by Bill Johnson & Dan Charnas for TheUrbanDaily

D’Angelo’s last album was released ten years ago. His last interview? Nine years ago. In the time that has elapsed, we’ve heard very little from the reclusive artist. That is until last week, when we at TheUrbanDaily got a call saying that he wanted to talk.

The interview was conducted over the phone, so don’t ask us what he looks like these days. We don’t know if he resembles the diesel D’Angelo from the “Untitled (How Does It Feel?)” video, or the scruffy, chubby D’Angelo that the paparazzi have caught over the last few years. We can’t tell you what any of his new songs sound like because we were forbidden to ask about them, nor any specific details about his new album, though we heard whispers from our sources of over a half-dozen great new uptempo tracks. We also couldn’t discuss his personal struggles, because those, too, were off limits.

So what exactly did D want to talk about during his first interview in nine years? Turns out that it’s his recent discovery of an old Black rock group from the 1970s and his infatuation with the more recent musical and cultural movement called Afro-Punk, both of which might be clues about where he’s headed.

TheUrbanDaily: How are you?

D’Angelo: I’m good, man. I’m good.

TUD: What’s inspiring you lately?

D: I just got turned on to this group called Black Merda that I’m just kinda beating myself up over because I’d never heard of them before. I think about a couple of months ago, my boy turned me on to them. I’m just revisiting groups that are basically looked at like funk groups or funk artists, but I’m looking at it differently now. These guys who were really trying to push the envelope back then, I think they were just a head of their time as far as black rock is concerned.

TUD: Oh, so Black Merda’s from back in the day?

D: Yeah! Black Merda’s from 1969 or 1970 and they were on Chess Records. I’m also listening to s**t like Rick James, The Bar-Kays… These guys were like black rock & roll.

TUD: In listening to stuff like Black Merda and thinking about the multi-dimensionality missing from today’s Black music, is this influencing the stuff that you’re doing now?

D: Uhh, yeah. Definitely. I think it’s just the whole over-influx of what is stereotypically seen as Black music today, or hip-hop today, or Black culture or what have you. Just looking for alternative s**t that’s unquestionably, unmistakably Black, and doesn’t fit into this whole — what I feel is like minstrelsy almost.

TUD: Does it feel to you that in the past 10 years that Black difference has become almost impossible? What used to be a rainbow of offerings 20 years ago seems to be different flavors of the same s**t.

D: I don’t think so. I think it’s out there, but there’s a lot of folks, people in power, record executives or what have you, that are less willing to take chances on s**t that might be different. But I think there’s a underground bubbling up under. A lot of Black folks are trying to do different s**t or they wanna do different s**t. I don’t know the condition of what’s going on in the business right now, but they’re having a hard time cracking through. (Afro-Punk co-founder) Matthew Morgan turned me on to what he was doing probably a couple of years ago. I think it’s the s**t. I love it. One night we were at Raphael Saadiq’s studio and Bootsy Collins came through. I was trying to get in touch with Angelo from Fishbone, but he gave me the DVD of the AfroPunk film. But I’d been branching out and picking up on Bad Brains and s**t like that.

TUD: Do you ever envision yourself coming a little closer to that collective, either performing at the festival or collaborating with those artists?

D: Yes. Definitely.

TUD: Not this year, but maybe next year.

D: Yeah. I’m really just focusing on getting this album together.
TUD: We’ve touched on inspirations from the past, but are there any new artists who are inspiring you right now?

D: Yeah, but it’s funny. I don’t really want to get into that. I’m just kind of focusing on my s**t right now.

TUD: So in the midst of the creative process, you have to keep things very close and keep yourself sheltered from all the back and forth, from all the speculation and I completely understand that. But what is it that you want folks to know about you, about your music.

D: I just want them to know that I’m coming. That’s all. I’m in the kitchen and I’m cooking up something real nice.

I'll believe it when I see it. James River anyone?

As long as he drops something equal to or better than his first two records I won't mind the long wait. I just pray he doesn't pull an Axel Rose on us and drop another Chinese Democracy.

I love "1000 death".I sure hope that's on the new album!

/peace Manki

Talking is for the birds

Sly Stone has a better chance for crawling back from the cave he lives in, reunite with the Family Stone for an album and a full tour while this mofo still fuck around talking about "I'm cookin' up something real nice". Negro, HUSH and just do it already

[Edited 6/23/10 3:29am]

manki said:

I love "1000 death".I sure hope that's on the new album!

/peace Manki

I love '100 deaths' too! It is funky, quirky and f.. brilliant!

As D'Angelo has taken the initiative to speak for the first time in a looong while I really hope he soon is ready to serve from the kitchen. Serve it while it is hot, D!!!

Stranger

Harlepolis said:

Talking is for the birds

Sly Stone has a better chance for crawling back from the cave he lives in, reunite with the Family Stone for an album and a full tour while this mofo still fuck around talking about "I'm cookin' up something real nice". Negro, HUSH and just do it already

I agree It's funny how some artists always say that they are "working on a new album" and yet,it never seems to materialize.Does it really take over 10 years to record 13 songs and release it on a CD? I've heard of "writer's block" but this is ridiculous,lol.It might be a good idea for these artists to keep their mouths shut until the CD is finished and ready to be released.

...

[Edited 6/23/10 6:52am]

Ha @ the article mentioning that they did not see him or know what he looks like now. Let's just hope he no longer looks like Old Dirty Bastard. When that picture came across my email a few years back, I liketa fell over dead.

I liked D'Angelo, I really thought he was a promising brother. Seems like brothers just can't take the stresses of the industry. It either drives them crazy, makes them addicts or incites violence in them. Another brother who missed his real opportunity was Donnel Jones. He dropped that first album, and then got caught up in some BS legal trouble about trying to make his limo driver drive him somewhere to cop drugs, and the limo driver was reportedly beat down for refusing. Not sure if he did time behind that, but it definitely knocked him off his game which was potentially a damned good one at that.

Let's hope for the best for D'Angelo.

Well at least Rahiem Divone (spelling) is still in the game.

Harlepolis said:

Talking is for the birds

Sly Stone has a better chance for crawling back from the cave he lives in, reunite with the Family Stone for an album and a full tour while this mofo still fuck around talking about "I'm cookin' up something real nice". Negro, HUSH and just do it already

[Edited 6/23/10 3:29am]

Girl you are too much...ahahahahha. Aren't you the one who said that it's not like Duke Ellington will return from the grave and tip his hat at Alicia Keys or Beyonce. You crack me up girl. You should straight up do comedy....No lie.

Reel said:

Ha @ the article mentioning that they did not see him or know what he looks like now. Let's just hope he no longer looks like Old Dirty Bastard. When that picture came across my email a few years back, I liketa fell over dead.

I liked D'Angelo, I really thought he was a promising brother. Seems like brothers just can't take the stresses of the industry. It either drives them crazy, makes them addicts or incites violence in them. Another brother who missed his real opportunity was Donnel Jones. He dropped that first album, and then got caught up in some BS legal trouble about trying to make his limo driver drive him somewhere to cop drugs, and the limo driver was reportedly beat down for refusing. Not sure if he did time behind that, but it definitely knocked him off his game which was potentially a damned good one at that.

Let's hope for the best for D'Angelo.

Well at least Rahiem Divone (spelling) is still in the game.

I think you meant Raheem DeVaughn????

[img:$uid]http://imgur.com/T3eV6.png[/img:$uid]

Yo, D'Angelo! Since you're cookin' up something...

I want some hot, greasy, smelly funk with a side order of Rock 'n Roll. Do you have some of that? Hurry up: my interest is beginning to wane.

SPEAKING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME HUH, CRAWLING OUT FROM UNDER THAT ROCK JUST IN TIME TO CONTRIBUTE TO PRINCE'S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PERHAPS?

With his history I wouldn't use the term - "I'm Cookin Up . ." - it conjures up other thoughts.

Yeah, whatever.

These current artist annoy me, drop an album and shutup, don't tell people what you expect to do or what's in the mix.

[Edited 6/23/10 8:26am]

SoulAlive said:

It might be a good idea for these artists to keep their mouths shut until the CD is finished and ready to be released.

What bugs me is, he probably had an album in him prior to his personal bloom into Afro Punk or whatever. He could have released something prior to that and we could have seen the growth over time. Instead, we're gonna be served this album by "D'Angelo" that doesn't sound like D'Angelo at all because he changed so much in between, silent to the public.

We would probably be well prepared if we had an album from 2006 time-marking album to reference.

Birds.............chirping.

“I’m Cookin’ Up Somethin’ Real Nice”

interesting choice of words

PricelessHo said:

“I’m Cookin’ Up Somethin’ Real Nice”

interesting choice of words

Isn't it though.

:spoon:

Cinnie said:

SoulAlive said:

It might be a good idea for these artists to keep their mouths shut until the CD is finished and ready to be released.

