1) US soul singer, songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴D'Angelo is the name of more than one artist
1) US soul singer, songwriter & producer
2) Brazilian jazz/samba group
1) D'Angelo (born Michael Eugene Archer on 11 February 1974 in Richmond, VA, United States) is a neo-soul singer, keyboardist, and guitarist. He has released three albums, "Brown Sugar" (1995), "Voodoo" (2000), and "Black Messiah" as D'Angelo and the Vanguard (2014).
D'Angelo signed a publishing deal with EMI Music in 1991 after catching the attention of record executives with a demo tape. He penned the hit song "U Will Know" on the Jason's Lyric soundtrack. It was performed by Black Men United for the Jason's Lyric motion picture soundtrack. Shortly after, he was signed by Gary Harris and he began recording his debut album for EMI records.
Brown Sugar was released in June 1995. Though sales were sluggish at first, the album was eventually a hit, due in large part to "Lady," a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, peaking at #10. The album earned platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, following sales in excess of one million copies in the U.S., while its total sales have been estimated within the range of 1.5 million to over two million copies. The album helped give commercial visibility to the burgeoning neo soul movement of the 1990s, along with debut albums by Maxwell, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill. The album was a critical success as well, and appeared on many critics' "best of" lists for the year.
Following his debut album's success, D'Angelo went into a four and a half year absence from the music scene and releasing solo work. His recordings for soundtracks included Belly ("Devil's Pie"), frequently singing covers like "Girl You Need a Change of Mind" (Eddie Kendricks, Get on the Bus), "She's Always in My Hair" (Prince, Scream 2) and "Heaven Must Be Like This" (The Ohio Players, Down in the Delta), as well as appearing on Lauryn Hill's landmark The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on the duet "Nothing Even Matters".
The much-delayed follow-up to Brown Sugar, Voodoo, was finally released in 2000. It debuted at #1 and went on to win two Grammy Awards, one for Best R&B Album, and the other for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The lead single, 1999's "Left & Right" (featuring Method Man and Redman) did well, but it was the second single, "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" (a tribute to artist Prince), that became a huge R&B hit buoyed by an innovative yet infamous video featuring a nude D'Angelo from his face to his hips while singing the song. The video was nominated for 4 MTV Video Music Awards and currently ranks #44 in VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Videos. He also performed "Be Here" (with Raphael Saadiq) from Saadiq's album Instant Vintage.
After the release D'Angelo embarked on what would become one of the most fabled series of live soul shows in history, "The Voodoo Tour." Consisting of a live group entitled "the Soultronics," (presumed to have been assembled by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson of The Roots) which engulfed arena-size stages with various dancers and instrument players, it was one of the most attended shows of the year. The tour was taken all around the world, one of the most notable performances being the Free Jazz Festival in Brazil. The live show was a thinly-disguised homage to Prince's late 80's shows, in its grandeur and conceptual stage set-up & setlist. Slum Village (then in its original line-up of Jay Dee, Baatin & T3) opened for D'Angelo on several dates, and soul-tinged R&B singer Anthony Hamilton sang backup in the band.
In 2002, Q magazine named him in their list of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die", and in 2003 Voodoo was ranked at number 488 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Pitchfork Media rated it at #44 on their list of the best albums of the 2000s.
Àfrica
D'Angelo Lyrics
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And here I am, far from home
I dwell within a land that is meant
Meant for many men not my tone, yeah
The blood of God is my defense
Let it drop down to my seed
Showers to your innocence
And with this wood, I beat this drum
We won't see defeat, yeah
From kings to queens becomes a prince
Knowledge and wisdom is understanding what we need
Ever since the day you came
My whole world began to change
I knew then to dedicate my life
For your own (and this day will come)
Everyday, I see you grow
And remember what you already know
I receive, I receive the love
That radiates from your glow
From which you came was love
And that's how it all should be
You and my soul are one
Through all the time and history, yeah
Thank you, thank you
The lyrics of D'Angelo's song Africa are a stirring tribute to the artist's African heritage, expressing both pride and a sense of distance from the continent that is his ancestral home. The first verse lays out this contrast, with D'Angelo acknowledging that he is living in a land that is not his own, though his bloodline goes back generations here. The second verse presents him as a protector, invoking the blood of god as a defense for his children and emphasizing the importance of knowledge and wisdom. The final verse is a heartfelt tribute to the love he shares with his child, seeing their bond as a continuation of the love that brought us all into being.
Overall, the lyrics can be seen as an expression of both pride and longing for Africa, with the artist recognizing the richness of his heritage and the power of his connection to the continent while also acknowledging the many obstacles that have kept him from it. Through it all, though, the spirit of love and connection shines through, a reminder that even when physical distance separates us from our roots, the bonds of family and culture can still endure.
Line by Line Meaning
Africa is my descent
I am from Africa, it is an essential part of my identity
And here I am far from home
I am currently living somewhere else, away from my true home
I dwell within a land that is meant
I am living in a place that was meant for others, not necessarily for me
For many men not my tone
For many men, this land may suit them but not necessarily me, due to differences in culture or race
The blood of god is my defense
God's protection and blessings are what I rely on for safety and security in life
Let it drop down to my seed
May these blessings and protections be perpetually passed down through my descendants
Showers to your innocence
May God's blessings rain down on the pure and innocent
To protect you for all eternity
May God's blessings be a safeguard for my descendants throughout all time
And with this wood I beat this drum
I use this drum to channel my innermost emotions and communicate with others
And we won't see defeat
Through the power of our unity and resilience, we will not experience defeat
From kings to queens becomes a prince
Royalty can be passed on through generations, from kings to queens and ultimately to a prince
Knowledge wisdom is
The pursuit and acquisition of knowledge and wisdom is crucial
Understanding what we need
It is important to understand not just what we want, but what we truly need
Ever since the day you came
From the day you were born or came into my life, everything has been different
My whole world began to change
Your arrival had a profound impact on my life and perspective
I knew then to dedicate my life
I realized then that I should devote my life to taking care of you and providing for you
For your own
For your benefit and well-being
Everyday I see you grow
I witness your growth and development each day
And remember what you already know
I reflect on your knowledge and intelligence that you already possess
I receive the love
I am the recipient of the love and affection that you give so freely
That radiates from your glow
Your inner light and goodness shines outward and touches those around you
From which you came was love
You are the product of a loving relationship
And that's how it all should be
Love should be the foundation of all relationships and interactions
You and my soul are one
Our souls are intertwined and connected as one, beyond any physical or temporal boundaries
Through all the time and history
This connection will endure through all eras and epochs of time
Thank you, thank you
Expressing gratitude for the blessings and love that have been received
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael D'Angelo Archer, Ahmir K. Thompson, Luther Archer, Angela L. Stone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind