by Andrew Bast
July 2009


How does it feel? Parsing the rumors about the return of onetime R&B sensation D’Angelo, it feels anguished. And sad. And even a little pathetic. You most likely remember D’Angelo, whose real name is Michael Eugene Archer, from the video that made him famous. It was for “Untitled (How Does it Feel),” from his 2000 Grammy-winning release, Voodoo, and there is really only one thing to remember: D’Angelo naked, ripped to the core, the camera lingering on his torso. And so a musical heartthrob was born.

No matter how spectacular Voodoo proved to be—and it was spectacular, even better than his debut release, Brown Sugar, and it elevated D’Angelo from neo-soul pioneer to the wildly popular genre’s commanding steward—it was the video for “United” that foisted him into superstardom. Overnight, he faced a massive, fawning female audience, many of whom were after his muscles more than his musicianship. This was meant to be the beginning of something great. But almost a decade later, it looks as though the video might have marked more of an end than a beginning.

We’ve waited all this time for D’Angelo’s follow-up act, and … nothing. That doesn’t mean we haven’t heard about him from time to time. In 2005, the singer pleaded no contest to a felony cocaine-possession charge and then a week later suffered a nasty car wreck—his Hummer ran off the road and flipped, and he was taken to the hospital in a helicopter. In 2006, Gary Harris, the record executive who first signed him, carted him off to rehab. In 2008, Virgin Records released a greatest-hits album. He’s popped up as a guest musician here and there, but really, D’Angelo the groundbreaking musician has been all but absent from the scene.

In January, talk surfaced about a new album titled James River, presumably named after the river of the same name that runs through D’Angelo’s hometown of Richmond, Va. Potential collaborators included Prince, John Mayer, Cee-Lo Green, and Raphael Saadiq.

A tour and an album—in the U.S. and Europe—were announced for the summer, only to be scratched. To be fair, D’Angelo has a proven record of working slowly. Brown Sugar came out in 1995, and it took five years—including delays—to finally finish Voodoo. Maybe James River is only one more musical milestone in the making. Or maybe it’s much ado about nothing.

Here is the most recent update: according to Lindsay Guion, D’Angelo’s manager, no album will be released this summer. No collaborators have been confirmed. The artist is living in Richmond. He’s recording there and in New York City, and he will deliver the tracks to his record company by September. Guion says they have just signed a contract for a U.S. tour that will begin around the holidays. So, the bottom line seems to be that nobody’s going to hear anything from D’Angelo at least well into the fall. That includes NEWSWEEK.

After repeated requests for an interview, D’Angelo’s rep finally offered to pass on a list of questions by e-mail with assurances that D’Angelo would actually provide the answers. After a day, however, his management backtracked to say the singer was unavailable until the album was finished.

Still, the sexy video haunts. After D'Angelo's arrest, a distressing mug shot circulated, showing how far he had strayed from his nude-Adonis days. Glassy eyes and thick jowls had replaced tight cornrows and roped muscles.

Those close to him have explained how sex-symbol status raked his psyche in the intervening years. At concerts, female fans screamed for his clothes to come off. “The catcalls had an undeniable effect on D’Angelo,” is how David Peisner describes it in a profile in Spin magazine. “The objectification appeared to do lasting damage.” Or maybe he’s done the damage to himself.

http://blog.newsweek.com/...hmond.aspx

I have a hard time believing he was that fucked up by being considered a sex symbol

I dunno, if the sex symbol stuff really did fuck w/ him I can only feel so bad for him. Women deal w/ that shit all the time in so many professions. & he added to it w/ the damn naked video So what the hell?? Bottom line is no one would have gone to see him if the singing wasn't on point, so just sticking to the music should have been enough. He could have done like Prince - wear more clothes, be all about the music & the sexual energy people get off you will calm down.



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[Edited 7/26/09 23:43pm]

That's always what I'm saying, if he feels so bad about being a sex symbol and wanted to be about the art & craft, why did he show off his abs and butt naked self.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to this report. They have to report something negative only because D'angelo isn't talking. Sounds familiar right? Anyways they should get off of the oversized talk. There were some pics circulating of him and
?uestlove at an Erykah Badu show on her last tour and he looked great! I understand his hesitance to re-emerge onto the music scene. There's not much of a market for real music these days, especially from eclectic black artists. When he's ready I'll be listening.

Ain't nothin about sex-symbolism bothering that fool. He's just plum crazy the way that a lot creative people are. The only thing that's wrong with him is that he's probably one egg short of a dozen. It happens to many in the arts,only some are better than hiding or coping with it than others. Instead of pulling that musicians' I'm a hermit and don't want to see daylight for 8 years, he should make like an actor an get on a shrinks's couch....get his ass unblocked.

Next thing you know, he'll put on 50lbs so that he'll "be taken seriously as a musician".

Hummm.....according to Alan Leeds, D has recorded 10 plus albums worth of music.

Ottensen said:

How would Alan Leeds know that?

Ottensen said:

what he said, PLUS leave that COKE alone. that CAN'T be helping

Ottensen spoke the truth, plus I remember hearing years ago when D first came out, that he was not really all there upstairs.

scriptgirl said:

he's part of his management team, i think. or was....

sunlite said:

errant said:

Probably to redeem interest in his client then.

scriptgirl said:

Angie Stone may know a little something about that.

sunlite said:

Graycap23 said:

He's certainly had enough time on his hands for such.


Maybe he'll release a trilogy like Maxwell in the next
3 years.
[Edited 7/27/09 9:03am]

phunkdaddy said:

I did not believe the comment then.....and I don't believe it now.

Graycap23 said:

I don't either. Thus potato
[Edited 7/27/09 9:05am]

phunkdaddy said:

In his haze of a dream.

Some people just was NOT meant to be too famous no matter how much talent they had...they can't handle it. he was FINE b4 he got into the game.. all that glitz, drugs and glamour can really ruin one's talent being if they are weak to negative influences.

"Leave D'Angelo alone!"

^^



"He's just a human being!!! "

Chris Crocker is fabulous.

Oh no you didn't.

For a while it looked like D was going to be in the "drugs-running from the law" category that Sly was in 28 years ago. Hopefully he gets it together and gets something out.

Hudson said:

Aww, you remembered his name

How long were D and Angie together and did he really beat on her?