MidnightMarauder said:

Again, I fail to see the logic behind that. Voodoo was and is a classic album. I don't care if it takes him another 10 years for a new album. I prefer quality over quantity. I don't see these kinds of statements about Sade who only released 5 albums in a 15 year period... and the last one was released in 2000? But you better believe I'll be checking for her album too if and when it drops.

If the majority of the liner notes were on some grandiose and braggadocious "fuck-Prince-because-he-hasn't-made-any-classic-shit since-'87-and-I'm-bringing-that-new-shit" type steeze then I could see how it could be perceived as disrespectful. But again, IMO the liner notes regard Prince as a legend. Saul, like Prince fans and many other critics at the time spoke the truth. Would it have been easier to digest if he hid behind a username on a website? If those notes got Prince fired to to make TRC, then I say mission accomplished. Part of the problems seems to be that most folks take what they know about D'angelo's personal life and let it affect how they view him as an artist (i.e. Winehouse)...

bsk3601 said:

Well, you can't proclaim Voodoo a classic just because YOU or a few other fans/critics proclaim it that. But even still, Prince has certifiably cemented his place in music history well above D'. Case closed and no one can even try to argue that. And I don't really know why Sade is even brought up in this conversation? This isn't about sade being compared to anyone, let alone a musical genius like Prince.

This was solely about him calling out Prince, when D' wasn't even in the same atmosphere to do so. Simple as that. An artist needs to earn shit before talking shit. 2 albums doesn't give D' or any artist that right to talk shit about an established musical genius.

MidnightMarauder said:

Again it's all a matter of opinion. Prince has definitely cemented his place in music history and the liner notes state that. I'm not arguing that, Saul and I'm sure D'angelo himself wouldn't argue that. I brought Sade up to reference an artist whose creative output isn't nearly equivalent to their years in the industry. Despite 2 albums under his belt, D'angelo did make a significant number of guest appearances over the years.

I guess what I don't understand is the nature of bitter ass Prince fans who want to throw D'Angelo under the bus for some liner notes that told the truth. I fail to see where D'Angelo is "talking shit" It just makes mention of some shit that a lot of Prince fans were feeling at the time. Truth be told Prince fans wanted to know why he was releasing mediocre shit like New Power Soul. The majority of Prince fans I know didn't feel like Emancipation was the album he was born to make. Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic by with guest production by Prince?!!?! The return of the linn drum to the foray and we ended up with Rave?
And then a remix album of same drivel?

If someone with only 2 albums doesn't have the right to critique Prince then what about the Battered Prince Fan with NO albums under his belt? That person has more of a right to talk shit because he's not a musician? D'Angelo has admitted time and time again that he's a huge Prince fan. All those bootlegs you might own? Guess what... D'Angelo collects them too. The man is a fan. But some Prince fans seem to be so rabid that no one can say shit about their hero (even though they may be feeling the exact same thing) unless it's them.

I'm still waiting for someone to pick out the part of the liner notes where actual "shit-talking" commences...

bsk3601 said:

Well, that's the problem right there. You're not separating the fan from artist. Fans have that right to feel that way as consumers. A new jack like D' doesn't have that right being a contemporary of Prince. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. Fans can be fickle and refuse to buy an artist's project. That's their right. But once a fellow artist, who isn't in the same league as the artist in question, begins to talk shit, then there's the issue. Again, I can't keep saying this enough but EARN THE RIGHT TO TALK SHIT BEFORE YOU DO IT. And the "talking shit" is the actually calling-out of Prince.

Overall, you have to learn to separate "Fan getting on their favorite artist" from "Artist getting on a superior artist".

I hate to say it, but if the last 3 albums released by Prince are the new standard, than D'Angelo will blow us away with his long awaited follow up.

sunlite said:

Save those albums are not the standard-bearers for Prince's catalog, by any means.

My issue is not about some Prince comparison (which seems to be brought more by D'Angelo's fans) but the amount of praise he seems to get in proportion to his product.
[Edited 7/9/08 20:18pm]

Bishop31 said:

If anything, artists like D'Angelo and Maxwell are examples of how media saturation and technology have impacted the music industry. These two acts have two and three albums, respectively, in 13-plus years. But in the era of The Internet where fanboys can talk incessantly about their favorite artists on multiple Web sites and there are downloadable music sites and 24-hour music channels, these acts still can be top of mind to the general public.

Look at the buzz D'Angelo has generated on this thread. If anything, fanboys are some of the best P.R. a recording act like D'Angelo can have. If D'Angelo had his track record in the '70s through the late '80s, his career long would have been dead in the water. But to read some of these and other D'Angelo-related threads on The Org and other sites, you would have thought he had released six or seven albums. He's just talked up that much.
[Edited 7/9/08 21:22pm]

The Liner Notes:

Yeah.. The brothers were livin' it up a bit too much back then...


It seemed like a nice clean-up job near the end of the liner notes,...or an attempt at one..


Hiphopers, HipHop influenced poets, Street-hoppers seem to hate music that is above their heads a bit.

Prince's lyrics and music then... The rock-tinged stuff..

Mr. Nelson did not grow-up in Virginia, New Port, NYC, Philly listening to himself, or hiphop..

Now, I see some brothers who began copying D'Angelo a bit...

We'll see how their fans respond to D's return..
[Edited 7/13/08 8:00am]

D'Angelo is more Marvin Gaye than Prince. Even he'll tell you that. I don't compare Prince and D'Angelo. Princes' quality and output is obviously in a another league than any current artist. Trent Reznor stays pretty busy though. I think the main reason for comparison is the fact that Prince had a big influence on D and it he wears it on his sleeve musically speaking. By doing covers and writing a few songs that are Prince like, the comparisons are inevitable. I think we all agreed with the points Saul Williams made, maybe the sleeve of Voodoo wasn't the right place them. Prince was obviously paying attention and reminded us that if he wanted to, he could drop a masterpiece anytime. TRC was almost that. If he wanted to it could've been lyrically tailored and trimmed for mass consumption. I think he's holding back on us and could drop a bomb anytime. As for D'Angelo, I can't imagine anything similar to the first two, but we'll see. Definitely will be more of a guitar record though.
[Edited 7/9/08 21:49pm]

well, i certainly can't wait to hear new music from d'angelo.
'james river' has been described as a mix of funkadelic and beatles.
if this is true then we'll get the funk as well as the melody: fire!
and what i've heard from the record so far sounded dope,
so i believe d'angelo can still bring it..

glad to hear. but what do they mean "still untitled" - what qualifies them to use this language?

Copycat said: