Michael Eugene Archer, better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is associated with the neo soul movement, along with artists like Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, and collaborator Angie Stone.
Erica Abi Wright, known professionally as Erykah Badu, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by R&B, 1970s soul, and 1980s hip hop, Badu became associated with the neo soul subgenre in the 1990s and 2000s along with artists such as D'Angelo and Maxwell. She has been called the Queen of Neo soul. Badu's career began after she opened a show for D'Angelo in 1994 in Fort Worth; record label executive Kedar Massenburg was highly impressed with her performance and signed her to Kedar Entertainment. Her first album, Baduizm, was released in February 1997. It spawned four singles: "On & On", "Appletree", "Next Lifetime" and "Otherside of the Game". The album was certified triple Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her first live album, Live, was released in November 1997 and was certified double Platinum by the RIAA.
Voodoo is the second studio album by American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, released on January 25, 2000, through Virgin Records. D'Angelo recorded the album during 1998 and 1999 at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, with an extensive line-up of musicians associated with the Soulquarians musical collective. Produced primarily by the singer, Voodoo features a loose, groove-based funk sound and serves as a departure from the more conventional song structure of his debut album, Brown Sugar (1995). Its lyrics explore themes of spirituality, love, sexuality, maturation, and fatherhood.
Neo soul is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contemporary R&B. Heavily based in soul music, neo soul is distinguished by a less conventional sound than its contemporary R&B counterpart, with incorporated elements ranging from funk, jazz fusion, hip hop, and African music to pop, rock, and electronic music. It has been noted by music writers for its traditional R&B influences, conscious-driven lyrics, and strong female presence.
Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, released on September 19, 1989, by A&M Records. Although label executives wanted material similar to her previous album, Control (1986), Jackson insisted on creating a concept album addressing social issues. Collaborating with songwriters and record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, she drew inspiration from various tragedies reported through news media, exploring racism, poverty, and substance abuse, in addition to themes of romance. Although its primary concept of a sociopolitical utopia was met with mixed reactions, its composition received critical acclaim. Jackson came to be considered a role model for youth because of her socially conscious lyrics.
Angela Laverne Brown known professionally as Angie Stone, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. She rose to fame in the late 1970s as member of the hip hop trio The Sequence. Soon after, Stone began working with futuristic rap group Mantronix and singer Lenny Kravitz. In the early 1990s, she became a member of the R&B trio Vertical Hold. In 1999, Stone released her solo debut Black Diamond on Arista Records, which was certified gold and spawned the R&B number-one hit "No More Rain ". After transitioning to J Records, she released another gold-seller, Mahogany Soul (2001), which included the hit single "Wish I Didn't Miss You", followed by Stone Love (2004) and The Art of Love & War (2007), her first number-one album on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
"Fantasy" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995), released on September 12, 1995, by Columbia Records as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Carey and Dave Hall, both serving as primary producers alongside Sean Combs. The song heavily samples Tom Tom Club's 1981 song "Genius of Love" and incorporates various other beats and grooves arranged by the former. The song's lyrics describe a woman who is in love with a man, and how every time she sees him she starts fantasizing about an impossible relationship with him. The remix for the song features rap verses from Ol' Dirty Bastard, something Carey arranged to assist in her crossover into the hip-hop market and credited for introducing R&B and hip hop collaboration into mainstream pop culture, and for popularizing rap as a featuring act.
Dedication 2 is the fifth mixtape by Lil Wayne, hosted by DJ Drama. It is a sequel to Lil Wayne's previous mixtape, The Dedication, and is second in DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz series with Lil Wayne. It is one of the few mixtapes in the hip hop genre to be both financially successful and critically acclaimed. Despite its illegal use of unlicensed instrumentals and samples, it was sold through iTunes and retail stores such as Best Buy and FYE, was widely reviewed in the mainstream media, and peaked at #69 on Billboard's "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums” chart. The cover shows Lil Wayne with "Fear God" tattooed on his eyelids. Much of the mixtape showcases Lil Wayne's free associating rhymes and "liquid non-sequiturs."
