grammy Awards The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 2001, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Several artists earned three awards on the night. Steely Dan's haul included Album of the Year for '' Two Against Nature''. U2 took ...

which was awarded to D'Angelo and recording engineer Russell Elevado. The album was executive produce by then manager and creative collaborator, Dominique Trenier. Its first two singles, " Devil's Pie" and " Left & Right", peaked at number 69 and number 70 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart.''Billboard'' Music Charts: Devil's Pie
''Billboard''. Retrieved August 9, 2008.0 Billboard Music Charts: Left & Right
''Billboard''. Retrieved August 9, 2008. The latter was commercially aimed at R&B and hip hop-oriented radio stations due to the prominence of rappers Redman and

Method Man Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half o ...

on the track. According to Rich Ford, Jr., producer of the "Left & Right" music video, both the single and the video went commercially unnoticed due to

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's refusal to place the song's video in rotation, serving as punishment for missing the deadline for its initial premiere. The fifth single " Feel Like Makin' Love" was less successful, reaching number 109 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.0 ''Billboard'' Music Charts: Feel Like Makin' Love
''Billboard''. Retrieved August 9, 2008. " Send It On", the album's fourth single, achieved moderate chart success, peaking at number 33 on ''Billboard''s Pop Singles chart.0 Billboard Music Charts: Send It On
''Billboard''. Retrieved August 9, 2008. The album's third single, " Untitled (How Does It Feel)", became its greatest chart success, peaking at number 25 on the Hot 100 Singles and at number two on the R&B Singles chart.0 ''Billboard'' Music Charts: Untitled (How Does It Feel)
''Billboard''. Retrieved August 9, 2008. Its infamous music video helped in boosting the song's appeal, as well as D'Angelo's. '' Billboard'' wrote of the video, "It's pure sexuality. D'Angelo, muscularly cut and glistening, is shot from the hips up, naked, with just enough shown to prompt a slow burning desire in most any woman who sees it. The video alone could make the song one of the biggest of the coming year".Columnist.
Singles Reviews: 'Untitled (How Does It Feel)'
. ''Billboard'': 23–24. January 15, 2000. Archived fro
the original
on December 20, 2008. It earned three nominations for the

2000 MTV Video Music Awards The 2000 MTV Video Music Awards (stylized as MTV Video Music Awards vma.00) aired live on September 7, 2000, honoring the best music videos from June 12, 1999, to June 9, 2000. The show was hosted by Marlon and Shawn Wayans at Radio City Music Ha ...

, including Video of the Year, Best R&B Video, and Best Male Video.

2001–2013: Second sabbatical, personal struggles and delayed album

Towards the end of his worldwide tour in support of the album that same year, D'Angelo's personal issues had worsened, affecting performances. He became more conscious of and uncomfortable with his status as a

sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive. Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor t ...

, and after the tour D'Angelo returned to his home in Richmond, Virginia, disappearing from the public eye.Peisner, David (2008)
Body & Soul
. ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...

'', pp. 64–72. Several of D'Angelo's peers and affiliates have noted the commercial impact of the "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" music video and ''The Voodoo Tour'' as contributing factors to D'Angelo's period of absence from the music scene. His former music manager, Dominique Trenier, explained his disappointment in the music video's impact in a 2008 interview for ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...

'' magazine. Trenier was quoted as saying that "to this day, in the general populace's memory, he's the naked dude". According to tour manager Alan Leeds, the experience "took away his confidence, because he's not convinced why any given fan is supporting him." Following the suicide of his close friend, MTV-affiliate Fred Jordan, in April 2001, he started to develop a drinking problem. As his alcoholism escalated, plans for a live album and a Soultronics studio effort, both originally set for after the tour, were scrapped, and impatient Virgin executives cut off funding for the expected 2004 solo album. By 2005, D'Angelo's girlfriend had left him, his attorney had become displeased with him, and most of his family was not in touch with him. He also parted ways with manager Dominique Trenier and tour manager Alan Leeds. After a car accident and an arrest on DUI and marijuana possession charges, D'Angelo left Virgin Records in 2005 and checked into the Crossroads Centre rehabilitation clinic in

Antigua Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...

. In 2005, his recording contract was acquired by J Records, following rumors of D'Angelo signing to Bad Boy Records. Despite no solo output, D'Angelo collaborated with some R&B and hip hop artists during this period between albums, appearing on albums such as J Dilla's '' The Shining'' (2006),

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

's ''

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment ''Tha Blue Carpet Treatment'' is the eighth studio album by West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 21, 2006, by Doggystyle Records and Geffen Records. It is also the final album to have Nate Dogg featured on i ...

