D’Angelo

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Thread started 03/02/18 6:48am

wizardtelly

D’Angelo

I sometimes wonder if he frequents this forum considering how much of a Prince supporter he was. But anyhow:

I feel like we have failed that man. For years, he was the brunt of a joke, but no one ever saw the possible impact. He should be protected at all costs. I seriously pray for this brother, and have been everyday lately. Whenever I listen to his music, I feel deeply connected to it and I must be honest and say I had never found personal interest in D’Angelo (Michael) the person because I always felt his music mattered more. This all has changed recently; because the notion that I can understand and connect with his music without taking the time to figure out how special the person behind it is reductive. He’s really a gem, but quite normal at the same time. In fact, his normalcy is fascinating. I think for me as a young black girl turned young black woman now, to see an example of a black man who didn’t sell out is also appealing.

Growing up, ‘Brown Sugar’ & ‘Lady’ were songs that I loved and enjoyed.. Tunes I had heard everywhere and loved, but I was a child. I never properly listened to the lyrics despite knowing them. Years later, I remember seeing the Untitled video and not really having interest; in fact, it scared me violently. At 7, seeing a semi-naked man never seemed appealing. It is now that I can see the beauty in the video, at 25.

To rewind, “Brown Sugar” and “Lady” was what I heard as “sophisticated r&b”. I also loved that time for black music, especially of the diaspora at all fronts.

It is odd to me though, life after 2000.
I mean D, he still had a few features in 00’s and made an appearance with Raphael Saadiq in their tune, “Be Here”, which if my research and even rememberance serve true? That should’ve been around 2002.
I’ve been doing a lot of searching about him lately, mainly because I think it’s imperative to realize why he created all that he has. I knew about the misfortune, but it seems that’s all that’s out there. Consistent run-ins with the police, the law, and unfortunate circumstances along with what seemed to be an addiction on many fronts.

I see a lot of blame on “Untitled” often when reading interviews, but it seems as if the few times he’d speak about it he would downplay the effect that had on him. Admitting to the idea that it was hurtful for people to not think of his music first, but not actually admitting how the public’s portrayal of him as a sheer Mandingo/sex-warrior sort of caricature may have disillusioned him from parts of his very normal, but special reality. I never realized he was quite doughy before, but he held a different look. He’d always been quite handsome, but after Brown Sugar and going into VooDoo was such a change. I’ve also read about how Mark Jenkins feels somewhat accountable for some of his ‘issues’ (which he didn’t necessarily over-elaborate on) because while he helped D with certain aspects of the routine part, he never quite helped him with the mental side of transformation. Anyone who has made a drastic physical change considered “better” knows that there is a mentality that should aide it. Based on a lot of the readings I’d found, it seemed like he was battling with some portion of body dysmorphia if one could guess. The whole claim by some around him at the time like Questlove about how he’d worry about not looking as good as he did in the video and would train meticulously before the show, sometimes even holding up the start of the show to do crunches-it all makes sense.

Not to mention, he sat around a piano for years prior. Everything about him switched, and it wasn’t a bad or good thing but he just somewhat grew.

D’Angelo was a really beautiful, sexy looking guy, and I honestly never really realized it. Partially, due to my negligence and focus on music before image, the other portion my age.

A regular, young musician from Virginia hitting it big with quality music wasn’t the problem, but one must consistently wonder how a brother like that got caught up in life’s bad? He had a head on his shoulders, a really strong one. If you read his old interviews, much to my shock, he was/is a really conscious guy. He always stated that he made black music, and how black music being made around him then was a mockery and somewhat making caricatures of blacks because it was all for the club and flexing. He always revealed his passion and desire in interviews by speaking so passionately about his intent, inspirations, music, and ideologies. It’s sad to say, but I’m not used to any black man of that time being so proud and wanting to take his ancestral sounds to a place he’s always adored from other artists like Prince, Sly, Hendrix, etc. I have also never heard or read any discrepancy about him as a person, which leads me to also believe at some point everyone left his side out of concern. I speculate he had a lot of enablers. He just seemed so head-strong that he wouldn’t falter but he did, and I know he’s human but I don’t think the community helped him the way they should have.

Reading portions of his story are saddening because I would love to know how it all started. He did an interview with Beck ages back, and he was talking about the importance of black music and always stood against minstrelsy.

It’s just incredibly bizarre to me that he made something so pivotal. At a time where black men used pro-blackness for fashion but never quite stuck with it and the idea that D’Angelo was all about keeping it ancestral in the music, that is pretty cool to me.

