Take a listen to D’Angelo Live by streaming the audio below, or download it by clicking the link.

Download D’Angelo’s “Live” Mixtape HERE!

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SOURCE

Earlier today we showed you the first photo of Michael D’Angelo Archer getting ready to take the stage in Stockholm, Sweden. Now the folks at Okayplayer.com have gifted this footage of D’Angelo performing an eight-minute rendition of “Chicken Grease.”

Explore D’Angelo’s Hometown

Given that today is the 12th  anniversary of Voodoo we’ll let that man take as much time as he likes! And can we get the number to his personal trainer?

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Top 10 D’Angelo Songs

How Anthony Hamilton Went From Being D’Angelo’s Background Singer To Solo Star [EXCLUSIVE]

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See the D’Angelo European tour dates below:

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Top 10 D’Angelo Songs

How Anthony Hamilton Went From Being D’Angelo’s Background Singer To Solo Star [EXCLUSIVE]

D’Angelo Builds Buzz With “Black Hole Sun” [NEW MUSIC]

Jan 26 – Stockholm, Sweden
Jan 27 – Copenhagen, Denmark
Jan 29 – Paris, France
Jan 30-31 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Feb 3 – 4 – London, England
Feb 6 – Oslo, Norway
Feb 7 – Zurich, Switzerland
Feb 9 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Feb 10 – Stockholm, Sweden

SOURCE

Since D’Angelo is working on his third album with The Roots and others, The Urban Daily decided to look back at the songs that endeared him to music audiences around the world. Here are D’Angelo’s top 10 songs. What songs didn’t make the list that should have? Let us know in the comments.

10. Your Precious Love

D’Angelo hooked up with his Soulaquarian sister, Erykah Badu, for a remake of this Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic. Although nothing can top the original, these two deserve respect. The then reigning king and queen of  neo-soul sing as though there were actual feelings behind the lyrics. Don’t quote us on that because we’re not ones to gossip.

9. U Will Know

In the early 90s, D’Angelo was a little known singer/songwriter. He was signed to EMI Records where he sat on the shelf until he penned a song that would find its way onto the Jason’s Lyric Soundtrack. “U Will Know” saw the who’s who of 90s R&B men, collectively known as Black Men United, singing about standing tall and holding steadfastly to dreams in the face of opposition. The track went on become a top 10 hit on the Billboard charts in 1994 and also a staple tune for every black church’s Men’s Day.

8. Be Here

By the time Raphael Saadiq recruited D’Angelo for this song, fans had been waiting for Voodoo’s follow up for two years. Instead of quieting demands for a new album, D’Angelo’s appearance on “Be Here” only intensified his fans’ anticipation. “Be Here” wasn’t a massive hit, however, it does have a timeless groove. Plus these two multi-instrumentalists on the same track was a neo-soul fan’s wet dream. The reality certainly didn’t disappoint.

7. Send It On

This bedroom jam dealt with themes of honesty and faith in a loving relationship. It was co-written by then girlfriend Angie Stone and featured Roy Hargrove on the flugelhorn. D’Angelo flexes his best Prince falsetto. His voice set against the languid bass line is sheer perfection. While the younger people knocked boots to the risque sounds of “Untitled,” older heads let “Send It On” charm their ladies out of the Vicky Secrets. If you haven’t done the same, you have officially lost. (Peep Anthony Hamilton doing background vocals in the video.)

6. Devil’s Pie

DJ Premier laced D’Angelo with one of his signature hard hitting beats with impeccable scratching. With a Preemo special as the foundation, the soul crooner got socially conscious on “Devil’s Pie.” When asked about the recording, Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson said “Devil’s Pie” was penned to address the issues of “the money hungry jiggafied state of the world we’re in.” Mission accomplished.

5. Nothing Even Matters

From the opening ad-libs, you’re instantly ready to listen to Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo tell you what does and doesn’t matter when you’re inside  love’s grasp. The pair sang about forsaking work, the hair and nail salon, and basketball in order to be with that special love. “Nothing Even Matters” made me hope and pray for the day L Boogie and D’Angelo would get their Ashford & Simpson on and write and record an album. Those dreams were dashed when she went crazy and he fell off the face of the earth. They’re both back now so a brother can still dream, right?

4. Brown Sugar

D’Angelo’s debut single sparked the neo-soul genre. Its retro vibe drummed up memories of Marvin Gaye and Al Green with a modern twist. The best thing about “Brown Sugar” is how you interpret the lyrics. Depending on what you’re into, this song can be about getting a woman’s most precious gift or smoking a blunt. No, marijuana isn’t brown, but why would his eyes be bloodshot red after after making love?! Plus, he met her in Philly (Phillie Blunt Wraps) and he gets high off her love? You don’t have to be a pothead to know what’s up.

