A love letter to the sound, the soul, and the man who made us all feel something real.
Y'all... D'Angelo⁉️‼️
I can't. I really can't. The man who taught us what neo-soul was before we even knew we needed it. The man who had us rewinding "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" like our lives depended on it (and honestly, they kind of did).
D'Angelo was the soundtrack to EVERYTHING. First slow dance energy. Getting ready to go out energy. Saturday afternoon you-finally-cleaned-your-whole-apartment-and-now-you're-lighting-that-fancy-candle-from-TJMaxx energy. He was cooking dinner for someone you're trying to impress music. He was "let me just vibe for a second" personified.
Brown Sugar stayed in rotation. Voodoo? A whole spiritual experience. Black Messiah came back after 14 years like "y'all thought I forgot about you?" King behavior.
And that "How Does It Feel" video... listen, I'm not gonna say what we were all thinking, but we were ALL thinking it. That video had a GRIP on us. Changed lives. Awakened things. You know what I'm talking about. 👀
The Vibe Was Unmatched
There's something about D'Angelo's music that just hit different. It wasn't just R&B. It was FEELING. It was mood lighting in audio form. You could put on "Lady" and instantly transport yourself somewhere softer, somewhere that smelled like vanilla and felt like silk. "Untitled" made you feel things you weren't ready to feel in public, which is why we all had to listen to it alone in our rooms with the door locked.
His voice was butter. Smooth, rich, warm, the kind of voice that made you want to slow down and pay attention. And the musicianship? Don't even get me started. The man played multiple instruments, produced, arranged, and did it all while making it look effortless. He was a student of the greats like Prince and Marvin Gaye, and you could hear it. But he wasn't copying anyone. He was creating a whole new lane.
Neo-Soul's Reluctant Prince
Here's the thing about D'Angelo that made him even more special: he never wanted to be a sex symbol. He wanted to be taken seriously as a MUSICIAN. But then "How Does It Feel" happened and suddenly everybody was focused on everything except his genius. And you know what? I get it. We were all human. But looking back, we should have been talking more about how he practically invented a sound alongside Erykah Badu, Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, and the whole Soulquarians crew.
“He was mood lighting in audio form.”
They gave us something that didn't exist before. Music that had the soul of the '70s, the innovation of hip-hop, the intimacy of jazz, and a vibe that was completely timeless. That's why we're still playing these albums 20, 25, 30 years later. Because they don't age. "The Root" still sounds fresh. "Devil's Pie" still hits. "Really Love" still makes you want to slow dance in your kitchen.
When He Came Back
Black Messiah dropping in 2014 was like a cultural event. Fourteen years between albums? In this industry? That's unheard of. But D'Angelo moved on his own time. He wasn't chasing trends or trying to stay relevant. He was creating ART. And when that album came during the height of Black Lives Matter protests, during Ferguson, during a moment when we needed music that spoke to our pain and our power? It felt prophetic. "The Charade" gave us everything we needed to say but couldn't find the words for.
“D’Angelo didn’t just make music. He made moments.”
That's the thing about real artistry. It doesn't just entertain. It speaks. It heals. It challenges. It makes you think and feel simultaneously.
What We Lost
Today we lost a legend. A pioneer. A perfectionist who gave us three perfect albums because he refused to put out anything less than his absolute best. We lost someone who made music for grown folks, for thinkers, for lovers, for people who wanted more than just a catchy hook.
And it hits even harder knowing his son already lost his mother, Angie Stone, earlier this year. Life is so unfair sometimes. So cruel. All we can do is hold his family up in our thoughts and prayers and celebrate the gift he gave us.
What We Keep
But here's what they can't take: the music. The legacy. The way "Brown Sugar" will always be THAT album. The way "Voodoo" will always be the album you play when you're feeling yourself. The way his voice will forever be the soundtrack to our most intimate moments, our deepest thoughts, our chillest vibes.
Every time someone discovers neo-soul for the first time, D'Angelo will be there. Every time someone wants to understand what real musicianship sounds like, he'll be there. Every time we light that candle, pour that wine, and need music that matches the mood, he'll be there.
The world feels a little less smooth right now. A little less funky. Rest in paradise to a real one. We'll keep the music playing forever.
Gone way too soon but never forgotten. 💔
Play "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" one time for the culture. Actually, play the whole Voodoo album. He deserves that.
Written by Nicole: lover of art, soul music, and stories that make you feel something real.