When I listen to his music, specifically the work on VooDoo, I almost can’t believe it. It was organic. It was militant and a lot of the bass, chord and key changes, modulations, riffs, etc. were attacked differently. I’d only heard those concepts in a lot of the older music I’d listened to. I’ve always been someone who has had an extensive musical taste because I’d always wanted to be one. I hear beauty in a lot of things and I found love in older music at a very young age. More or less, I never realized how beautiful his voice was, nor his harmonies and I finally paid attention.

I do think that it is an album that has changed the scape of music. It provoked a sound that already was to those with similar ears, but it provoked a reaction from a late group of people. There’s something very ancestral and primal about the arrangements. I’m not the best writer as we can all conclude quite easily here, but I’m really writing all of this in hopes that this man is protected.

I mean the old pictures of him with all that weight on and unshaven, they don’t scare me. I wish that people tried to help him through versus doing comparison pictures and writing articles about, “what happened?” I have always admired how fame didn’t taint his love for music and how music really seems to be the integral force behind his life, not just admiration. Much like Prince, he was a recluse. He picked and chose what he shared, and if any bad was shared it was at hand of media and online forum speculators/acquaintances of his. It seems now he is a father and obviously life has changed, but I find myself worrying when there is an absence. If he is suffering, we will never really know, but I’d hate for him to suffer in silence.

I can go further into how pivotal I find D and his style to be, not just in VooDoo but in almost every tune he’s touched, produced, wrote, sang, composed, etc. It’s all unique and him. He stands alone in harmony, key change and rhythm. He stands alone generally.

Black Messiah was a joy to me, mainly because it was finally an answer. I loved it but I also knew that a lot of those songs were dispersed and written at different times. I just wish we could hear a lot of post-VooDoo material, because there’s an answer to be found in it. Black Messiah showcased a mature D’Angelo. I feel like some of it wasn’t enough for me, I wanted to hear more because he’s evolved so much. I believe it should have been two parts.

More or less, I don’t really pray much but I just realized how special this man is. I see him like a Prince figure, but normal in the sense that there’s no mystic about him, just quietness. A seemingly very pure man, pure voice, pure ear and ability. I really hope to meet him one day, or create something even 1/50th as decent as his catalogue. I know people hate calling him talented or legendary on here because they don’t agree, but he changed the sound of modern r&b forever. He picked up where a lot of our musical idols left off. He may not be “legendary” to some, but not everyone gets it. I pray for his spirit and his gifts, and speak love and content in his life. This man gave me music that I cry to, and try to figure out. It evokes emotion but not out of sadness, just feeling. That doesn’t happen much anymore unless I listen to others. Everyone I admire to his esteem has passed away, and I pray we can keep him here and wish him well. I get scared when there are show cancellations, etc. because not much is ever said. If we all assume he’s back to his low-points, it’s scary. I really hope to meet him one day, and even though this is poorly written, he is really a light in a very dull place. I don’t know him as a person, but I stress the importance of protecting those who are vessels. Speak love and joy into his life, free of any burden or plague. We pray for good mental health and physical health so he can continue to live and be a vessel for those who know him and hisself, maybe then we can hear the outcome.

I don’t like to intellectualize music because it’s the most accessible thing that unites everybody, especially as a young black person of the diaspora, but I’m just curious to know more. Does anyone have anymore insight on D’Angelo, the transgressions, life, music, etc?

Thanks for reading and again, I know this is long but I hope this sparks a discussion amongst like minded individuals who care. Please no insults about this man here. As big of a Prince fan as he is, I think it’s hurtful when manue prince supporters call him a “knock” on Prince. It’s unfair and not true, he publicly has used Prince’s existence as an ode for almost 22 years.
[Edited 3/2/18 6:50am]

EmmaMcG	Jesus, that's a long post! I really like D'Angelo. It's just a shame he doesn't release more music.
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wonder505	I believe in D'Angelo and hope he's inspired to create more music. More now than ever. I enjoyed Black Messiah, and after seeing him in concert at the Apollo I look forward to more live shows. D'Angelo is the truth!
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wizardtelly	MattyJam said: wonder505 said: D'Angelo is the truth! It's comments like this that put me off him. His fans are a bit weird for my liking. Not even Prince fans talk about Prince in this way, and D'angelo ain't shit compared to Prince. [Edited 3/2/18 12:19pm] I have never seen people worship D’Angelo. In fact, I would say Princefans are much like Beyoncé and.
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luvsexy4all	STILL mumble funk threads.....
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luvsexy4all	TTD put out 5 great albums ..and he dont get the head u people give D...
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wizardtelly	luvsexy4all said: TTD put out 5 great albums ..and he dont get the head u people give D... I am talking about D’Angelo and his musicianship. Please refrain from responding if it won’t be about his music. I am not comparing him to anyone else. Thank you.
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