3. Me And Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine

The funky organ-driven cut is all about romance. The soul man wonders if the woman he fantasizes about is as perfect in real life as she is in his dreams. D’Angelo was stealing some guys’ ladies with lyrics like, “Ooh wee baby, you’ve redefined my vision of love it seems/Your love be da cherry in my chocolate covered dreams/So it seems, my oh my/Me and those dreaming eyes of mine.” If D’Angelo bedded your shorty, I’m not sure he’s going to be too apologetic about it.

2. Lady

Co-written and produced by Raphael Saadiq, “Lady” was a lover’s plea for their mate to be comfortable in the relationship. D’Angelo reassures his woman there is no other woman for him because she is perfect as she is. “Lady” is the joint that took the Brown Sugar album from an overlooked debut to a much ballyhooed hit album. Let’s not forget the remix with AZ. That was ill too.

1. Untitled (How Does It Feel)

Besides the R&B star being naked as the day he was born, “Untitled” stimulated even the most prudish with those lyrics. Take a look at them. He didn’t look like he was getting fellatio in the video because he thought it looked good. D’Angelo’s wails matched the passion and sweaty sex dripping off the record. This is going to make me sound like a real hater, but I choose not to care. I was a little glad when pics surfaced of D’Angelo being chunky. So when my girl asks why I don’t have D’Angelo’s body, I can point to a recent picture and confidently say that I already do.

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Take a listen to D’Angelo’s interpretation of the 1994 alternative rock hit “Black Hole Sun” below…

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SOURCE

Prior to the release of The Roots’ album Illadelph Halflife in 1996, the group was criticized for not having music that was “dirty” enough sonically, ?uestlove explained. At the time, the Wu-Tang Clan was riding high, and gritty beats were favored by most hip-hop fans. But The Roots were making warm and melodic music on their first two albums.

D’Angelo Album In The “Home-Stretch”

?uest took the criticism to heart and wanted to make music that was felt like a “cold sounding machine.” But working with D’Angelo helped ?uestlove find the right balance between perfect production and the imperfect “sloppiness” of live soul music.

?uestlove Wants Black Thought To Get His Male Lauryn Hill On [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

D’Angelo’s unabashed soul brought ?uestlove away from the mechanical sound The Roots had drifted towards, and helped bring the crew back to their foundation.

The Roots are currently riding of wave of great publicity with the release of their outstanding and critically acclaimed album undun, which is available on iTunes now. Check it out and hear ?uestlove and The Legendary Roots Crew embrace “sloppiness.”

Here’s a look at some of the photos by Interactive One’s Michael Scott Jones from this great night!

“He’s in the home stretch right now,” said ?uestlove. “I know that Fred Wesley and the JB Horns just did a cut that Q-Tip did; I know he’s doing his vocals right now.” Get more info on the D’Angelo project here.

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“Entered the studio with Michael D’Angelo Archer & [Voodoo bassist] Pino Pallidno for the first time in 11 years, and it is magic,” ?uestlove wrote on his Facebook page early yesterday morning.

The Facebook status update received some hilarious commentary from some of ?uesto’s friends.  “Yeah right,” wrote comedian Chris Rock. “Let me guess. Dave Chappelle and Lauryn [Hill] just stopped by.”

RELATED: D’Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, ?uestlove & Ali Shaheed Muhammad “Lady” [THROWBACK]

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D’Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, appeared in a Manhattan court room today to enter the plea to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.

Prosecutors say that D’Angelo’s offense was a violation and not a crime and that the star satisfied their conditions. No details about the deal they worked out have been released though.

If the prosecutors were smart, they would’ve included a stipulation that demanded an album from the reclusive R&B singer who last released an album in 2000.

#JustSayin…

Spotted @ HipHopWired.com

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Starting off with Saadiq & D’Angelo duetting on Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me,” the one-off performance was an amazing preview of what D’Angelo had in store for the world 3 years later with his Voodoo album and the album’s supporting tour.

RELATED: Raphael Saadiq & D’Angelo “Be Here” (Hi-Tek Remix)

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Rodgers recently revealed on his Facebook and Twitter accounts and his official website, NileRodgers.com, that he was battling an “aggressive form of cancer.”

On October 27, 2010, I found out I had aggressive cancer. In an instant, everything in my happy-music universe imploded. It was like Jaws was savagely eating me from the inside out. My biopsy showed that I had to make some important decisions… fast. After consulting with numerous doctors, I decided to have radical surgery to try and remove the cancer in its entirety. I told only a handful of people because I didn’t want to worry anyone, especially, my family around the holidays. I did everything as usual – as best I could – until one day I couldn’t. My hand had sudden muscle loss and a number of stressful events followed.