'' (2006),

Common Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally ...

's ''

Finding Forever ''Finding Forever'' is the seventh studio album by Common, released on July 31, 2007, on GOOD Music and Geffen Records. Like Common's previous album, '' Be'' (2005), ''Finding Forever'' is primarily produced by Kanye West. The album debuted at th ...

'' (2007), and Q-Tip's ''

The Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass idea ...

'' (2008). D'Angelo's subsequent solo work was extensively delayed. Production for a full-length follow-up to ''Voodoo'' was stagnant, as he was working on and off mostly by himself during 2002.Elevado, Russell. Questlove
D'Angelo's 'James River'
. Quality Time. Retrieved January 18, 2009. D'Angelo attempted to play every instrument for the project, striving for complete creative control similar to that of

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...

. Russell Elevado described the resulting material as " Parliament/Funkadelic meets

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

meets Prince, and the whole time there's this

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

energy". However, those who previewed its songs found it to be unfinished. In the years that followed, D'Angelo's personal problems worsened, descending to drug and alcohol addiction. In January 2005 he was arrested and charged with possession of

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various t ...

and

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...

. Various mugshots began circulating around the time, showing the singer looking overweight and unhealthy, in stark contrast to the muscular D'Angelo seen in promotion for ''Voodoo''. In September 2005, a week after being sentenced on the drug charges, he was involved in a car accident, and was rumoured to be critically injured. However, a week after the crash a statement was issued by D'Angelo's attorney stating that he was fine continuing to say "He is anxious to finish the recording of his soul masterpiece that the world has patiently awaited. D'Angelo@Brixton2

No more was revealed on the new album until 2007, when

Questlove Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American musician, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Tho ...

leaked an unfinished track on Triple J Radio in Australia. Entitled " Really Love", the track was an acoustic flavored jam with a laid back swing feel. The leak apparently soured relations between the two. D'Angelo released a CD/DVD

compilation album A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for rel ...

entitled ''The Best So Far…'', first released on June 24, 2008 on

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a world ...

. The compilation features songs from his two previous studio albums, ''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' and '' Voodoo'', as well as rarities and a second disc, a DVD of previously unreleased videos. Around the same time, the compilation was released digitally without the Erykah Badu and Raphael Saadiq featured songs, under the title ''Ultimate D'Angelo.'' In late November 2011, D'Angelo announced a series of 2012 European tour dates. The tour kicked off January 26 in Stockholm, Sweden with its final show on February 10. The tour featured a selection of hits from his two previous albums and songs from his upcoming album, which was close to completion. He premiered 4 new songs: "Sugah Daddy", "Ain't That Easy", "Another Life" and "The Charade" which were well received. On June 9, 2012, he joined Questlove for the annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival's Superjam. He didn't play any of his original material and this marked the first time in nearly 12 years that he performed on stage in the US. On September 1, 2012, D'Angelo performed at

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

's Made in America festival where he again performed the new songs, "The Charade" and "Sugah Daddy". On October 7, RCA Music Group announced that it was closing J Records,

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertain ...

, and

Jive Records Jive Records was an American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary to the Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chicago. Jive was best known for its successes with hip hop, R&B, ...

. With the shutdown, D'Angelo (and all other artists previously signed to those labels) would release his future material on RCA Records.

2014–2020: ''Black Messiah'' and "Unshaken"