"Feel Like Makin' Love" is a song composed by singer-songwriter Eugene McDaniels, and recorded originally by soul singer-songwriter Roberta Flack. The song has been covered by several R&B and jazz artists.
Chalmers Edward "Spanky" Alford was an American jazz guitarist. Alford was born in Philadelphia. He was well known for his playing style and use of arpeggiations. He had an illustrious career as a gospel quartet guitar player in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with groups such as the Mighty Clouds of Joy.
Black Messiah is the third studio album by American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, credited to D'Angelo and the Vanguard. It was released on December 15, 2014, through RCA Records, bringing an end to D'Angelo's 14-year hiatus following his 2000 album Voodoo. The album was produced and mostly written by D'Angelo, who collaborated with musicians including percussionist Questlove, bassist Pino Palladino, guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, and horn player Roy Hargrove. He pursued a largely analog and murky funk sound for the record, lending it comparisons to the 1971 Sly & the Family Stone album There's a Riot Goin' On.
Daniel Lopatin, best known by the recording alias Oneohtrix Point Never or OPN, is an American experimental electronic music producer, composer, singer and songwriter. He began releasing synth-based recordings in the mid-2000s, receiving initial acclaim for the 2009 compilation Rifts, and has subsequently explored varied approaches, styles and aesthetics, including sample-based composition, kitschy MIDI production and experimentation with musical clichés.
"Freakum Dress" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé from her second solo studio album B'Day (2006). It was written by Beyoncé, Rich Harrison, Angela Beyincé and Makeba Riddick. "Freakum Dress" is similar to songs that Destiny's Child used to record in the 1990s. The song is complete with whistles, cymbal dominated scatter rhythms and a beat, which is augmented by hi-hats and plinking keyboard pulses. In the song, Beyoncé advises women who have partners with straying eyes to put on alluring dresses and grind on other guys in dance clubs, to regain their affections.
The Occupy Music Tour was an 11-date only concert tour in Europe by American R&B/soul singer D'Angelo. The tour both started and ended in Stockholm, Sweden at the Filadelfiakyrkan. It started on January 26, and ended with a final show on February 10. The singer performed songs from his previous albums and premiered new songs which may appear on his highly anticipated up-coming 2012 album, Black Messiah.
Jordan Asher Cruz, better known as Boots, is an American record producer, singer, rapper, director, animator and songwriter. He first gained recognition in 2013 for his significant contributions to American singer-songwriter Beyoncé's critically acclaimed self-titled fifth studio album. He has been nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year twice.
The Second Coming Tour was a concert tour by American R&B/soul singer D'Angelo. The tour was in support of his third studio album, Black Messiah, with performances of new songs and songs from his previous albums.
To Pimp a Butterfly is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the United States, with production from Sounwave, Terrace Martin, Taz "Tisa" Arnold, Thundercat, Rahki, LoveDragon, Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams, Boi-1da, Knxwledge, and several other high-profile hip hop producers, as well as executive production from Dr. Dre and Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Guest appearances include Thundercat, George Clinton, Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, and Rapsody.
Tracy Clayton is an American writer known as the co-host of the BuzzFeed podcast Another Round, which has been on hiatus since 2017. Her work has been recognized by Fast Company, Ebony, and The Root, who described her as "a superstar at BuzzFeed, the millennial-driven media powerhouse where she writes big, funny things." Clayton was laid off from BuzzFeed in September 2018 amid company-wide downsizing. She hosts the Netflix podcast Strong Black Legends, for which she interviews African Americans in the entertainment industry.
"Unshaken" is a song by American singer-songwriter D'Angelo. It was produced by Daniel Lanois, who wrote the track with D'Angelo and Rocco DeLuca. The song was written for the original soundtrack to the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2. It was released as a digital single through RCA Records on January 4, 2019, and later as part of the game's soundtrack released by Lakeshore Records and Rockstar Games. It was D'Angelo's first piece of new music released since his third studio album, Black Messiah, released in December 2014.
Ben Kane is a producer, engineer and mixer best known for his work with D'Angelo and his studio, Electric Garden.