Rodgers tweeted that his doctors believe that they caught the cancer in time, but still has to return to the doctor for check-ups to make sure the cancer doesn’t return.

Check out some of Rodgers’ most well known productions below!

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Check out Brooklyn-based DJ/Producer Sam Champion’s remix of D’Angelo’s “Left And Right” for a new take on the first single from D’s Voodoo album.

Download Sam Champion’s remix for free on Bandcamp.com!

RELATED: THE LEAK: Mark Ronson + D’Angelo “Glass Mountain Trust”

RELATED: D’Angelo Finally Speaks! “I’m Cookin’ Up Somethin’ Real Nice”

In an interview with MTV News, Ronson, who produced Amy Winehouse’s breakthrough album, Back To Black,  talks about the recording session for “Glass Mountain Trust,” a track featuring D’Angelo from Ronson’s album Record Collection.

Listen to “Glass Mountain Trust” here!

RELATED: D’Angelo Finally Speaks! “I’m Cookin’ Up Somethin’ Real Nice”

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We gave you the word from the man himself that he was working on new music, and he wasn’t lying.

Producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Rhymefest, Walé) collaborated with D’Angelo for Ronson’s upcoming album.  Ronson stopped into the BBC 1xtra studios and played a snippet of the wildly futuristic sounding track on air!

If you want to hear something that sounds just like Voodoo or Brown Sugar, click away now.

Yes, we know that they’re talking all over the song, and it’s just as annoying as when your favorite DJ does it on the radio or on a mixtape.

UPDATE:  We just found the full version over at SoulBounce.com

“Glass Mountain Trust” will appear on Mark Ronson & The Business Int’l's new album, Record Collection, which drops on September 27th!

RELATED: D’Angelo Finally Speaks! “I’m Cookin’ Up Somethin’ Real Nice”

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Back in 2002 when Raphael Saadiq released his solo debut, Instant Vintage, all ears were tuned in to the lead single which was a duet between Ray and D’Angelo.

This remix done by Hi-Tek was only released as a limited promo-download on MTV.com for a very brief time.

Fortunately for all of you, I’ve dug into my archives and pulled this version out for your listening pleasure!

RELATED: D’Angelo Finally Speaks! “I’m Cookin’ Up Somethin’ Real Nice”

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And no cook-out is complete without music loud enough to make your neighbors complain…. or at least come over and join in the festivities.

Here are ten songs guaranteed to provide the perfect soundtrack to your summer BBQ!

Total “Kissin You / Oh Honey Remix”

Built around a sample of Delegation’s late 70′s classic “Oh Honey,” Kima, Keisha & Pam crafted a great song for a chill afternoon in the sun with a burger fresh off the grill and a good game of dominoes.

Slave “Watching You”

“Walkin’ down the street watchin ladies go by”

Really, as far as summer anthems go, it gets no better than this classic 80′s jam!

DJ Quik “Summer Breeze”

Quik represented for the west coast on this overlooked gem from his 1995 album Safe & Sound which also has the distinction of being one of the few Quik records you can throw on with your grandparents around.

Jay-Z “Dear Summer”

In an effort to get people to buy Memphis Bleek’s 534 album, Jay-Z contributed this ode to the season.

Slum Village “Tell Me” (feat. D’Angelo)

The combination of J Dilla’s swinging drums, D’Angelo’s breezy keys and vocals, and the rest of Slum Village’s rhythmic flows makes this cut from Slum Village’s Fantastic Vol. 2 a great song to throw on at your next BBQ!

The Gap Band “Outstanding”

This is a song that is good for any type of gathering, except maybe a funeral. Someone’s gonna bust out in a two-step with a hot dog in one hand and a beer in the other.  Guaranteed.

Ghost Town DJ’s “My Boo”

Sure, they were one-hit-wonders, but what a hit this song was!

Dr. Dre “Nuthin’ But A G Thang”

Blame it on the video.

Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince “Summertime”

It’s an obvious pick, but there’s a reason why this early 90′s classic is always named on these sorts of lists.  It’s just that great!

Luther Vandross “Never Too Much”

The title track from Luther’s first solo album has been a staple of barbecues ever since it dropped in the early ’80s.

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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.

Win FREE tickets to the 2010 AfroPunk festival in Brooklyn, NYC!

Read the interview below…

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.

RELATED: D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” Still Casting Spells 10 Years Later

Everyone defines sexiness differently. Some may say its the way you look, your aura or appeal, and/or your actions. The thing about these 10 videos is that they have all those characteristics!

10. Tank- Maybe I Deserve

A man taking blame for his actions and actually considering how a female would feel…priceless. Tank’s sexy physique and sultry voice just add to this sensual vid.

9. R.Kelly- Half On A Baby

R.Kelly is known for his outrageous music videos and unique lyrics. “Half On A Baby” is dark and set in an exclusive mansion away from civilization. In the midst of a rain storm, you can see R.Kelly’s man toy! JACKPOT!

8. 50 Cent- 21 Questions

50 cent’s rendition of a prison stay is as sexy as it gets. Conjugal visits, man fights, muscles, and smooth melodies all contribute to this video’s sexiness!

7. LL Cool J- Doin’ It

Mr. Lick his lips surely picked the perfect name- Ladies love Cool J- you d*mn right we do! LL, rolled around his big bed and into our fantasies all at once.

6. Usher- Nice & Slow

Usher is older now, and we question his sex appeal after a failed marriage, but one thing is clear- “Nice And Slow” had every older woman losing their mind. The vocals, the words, the beat and Usher’s baby face combined will forever remain in our minds.

5. R.Kelly- Down Low

The forbidden, is highly desired and R.Kelly truly proves that some thing’s you should just not have. His lust for Garceille gets him into a lot of trouble, but watching the two go at a secret relationship is pure “adult entertainment!”

4. Trey Songz- Invented Sex

“Invented Sex” was one of the biggest summer smashes in a while, so the anticipation for the music video was high. We weren’t expecting to need a wet wipe after though!

3. Ginuwine- Pony

Ginuwine might just be the originator of the raunchy light skin man with “good hair” craze. He came out with “Pony” and turned making love music into “getting your freak on.” Ginuwine’s gyrations and subliminals in “Pony” make it an instant classic.

2. Tyrese- How You Gonna Act Like That

Who doesn’t love a dark chocolate man with an incredible smile? There isn’t much explaining to do with Tyrese; he is “thuggish,” sexy, strong, and can sing his a** off! The love scene in “How You Gonna Act Like That” is attention grabbing and so believable you’d think his leading lady was his wife.

1. D’ Angelo- How Does It feel

How does it feel to bang your head on the computer screen trying to see further than the camera shot allows you to? When D’Angelo released “How Does It Feel” every woman thought to herself, “it must feel good if it’s with you.” This teaser video showcasing his oiled chiseled body, and neat braids is undeniably one of the sexiest videos of all time!

Top 10 Sexiest Female Videos Of All Time

On April 20th, marijuana enthusiasts around the world celebrate the wacky tobacky with various events, parties, political rallies, and extended weed naps.

While we don’t necessarily condone the illegal use of marijuana, we do happen to enjoy quite a bit of the music it’s inspired.

Here are a few of our favorite weed anthems:

Rick James “Mary Jane” (1978)

Redman “How To Roll A Blunt”(1992)

Keith Murray “Get Lifted” (1994)

D’Angelo “Brown Sugar” (1995)

Styles P “Good Times” (2002)

HONORABLE MENTION
Cab Calloway “Reefer Man” (1932)

Check out last year’s list here!

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After being nabbed by the cops this weekend in NYC for allegedly soliciting an undercover police officer for oral sex, D’Angelo has pled not guilty.

D’s publicist issued the following statement:

We know there is a lot of speculation in regard to the arrest of D’Angelo in New York City this past weekend. We would like his fans and the public at large to know that D’Angelo has pled not guilty — and is contesting the allegations made against him. Also know that, he is in good health and extremely excited about his forthcoming new album. D’Angelo would like to personally thank all of his fans for the outpouring of concern, and appreciates if all would allow the American justice system to resolve the matter before jumping to any conclusions.

RELATED: D’Angelo Busted For Soliciting Oral Sex From Undercover Cop

RELATED: D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” Still Casting Spells 10 Years Later

D’Angelo was allegedly arrested this weekend after soliciiting oral sex from an undercover police officer in New York City.

From the New York Post:

Grammy Award-winning R&B singer D’Angelo was arrested early yesterday after allegedly offering an undercover policewoman $40 for oral sex while cruising alone through the West Village — with $12,000 stashed in his SUV.

D’Angelo, 36, whose real name is Michael Archer, was in his top-of-the-line Range Rover at Greenwich and Horatio streets at about 2:30 a.m. when he spotted a woman he took to be a prostitute, sources said.

He was arrested and charged with solicitation after asking the woman for sex, the sources said. His manager declined to comment.

Just sad!

UPDATE:

Here are two photos snapped of D’Angelo leaving Manhattan Criminal Court on Sunday after being arraigned.  Looks like ol’ boy dropped some of that weight he picked up.

RELATED: D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” Still Casting Spells 10 Years Later

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For some, Valentines Day is a reminder of failed relationships and can bring out the Scrooge in a person.  If you’re that person, take a listen to these songs and know that you’re not alone!