D'Angelo released his third studio album, '' Black Messiah'' in December 2014. D'Angelo originally wanted to release ''Black Messiah'' in 2015, but the controversial decisions in the Shooting of Michael Brown, Ferguson and Death of Eric Garner, Eric Garner cases inspired him to release it earlier. On December 12, 2014, Kevin Liles, D'Angelo's manager, shared a 15-second teaser of the album on YouTube. Two days later, the track "Sugah Daddy", which had been part of D'Angelo's set list since 2012, premiered at 3am EST and 1,000 downloads were available on Red Bull's 20 Before 15 website. After an exclusive listening party in New York produced by Afropunk festival founder Matthew Morgan and Jocelyn Cooper, ''Black Messiah'' was released digitally on December 15 through iTunes Store, iTunes, Google Play Music, and Spotify. The album's unexpected release was compared to Beyoncé's Beyoncé (album), self-titled release in 2013. On January 13, 2015, "Really Love" was released to urban adult contemporary radio in the US. The album was met with universal acclaim from critics and it currently has a 95/100 weighted average, mean score on review aggregator Metacritic. In its first week of release, ''Black Messiah'' debuted at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200 and sold 117,000 copies in the United States. In its second week, the album dropped to number twenty five on the chart and sold another 40,254 copies. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 47 on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 7,423 copies. D'Angelo supported ''Black Messiah'' with a tour called ''The Second Coming Tour (D'Angelo), The Second Coming''. His band, once called "The Testimony" and later renamed "The Vanguard", includes drummer Chris Dave, bassist Pino Palladino, guitarists Jesse Johnson (musician), Jesse Johnson (The Time (band), The Time) and Isaiah Sharkey, vocalists Kendra Foster (sometimes replaced by Joi Gilliam), Jermaine Holmes, and Charles "Redd" Middleton, keyboardist Cleo "Pookie" Sample, jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold, saxophonist Kenneth Whalum manning the horn section, and D'Angelo as the lead vocalist, playing the electric grand piano, electric guitar, and even the band's conductor at certain moments. D'Angelo and The Vanguard's ''The Second Coming Tour (D'Angelo), Second Coming Tour'' commenced in New York City, New York on February 7, 2015, and concluded in Austin, Texas, Austin on November 6, 2015, with a total of 57 shows in Europe, Asia and North America. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, ''Black Messiah'' won Best R&B Album while " Really Love" won Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, Best R&B Song and was nominated for Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Record of the Year. ''Black Messiah'', Beyoncé's Beyoncé (album), self-titled album (2013), Run the Jewels' ''Run the Jewels 2'' (2014), and Kendrick Lamar's ''To Pimp a Butterfly'' (2015) were noted as laying the groundwork down for the politically charged releases that happened in 2016, which included Rihanna's ''Anti (album), Anti'', Kanye West's ''The Life of Pablo'', and Beyonce's "Formation (song), Formation". In June 2015, D'Angelo confirmed to ''Rolling Stone'' that he was working on more material for a new album, calling it "a companion piece" to ''Black Messiah''. D'Angelo performed Prince (musician), Prince's "Sometimes it Snows in April" on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' in April 2016 accompanied by Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum as a tribute to the late musician, appearing 'overcome with emotion' at the passing of a major influence. D'Angelo contributed to the soundtrack for the 2018 video game '' Red Dead Redemption 2''. He sang on the song " Unshaken" which was produced by Daniel Lanois. He had previously served as a playtester for the game itself due to his love for the series. The game's music team eventually invited him to perform on a song, which was finished in a week. "Unshaken" was later released as a digital single on January 4, 2019.

2021–present: ''Verzuz''

On February 14, 2021, D'Angelo appeared on Instagram Live to announce that he would be performing at the

Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a ...

on February 27, 2021, in cooperation with the American webcast ''Verzuz''. The event was billed as ''D'Angelo VS Friends'' and featured no opponents; instead, D'Angelo performed a solo set with shared performances with his peers and collaborators, Keyon Harrold, Method Man & Redman, and H.E.R.. On June 10, 2021, D'Angelo performed at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City for "The Songs of Red Dead Redemption 2". He performed his 2019 single "Unshaken", which was his contribution to the game's soundtrack. D'Angelo performed as a guitarist and the lead vocalist, with soundtrack producer Daniel Lanois, singer Rhiannon Giddens, and members of "D'Angelo and The Vanguard", guitarist Jesse Johnson (musician), Jesse Johnson and vocalists Jermaine Holmes and Charles Middleton by his side.

Artistry

In a 1995 interview, he discussed the influence that musician

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...

had on his approach to recording his debut album, stating "I was one of those guys who read the album credits and I realized that Prince was a true artist. He wrote, produced, and performed, and that's the way I wanted to do it." According to D'Angelo, the hip hop influence present on the album "came from the Native Tongues movement – A Tribe Called Quest, Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr, Gangstarr and Main Source." In a February 1999 interview with music journalist Touré (journalist), Touré, D'Angelo discussed his original inspirations to produce music, stating "The sound and feel of my music are going to be affected by what motivates me to do it". On his visit to South Carolina, D'Angelo stated that he "went through this tunnel, through Gospel music, gospel, blues, and a lot of old

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

, old James Brown, early, early Sly and the Family Stone, and a lot of

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

", and "I learned a lot about music, myself, and where I want to go musically". In the same interview, he cited the deaths of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. as having a great effect on him during the period.Touré.
D'Angelo: All Ears
. ''Interview (magazine), Interview'': February 1999. During the production of his second studio album D'Angelo recorded numerous hours of unreleased, original material, as well as covers of his influencers' material. Collectively referred to by D'Angelo as "yoda",Touré
Interview with Ahmir Thompson
''The Believer (magazine), The Believer''. Retrieved November 1, 2008. these influencers included soul artist Al Green, funk artist George Clinton (funk musician), George Clinton, and Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti.Touré (May 2000)
Untitled Document: D'Angelo, May 2000
''Rolling Stone''. Archived fro

on April 2, 2011.

Personal life

In the 1990s, D'Angelo dated soul singer Angie Stone. She was his muse for his ''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' album and he helped her produce her debut album ''Black Diamond (Angie Stone album), Black Diamond'', released in 1999. Angie and D'Angelo have a son together, named Michael D'Angelo Archer II, born in 1998. D'Angelo also has two other children, a daughter, Imani Archer, born in 1999, and a son, Morocco Prince Archer, born in 2010.

Discography

;Studio albums *''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' (1995) *'' Voodoo'' (2000) *'' Black Messiah'' (with The Vanguard) (2014)

Tours

* Brown Sugar Tour (1996) * The Voodoo World Tour (2000) * Occupy Music Tour (2012) * The Liberation Tour (2012) * The Second Coming Tour (D'Angelo), The Second Coming Tour (2015)

Awards and nominations

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

!Ref. , - , 2001 , Himself , Favorite Male Artist - R&B , ,

Grammy Awards

, - , rowspan="3", 38th Annual Grammy Awards, 1996 , , ''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' , Best R&B Album , , - , rowspan="2", "

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

" , Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, Best R&B Song , , - , rowspan="2", Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance , , - , , 39th Annual Grammy Awards, 1997 , "

Lady The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inf ...

" , , - , , 41st Annual Grammy Awards, 1999 , "Nothing Even Matters" (with Lauryn Hill) , Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , - , rowspan="3", 43rd Annual Grammy Awards, 2001 , , '' Voodoo'' , Best R&B Album , , - , rowspan="2", " Untitled (How Does It Feel)" , Best Male R&B Vocal Performance , , - , rowspan="2", Best R&B Song , , - , rowspan="2", 45th Annual Grammy Awards, 2003 , rowspan="2", "Be Here" (with Raphael Saadiq) , , - , Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance, Best Urban/Alternative Performance , , - , 46th Annual Grammy Awards, 2004 , "I'll Stay" (with Roy Hargrove) , Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals , , - , rowspan="3", 58th Annual Grammy Awards, 2016 , , '' Black Messiah'' , Best R&B Album , , - , rowspan="2", " Really Love" , Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Record of the Year , , - , Best R&B Song ,

MTV Europe Music Awards

!Ref. , - , 1996 MTV Europe Music Awards, 1996 , "

Lady The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inf ...

" , MTV Amour , ,

Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

!Ref. , - , 1996 , Himself , Best New Rap/Dance Artist Tour , ,

Rober Awards Music Prize

!Ref. , - , rowspan=2, 2012 , '' Voodoo'' , Best Reissue , , rowspan=2, , - , rowspan=5, Himself , rowspan=2, Best Live Artist , , - , rowspan=5, 2015 , , rowspan=5, , - , Best Group or Duo , , - , Comeback of the Year , , - , Best R&B , , - , '' Black Messiah'' , Album of the Year ,

References

External links

* * *
D'Angelo
on imeem {{DEFAULTSORT:DAngelo D'Angelo, 1974 births African-American male singer-songwriters American rhythm and blues guitarists American male guitarists Grammy Award winners Music of Richmond, Virginia American neo soul singers Musicians from Richmond, Virginia Rhythm and blues pianists Singer-songwriters from Virginia Living people Manchester High School (Virginia) alumni RCA Records artists Virgin Records artists EMI Records artists American hip hop singers Guitarists from Virginia Record producers from Virginia American contemporary R&B singers Ballad musicians Male pianists American male jazz musicians African-American guitarists Soulquarians members 20th-century African-American male singers 21st-century African-American male singers The Soultronics members

Early life

Career

1991–1995: ''Brown Sugar''

1996–2000: Sabbatical period and ''Voodoo''

2001–2013: Second sabbatical, personal struggles and delayed album

2014–2020: ''Black Messiah'' and "Unshaken"

2021–present: ''Verzuz''

Artistry

Personal life

Discography

Tours

Awards and nominations

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

Grammy Awards

MTV Europe Music Awards

Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

Rober Awards Music Prize

See also

References

External links