D’Angelo<div hidden>DAngelo D Angelo</div>
D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer on February 11, 1974, in Richmond, Virginia, was a pioneering R&B and neo-soul singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. He grew up in a musical family with gospel roots, forming a hip-hop group called I.D.U. as a teen and winning talent competitions, including at the Apollo Theater.
D'Angelo broke through in 1994 by co-writing and co-producing "U Will Know" for the R&B supergroup Black Men United, featuring artists like Usher and Boyz II Men. At 17, he signed a publishing deal and moved to New York, leading to his EMI contract. His 1995 debut album Brown Sugar went platinum, blending soul, hip-hop, and Prince influences with hits like "Lady" and the title track, earning critical acclaim as neo-soul's blueprint.
His 2000 album Voodoo, recorded with the Soulquarians collective including Questlove and J Dilla, topped the Billboard 200, won two Grammys (Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song for "Really Love"), and became a genre cornerstone. After a long hiatus marked by personal struggles like alcoholism and a 2005 car accident, he surprise-released Black Messiah in 2014, which won Best R&B Album at the Grammys. He was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2025.
D'Angelo died on October 14, 2025, at age 51 from pancreatic cancer, leaving three children. Billboard and Rolling Stone hailed him as one of the greatest R&B artists and singers, crediting his organic sound for shaping modern R&B.
Brown Sugar
DAngelo D Angelo
1 Brown Sugar
Written-By – Ali Shaheed Muhammad, D'Angelo
4:22
2 Alright
Written-By – D'Angelo
5:15
3 Jonz In My Bonz
Written-By – Angela Stone, D'Angelo
5:56
4 Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine
Written-By – D'Angelo
4:46
5 Sh?t, Damn, Motherf?cker
Written-By – D'Angelo
5:14
6 Smooth
Written-By – D'Angelo, Luther Archer
4:18
7 Cruisin'
Written-By – Marvin Taplin, William Robinson
6:28
8 When We Get By
Written-By – D'Angelo
Written-By [Contains Music From "One Nation Under A Groove"] – Gary Shider, George Clinton, Walter Morrison
5:48
9 Lady
Written-By – D'Angelo, Rafael Saadiq
5:47
10 Higher
Written-By – D'Angelo, Luther Archer, Rodney Archer
5:27
Label: EMI – DPRO-19997
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1995
Genre: Funk, Soul, Hip Hop
Style: Soul, Contemporary R&B, Neo Soul
Released in 1995, D'Angelo’s Brown Sugar is a landmark neo-soul debut that revitalized R&B by blending classic soul, jazz, funk, and hip-hop production at just 21 years old. The album is widely praised for its "smoky," organic sound, characterized by lush instrumentation, laid-back grooves, and D'Angelo’s falsetto. It is considered a pioneering, sensual masterpiece.
The album offers a raw, organic, and "churchy" feel, heavily featuring the Hammond organ and, at times, a "cold-blooded" drum beat. It mixes live-sounding, "chilled-out" instrumentation with modern hip-hop sensibilities.
D'Angelo is praised for his remarkable vocal range, moving from deep, smoky tones to effortless falsetto.
The album is noted for its intimate, highly sexualized, and romantic atmosphere. The title track, for instance, is a sly ode to marijuana, using innuendo to create a "hip" vibe.
While sometimes criticized for being, at times, too straightforward in its, at times, overly sexualized lyrics, Brown Sugar is largely considered a "near-spotless" and "timeless" masterpiece. It successfully bridged the gap between old-school soul and modern hip-hop, making it a crucial, genre-defining record.
Brown Sugar is often lauded as a foundational, "chill" listening experience that remains highly relevant today, solidifying D'Angelo's reputation as a prodigy upon his arrival.
Voodoo
DAngelo D Angelo
1 Playa Playa
Written-By – A. Thompson, A. Stone, D' Angelo
7:07
2 Devil's Pie
Written-By – C. Martin, D'Angelo
Written-By [Excerpt From "Big Daddy Anthem"] – M. Lawrence
Written-By [Excerpt From "Fakin' Jacks"] – P. Rock
Written-By [Sample From "Intro"] – C. Woods
Written-By [Sample From "Success"] – D. Podilla, J. Cartegeana
5:21
3 Left & Right
Written-By – C. Smith, D'Angelo, K. Fareed, R. Noble
4:46
4 The Line
Written-By, Vocals [All], Arranged By [Vocal And Musical Arrangements], Instruments [All Other] – D'Angelo
5:15
5 Send It On
Written-By – A. Stone, C. Smith, D'Angelo, D. Thomas, G. Redd, G. Brown, L. Archer, R. Westfield, R. Bell, R. Mickens, R. Bell, W. Sparrow
5:57
6 Chicken Grease
Written-By – A. Thompson, D. Angelo, J. Poyser
4:36
7 One Mo'gin
Written-By, Vocals [All], Arranged By [Vocal And Musical Arrangements], Instruments [All Other] – D'Angelo
6:15
8 The Root
Written-By – C. Hunter, D'Angelo, L.Archer
6:33
9 Spanish Joint
Written-By – D'Angelo, R. Hargrove
5:44
10 Feel Like Makin' Love
Written-By – E. McDaniels
6:22
11 Greatdayndamornin' / Booty
Written-By ["Booty"] – A. Thompson, D'Angelo
Written-By ["Greatdayndamornin'"] – A. Thompson, A. Stone, C. Hunter, D'Angelo
7:35
12 Untitled (How Does It Feel)
Written-By – D'Angelo, R. Saadiq
7:10
13 Africa
Written-By – A. Thompson, A. Stone, D'Angelo, L. Archer
6:13
Label: Cheeba Sound – 7243 8 48499 2 4
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2000
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Neo Soul, Contemporary R&B