Blu Cantrell “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops)”

This song struck a chord with the ladies, as Blu Cantrell sang about getting revenge on her cheating man by spending all his money.  Ooops?  No.  Ouch.

“Can’t believe that I caught my man cheating / So I found another way to make him pay for it all So I went to Neiman-Marcus on a shopping spree-ah / And on the way I grabbed Soley and Mia / And as the cash box rang I thought everything away” /

Ruff Endz “No More”

If your girl is cheating on you, just take all of those things you did for her away and see how she acts.

“No more shopping sprees / No more late night creeps / No more VIP / No more dough / We can’t even kick it no more”

Oran “Juice” Jones “The Rain”

The classic Def Jam record chronicles the story of a man who catches his woman on a date with another man, and concludes with the hilarious confrontation.

“Did you miss me? I missed you too. I missed you so much I followed you today.”

Eminem “Kim”

Raw emotion makes for great art. Eminem wrote this murderous tale after his on/off girlfriend Kim (hence the title) cheated on him. This one still gives me chills to this day.

“Never knew me cheating on you would come back to haunt me / But we was kids then Kim, I was only 18 / That was years ago / I thought we wiped the slate clean”

Erykah Badu “Tyrone”

This classic song about a woman kicking her man to the curb even had the fellas conceding defeat.

“I think you better call Tyrone / But you can’t use my phone”

D’Angelo “S**t, Damn, M**********r”

R&B’s Howard Hughes sings about catching his wife with his best friend. Violence ensues.

“I’m ’bout to go get my nine / and kill both of y’alls behinds”

Click here to watch D’Angelo perform this live!

TLC “No Scrubs”

Labeled male bashers by every man after the song dropped, only the ones that fit the description should’ve been mad at T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli.

“I don’t want your number / No / I don’t wanna give you mine / And no / I don’t wanna meet you nowhere / No / I don’t want none of your time”

Sporty Thievz “No Pigeons”

Of course the men had to respond to TLC. Sporty Thievz came through with their sole hit and gave TLC what for.

“Y’all chicks ain’t gettin’ nada / Uh oh! / Your p*ssy ain’t worth the Ramada / Uh oh! / Anyway your friend looks hotter / Uh oh! / Game is somethin’ we got a lot of”

Kelis “Caught Out There”

Kelis’ debut single was definitely the tale of a woman scorned and helped make her a household name.

“So sick of your games / I’ll set your truck to flames / And watch it blow up, blow up”

Method Man & D’Angelo “Break Ups 2 Make Ups”

Method Man confronts his ex-girl about her cheating ways and gives her no hope of ever rekindling their relationship.

“All up in my face acting overzealous / Like you want somethin from Meth / I hope it ain’t love girl / Cause I ain’t got none left for you”

Justin Timberlake “Cry Me A River”

Rumored to be about his break-up with Britney Spears, the video did nothing to squash those rumors with a girl that oddly resembled Spears getting dissed.

“Girl I refuse / You must have me confused with some other guy / The bridges were burned / Now its your turn / To Cry / So cry me a river”

RZA “Domestic Violence”

The Wu-Tang leader’s graphic song detailing an argument between him and his girl was shocking when it first came out, and is still just as shocking now!

“What the f*ck y’all birds talking about? / Get the f*ck out my house / ‘Fore I grab you by your hair and slap d*ck to your mouth”

BONUS:  Marvin Gaye Here My Dear LP

Marvin Gaye’s 1978 album, Here My Dear, is the ultimate tale of love gone wrong.  In an unprecedented move, Marvin agreed to give his ex-wife, Anna Gordy, the proceeds from his next album.  Initially Marvin planned to record a throwaway album and have it fail, but instead he grew fascinated with the concept and recorded one of the most etherous albums and released it on his ex-wife’s brother’s (Berry Gordy) label.

Anna contemplated suing Marvin for invasion of privacy after hearing the album for the first time.

“I guess I’ll have to say this album is / Dedicated to you. / Although perhaps you may not be happy, / this is what you want / So I conceded. / I hope it makes you happy. / There’s a lot of truth in it, babe.”

Or how about this gem?

“You got a flair for style / And the style is all the while / What could i do? / The judge said she got to keep on living the way she accustomed to.”

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After that of Helen Folasade Adu, the return of Michael D’Angelo Archer is easily the most anticipated  music. It almost seems unfair to let loose unfinished, unmastered test-drives he takes in the studio to a thirsty and critical fanbase but after waiting this long it’s hard not to.