What bugs me is, he probably had an album in him prior to his personal bloom into Afro Punk or whatever. He could have released something prior to that and we could have seen the growth over time. Instead, we're gonna be served this album by "D'Angelo" that doesn't sound like D'Angelo at all because he changed so much in between, silent to the public.

We would probably be well prepared if we had an album from 2006 time-marking album to reference.

Y'all feel me on this? Do you really think he recorded nothing that whole time?

Harlepolis said:

Talking is for the birds

Sly Stone has a better chance for crawling back from the cave he lives in, reunite with the Family Stone for an album and a full tour while this mofo still fuck around talking about "I'm cookin' up something real nice". Negro, HUSH and just do it already

[Edited 6/23/10 3:29am]

Reel said:

Ha @ the article mentioning that they did not see him or know what he looks like now. Let's just hope he no longer looks like Old Dirty Bastard. When that picture came across my email a few years back, I liketa fell over dead.

I liked D'Angelo, I really thought he was a promising brother. Seems like brothers just can't take the stresses of the industry. It either drives them crazy, makes them addicts or incites violence in them. Another brother who missed his real opportunity was Donnel Jones. He dropped that first album, and then got caught up in some BS legal trouble about trying to make his limo driver drive him somewhere to cop drugs, and the limo driver was reportedly beat down for refusing. Not sure if he did time behind that, but it definitely knocked him off his game which was potentially a damned good one at that.

Let's hope for the best for D'Angelo.

Well at least Rahiem Divone (spelling) is still in the game.

Raheen Devaughn gets on my nerve. Dude is so full of himself that it aint even funny.

AlexdeParis said:

He's slow as hell, but he's never let me down yet. Whenever he releases it, I'll buy it. That being said, I kind of wish he'd released some EPs or singles. I still find "Really Love" mesmerizing.

I had this thought too, when I was saying I wish we had heard something around 2006. If even a mini-EP it would have given us a sense of where he was HEADED at least.

Cinnie said:

Cinnie said:

What bugs me is, he probably had an album in him prior to his personal bloom into Afro Punk or whatever. He could have released something prior to that and we could have seen the growth over time. Instead, we're gonna be served this album by "D'Angelo" that doesn't sound like D'Angelo at all because he changed so much in between, silent to the public.

We would probably be well prepared if we had an album from 2006 time-marking album to reference.

Y'all feel me on this? Do you really think he recorded nothing that whole time?

I'M SURE HE DID. PROBABLY ENOUGH FOR AT LEAST A DOUBLE ALBUM. I'M NOT FEELING HIS NEW INSPIRATION BLACK MERDA/AFRO-PUNK STUFF. I DON'T THINK I CAN TAKE A WHOLE ALBUM OF THAT.

"I'm cooking up someting real nice".....see I wasn't even going to go there because whoever titled the article knew exactly where most folks minds would go.

Cinnie said:

Cinnie said:

What bugs me is, he probably had an album in him prior to his personal bloom into Afro Punk or whatever. He could have released something prior to that and we could have seen the growth over time. Instead, we're gonna be served this album by "D'Angelo" that doesn't sound like D'Angelo at all because he changed so much in between, silent to the public.

We would probably be well prepared if we had an album from 2006 time-marking album to reference.

Y'all feel me on this? Do you really think he recorded nothing that whole time?

In his defence from my earlier tirade though..

?uestlove said that he recorded materials to cover 4 or 5 albums, but the record label still blocks them out for fear of not fitting the "radio playlist", which is an inevitable matter at this point because D'Angelo's music won't fit the playlist's sound anyway.

I'm disgusted by the record label's complete lack of balls, they could've released an EP like ya'll said, or a promo single to test the water OR D could've released an album independently, although that would burn bridges with his label.

Harlepolis said:

Cinnie said:

Y'all feel me on this? Do you really think he recorded nothing that whole time?

In his defence from my earlier tirade though..

?uestlove said that he recorded materials to cover 4 or 5 albums, but the record label still blocks them out for fear of not fitting the "radio playlist", which is an inevitable matter at this point because D'Angelo's music won't fit the playlist's sound anyway.

I'm disgusted by the record label's complete lack of balls, they could've released an EP like ya'll said, or a promo single to test the water OR D could've released an album independently, although that would burn bridges with his label.

I know the label is effectively his employer, but silencing my art by shelving my recordings, I would feel like the label was burning bridges with ME.