D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” Still Casting Spells 10 Years Later

This little nugget called “1000 Deaths” popped up in my inbox and I couldn’t help but post it. Longtime collaborator ?uestlove says, “for the record I had absolutely nothing to do with this leak. I have a version of this but this was back in 2005. This is way more developed than the version I had.” He dates it to around 2008-2009.

THE LEAK: Sade “Skin,” “In Another Time,” “Moon”

Half of it is passionate moaning and incoherent exclamations but the funk is undeniable. (Producers take note: open drums at around 6:12. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.)

On January 25, 2000, R&B and soul music fans all over the country were flocking to record stores to pick up the long-awaited sophomore release from D’angelo, Voodoo.

Fans had been waiting for what seemed like forever for the follow-up to his debut album, 1995′s Brown Sugar.  That album catapulted D’Angelo to superhero status as he was appointed the man who would save black music from the Bad Boy era of shiny suits and songs built around 80′s pop hits.  Voodoo was to be the nail in the coffin.

Unfortunately, the pressure took its toll on D’Angelo and after bouts with writers block, rumors of drug addiction, and so on, Voodoo was constantly delayed and it seemed like it would never see the light of day.

When the album finally hit stores in January of 2000, I was confused.

The album’s sparse production coupled with D’Angelo’s often indecipherable singing made me wonder “what the hell took so long??” But as it goes with any classic album, its genius unfolded over time.  It became crystal clear that the time spent working on the album wasn’t wasted.

BP Group Spotlight: Neo Soul Luvers

D’Angelo and his team for this album spent that time studying.  Countless hours were spent in Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studio watching bootlegged episodes of Soul Train, Prince concert footage, James Brown television performances, and even more were spent with D’Angelo and his band warming up in the studio by recording covers of their favorite songs that they probably never even intended to release.

Songs like Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s 70′s funk classic “Superman Lover”

These figures that D’Angelo and his crew immersed themselves in became known as the Yodas, a reference to the powerful Jedi master in the Star Wars films who trained Luke Skywalker in the ways of the force. D’angelo, obviously, was Luke Skywalker.

And learn the ways of a Jedi master, D’Angelo did.

One close listen to the record and you can feel the influence of the Ohio Players (“Playa Playa”), Prince (“Untitled,” “Africa,” “Chicken Grease”), Kool & The Gang (“Send It On”), Al Green (“Greatdayndamornin/Booty”), Sly & The Family Stone (“Feel Like Making Love”), Parliament-Funkadelic (“Left & Right”), James Brown (“Chicken Grease”), and the youngest of the Yodas, the late J Dilla (“Feel Like Making Love”).

After the lukewarm reception to the lead single from the album, “Left & Right” featuring Method Man & Redman, D’Angelo shot the classic “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” video which caused many a woman to shift in her seat, and sent many men scrambling to the gym to recapture their women’s attention due to the fact that the video featured nothing more than a very sweaty and very naked D’Angelo shot from the waist up standing in front of a black backdrop and asking his female viewers “How Does It Feel” over and over again. This video would be the tipping point in D’Angelo’s career and mark the beginning of his downward spiral.

On D’Angelo’s tour in support of Voodoo, the old-school soul revue stage performance was overshadowed by throngs of women who were only there for “Untitled” and wanted to see him nearly naked.

?uestlove Talks D’Angelo & New Roots Album!

In a 2003 interview with Touré published in The Believer, ?uestlove, who left The Roots temporarily to tour with D’Angelo, spoke on how the catcalls affected D’Angelo.

Some nights on tour he’d look in the mirror and say, “I don’t look like the video” It was totally in his mind, on some Kate Moss shit. So, he’d say, “Lemme do 200 more stomach crunches.” He’d literally hold the show up for half an hour just to do crunches. We would hold the show for an hour and a half if he didn’t feel mentally prepared or physically prepared. Some shows got canceled because he didn’t feel physically prepared, but it was such a delusion…

In the world of karma, it was sweet poetic justice for any woman that’s ever been sexually harassed, that’s ever had to work twice as hard just to prove she could work like a man. Literally. When we started this Voodoo project, we were like, “Man, we’re gonna give a gift to the world, and not on a pretentious level. We’re gonna create something that’s totally our world, and we’re gonna bring people to our world and they’re gonna love it, and it’s gonna be art.” But the first night of the Voodoo tour the “take-it-off” chants started not ten minutes into the show. This is a three-hour show. And he had mastered all the tricks from the Yodas. The Al Green Yoda tricks of him giving a wink to the drummer, and all the music stops, and Al Green goin away from the mic and singing to the audience without the microphone. We planned every trick out. But the girls are like, “Take it off! Take it off!” That put too much pressure on him…

They wanted “Untitled.” He hated every moment of that. So… to motivate him past night four became problematic. He’d say, “Well, [frustrated] let’s do ‘Untitled’ earlier.” We’d say, “No, you gotta end with ‘Untitled.’” Then it became just compromise. How can we stop the bleeding so that we can at least get the show out [of] the way before the “take it off” chants come? But no night was unscathed. Three weeks into it, it became unbearable. Absolutely unbearable. So as a result, the cheerleading starts. If we need him to get out of his disappointment, depression thing, you might have to start at four o’clock in the afternoon like, “What’s up, man [with exaggerated happiness]! Yo, let’s go record shopping!” Like, let’s con him into being happy all day! We go record shopping, then it’s like, “Let’s go to Roscoe’s! Oh, that’s right, you can’t eat, so you go exercise. All right, Mark [the physical trainer], you’re it.” Mark comes, trains him. I come back. “Yo, man! I got this new Prince joint!” We watch Prince. We get amped. Rewind it a couple times. “Alright, you ready? I’ma get dressed, and in fifteen minutes we’ll get in the car, go to the venue.” Some nights that would work. Other nights he’d just be psychosomatic. Like, “Yo man, I can’t do it.” I’m like, “What?” He’s like, “I can’t do it.” I’m like, “Just go out there. They love you!” He’s like, “They don’t love me, man.” That’s the respect and love thing. He wants the respect. I want the love…

Had he known what the repercussions of “Untitled” would’ve been, I don’t think he would’ve done it.

Despite a few run-ins with the law and a bad car accident, D’Angelo has largely been like the Howard Hughes of black music.  He’s rarely heard from, and seen even less.  His released output in the last 10 years has been limited to guest appearances and can be counted on one hand (The RH Factor’s “I’ll Stay”, Common “So Far To Go”, Q-Tip “I Believe”, and an unreleased version of The Roots’ “Break You Off” immediately come to mind)

So will D’Angelo ever come back into the public eye?

He recently signed a record deal with J Records (please, no duets with Alicia Keys, Clive!) and has indeed been working on the follow-up to Voodoo. But only God and D’Angelo himself know when the rest of us will get a chance to hear what he’s been conjuring up in the studio.

The music of Teddy Pendergrass was reintroduced to a new generation of listeners through Hip-Hop & R&B music in the 90s.Artists like Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, D’angelo, Ghostface Killah, and more mined through Teddy P’s music to produce songs of their own that would become classics in their own right.  See if you can spot the samples of Teddy Pendergrass’ music in these songs.

Jay-Z feat. Beanie Sigel & Scarface “This Can’t Be Life”
One of the first times Jay-Z rocked over a Kanye West beat was on this song from The Dynasty: Roc La Familia in 2000.  The song uses a sample of Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes “I Miss You.”

Ahmad “Back In The Day”
Perhaps the most popular song that ever sampled Teddy Pendergrass, Ahmad’s early 90′s lamentation on childhood was built around a loop of “Love TKO.”

D’angelo “Devil’s Pie”
The DJ Premier produced banger from D’angelo’s Voodoo album was constructed using the first couple of seconds of Teddy Pendergrass’ “And If I Had.”  Mobb Deep also sampled “And If I Had” on their song “Cradle To The Grave.”

Ghostface Killah feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna “Camay”
The RZA freaked a sample of Teddy’s voice in “Can’t We Try” for this track off of Ghostface’s debut album, Ironman

Jaheim feat. Tha Rayne “Fabulous”
Jaheim’s vocal style is obviously influenced by Teddy Pendergrass. His single “Fabulous” also samples Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes’ “Wake Up Everybody.”

The B.U.M.S. “Elevation (Free My Mind)”
The B.U.M.S. had a minor hit in 1995 with the “Close The Door” sampling “Elevation (Free My Mind).”

Shade 45′s DJ Wonder put together this excellent mix of classic Teddy Pendergrass songs and songs that sampled Teddy’s music.  Hear these songs and more over at TeamYee.tv.

Angie Stone sits down with Ms. Drama about her new album, Unexpected, and the meaning of it. She also talks about her new image and how she was able to get back on track after dealing with a harmful prescription drug.

While The Roots can now count on their new gig as Jimmy Fallon’s house band to pay the bills, their love for music is still as strong as ever. In a recent interview with weeklydig.com, ?uestlove touched on his work with D’Angelo, as well as the next Roots project.

What was once seen as a shelved project, D’Angelo has plans to release his follow-up to 2000′s Voodoo this year. ?uest, who has worked side by side with the R&B singer on several past projects, will also make his mark on D’Angelo’s new disc.

“The last I touched this record was in 2004, and that was when he was going all the way rock,” ?uestlove said. “However, I am to believe at least in our conversations that he did 100 percent just actually a clean slate…I’m one of the last elements to be added. Which basically means he’s at least more than halfway done, which in D’Angelo speak is a miracle.”

Settling down for “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” The Roots will still do one-off gigs on the weekends to keep their live performances fresh. Not only that, but they are reportedly already getting material together for their next album.

“We started our 11th [album], I’ll say three weeks ago, before we came over [to South Korea],” ?uestlove explained. Continuing, he added, “I assume that all our studio activity will triple now that we are in one steady place. Not to mention, we actually convinced [NBC] to build us a studio in the dressing room.”

SOURCE: HipHopDX

The Urban Daily and Celebrate 44 salutes the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, with a list of outgoing support and love from the best and brightest from all over black America. From Chris Paul to the reclusive D’Angelo, go through and check out what the stars of today hope to see from the commander-in-chief of tomorrow.

Usher’s “New Day”
Chris Paul’s “New Day”
Akon’s “New Day”
Bow Wow’s “New Day”
Mary Mary’s “A New Day”
Carmelo Anthony’s “A New Day”
Keri Hilson’s “A New Day”
La La Vazquez’s “A New Day”
D’Angelo’s “A New Day”

After hearing rumors of a D’Angelo and Diddy partnership through Bad Boy Records, D’Angelo has come forward to clear things up.

“While both gentleman hold one another in the highest regard, the stories circulating in the press are totally false,” D’Angelo’s manager Lindsay Guion told All Hip Hop.

D’Angelo’s highly anticipated third album had been rumored to be a Bad Boy effort but his manager insists the “Brown Sugar” crooner is signed to J Records (RCA Music Group).

For more on this story go to Allhiphop.com

Q-Tip and Kobe Bryant have a lot in common (and no, it has nothing to do with Nas’ baby mother ). As a member of A Tribe Called Quest Kamaal obtained two (and some would argue three) championship rings with the classic Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders. But since parting ways with Phife, Shaheed and Jarobi in 1998, the MC/Actor/DJ and Nicole Kidman dater has been on a quest …er..mission…to obtain a ring on his own.

His first solo effort, Amplified, certainly sold as many units as any Tribe record and changed the genre of hip-hop music videos forever with the bootylicious “Vivrant Thang,” but doesn’t live in folks hearts like his group effort. Amplified was followed by the now commonplace “rappa-turnt-singer” experiment, Kamaal The Abstract, that only lives on the hard drives of a few industry insiders.

After many false starts and name changes (this collection was originally dubbed Live At The Renaissance) Q-Tip has finally deemed his years of work worthy of the masses and the timing couldn’t be better.

Musically, The Renaissance is a compromise between the fun-loving b-boy leanings of Amplified and the ambitious, live instrumentation of Kamaal The Abstract. The bright and inspirational lead single “Gettin’ Up” is built around the pianos of Black Ivory’s “You And I” and is complemented by some extraordinary live bass guitar work. It seems that Tip is channeling his inner rock star as the six-stringed wooden instrument is at the heart of many of the songs, either as a sample or played. From the opening cut “Johnny Dead” to the melancholy but satisfying “You” and “Shaka” Tip gives the sound beds a lush twang, as if he took the J-Dilla produced “Let’s Ride” (with its sample of Joe Pass’ “Giant Steps“) from Amplified and used it as the inspiration for much of this project.

Where Q-Tip surprises is in his lyrical dexterity. Though he is a competent MC with many memorable lines, Tip is rarely mentioned in arguments about “top 5 dead or alive.” However, on The Renaissance he delivers some much- needed, heartfelt couplets that will serve as motivational ear candy for the minority of listeners that still pay attention to such things. On the ambidextrous “We Fight We Love” he laments a war of the hearts and just war in general: “…you get to travel the world, it’s cheaper than college, and you get guns and you get knowledge, lookin for your soul and WMDs, you can’t find nothin’ because it’s empty…”"

Fighting for the hearts and minds of listeners is probably what has delayed the completion of this project: how to make common sense and good vibes relevant in the ring tone era. As a result some gems like the Andre 3000 collab “That’s Sexy” ended up on the cutting room floor but “Believe” got a much needed makeover since the first draft that leaked last year. In the end Q-Tip has succeeded in striking a balance that will satisfy fans of ATCQ while establishing his artistic sovereignty. The verdict is still out on whether The Renaissance brings Tip the championship that he has been seeking but he has made a clear and present case for being a franchise player in this league.

Steal these: “Official” “Life Is Better” (f/Norah Jones)

Watch this: Q-Tip making a beat that will hopefully be a remix to “You” or something

And for even more Tip, watch the highlights of his midnight in-store appearance at New York’s legendary Fat Beats record store below: