Temptation and joyful salvation all in one bite: the allure of D’Angelo’s music lies in his strange, almost erratic, construction of notes that form a cohesive melody, backed by soulful bass. His music is slowly chewing on dark chocolate in a dimly lit room — sweet, mellow and honest — something sacred found between church pews and studio speakers.
A voice smoother than molasses, a torchbearer of the neo-soul movement and a production unlike any other, winning four Grammys over just three albums, D’Angelo soared throughout his musical career. After a long battle against pancreatic cancer, he passed on Oct. 14, 2025.
Born Michael Eugene Archer in Richmond, Virginia, D’Angelo reshaped R&B from the moment Brown Sugar (1995) dropped. With hits like “Lady,” he bridged the spirituality of Marvin Gaye and the experimentation of Prince, ushering in neo-soul’s golden age. His follow-up, Voodoo (2000), recorded with Questlove, Pino Palladino, Raphael Saadiq and J Dilla, fused funk, gospel and jazz into something timeless. “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” made him a star and a recluse. After a 14-year hiatus, Black Messiah (2014) returned him to the spotlight, a politically charged masterpiece that cemented him as both artist and prophet. To truly show the soul of D’Angelo’s music, let's dive into my personal favorites.
5. “Alright” – Brown Sugar
Oh, Brown Sugar, the album that you are. D’Angelo built it around an intoxicating haze of mismatched notes that somehow melt into perfection. “Alright” opens with the playful giggle of funk guitars and slow, syrupy wahs that dissolve into spiraling Rhodes scales, oozing like honey until the bassline and drums settle in. At first listen, I was reminded of Sade’s “No Ordinary Love”, the way the heavy bass notes flirt with each other in a distinct pattern. Listen to them side by side and you'll see what I mean. In the context of a relationship, this song reminds you that everything will be alright. Through fickle quarrels and heated arguments, D’Angelo lulls you to a resolution.
4. “Spanish Joint” – Voodoo
Puff, puff, pass. Whoo. “Spanish Joint” is morning sunshine filtered through smoke. It smooths, dizzies, and invigorates. This song is one of my favorite uses of bongos by him. Every instrument builds off the other, layering into a tight, funky jam that feels spontaneous yet intentional. The horns burst in with warmth and joy, and his effortless vocal runs glide over the rhythm-like conversation. I love how it feels communall, like you’ve stumbled into the middle of a late-night session where everyone’s lost in the groove. “Spanish Joint” takes the stress off your mind; it invites you to loosen your shoulders and take some time off to just listen.
The song literally just sounds like a smile. The hi-hats shimmer against a crisp funk guitar riff, while D’Angelo’s smooth vocals glide over the groove. Originally appearing on the Space Jam movie soundtrack in 1996 and later resurfacing during his comeback years, “I Found My Smile Again” leans toward the deeper funk of Voodoo. Everything about it feels playful yet deliberate, from the syncopated drums to the light brass touches that lift the melody. It’s a song about rediscovery, reminding himself why he fell in love with rhythm in the first place.
2. “Brown Sugar” – Brown Sugar
Where it all started, the song that gets me drunk on sound alone. Its strange, infamous introduction burrows deep into memory, and no other song compares. The groove bubbles and twists spontaneously into color until you see the full picture; the full melody. It’s the essence of the entire album: sultry, unpolished and effortlessly cool. Every version of this track has my heart, especially the Soul Inside 808 Mix from the deluxe edition, which adds an electric pulse without losing that warm soul. I also enjoy CJ Macintosh's remix, which gives it a Mint Condition pop swing to it. Lyrically, it centers on an enigmatic woman — his “brown sugar” — but the song itself feels like a love letter to rhythm, to sensuality and to the intoxicating pull of D’Angelo’s own sound.
1. “Really Love” – Black Messiah
“Really Love” reigns supreme. It’s an easy masterpiece to miss, nearly six minutes long, and a mysterious intro that initially masks the melody. As a fan of classical music, I was thrilled by D’Angelo’s use of orchestral passages. Dark, brooding strings open the track, accompanied by a whispering voice in a foreign language, before classical guitar enters, reminiscent of Suite Española No. 1, Op. 47, No. 5, “Asturias.” Harps shimmer in, drums snap in perfect sync and the acoustic guitar melody emerges, weaving around a bassline that dances up and down. The result is a song both intimate and grand, a perfect showcase of D’Angelo’s genius for blending classical sophistication with neo-soul warmth. When I listen to “Really Love,” I am amazed at his brilliance in creating a song with such distinctive sections that work together.
Honorable Mentions:
Your Precious Love ft. Erykah Badu
Nothing Even Matters with Lauryn Hill
D’Angelo wasn’t perfect. He struggled with substance abuse, among other things, yet he returned stronger than ever through his music. Even in his periods of silence, his influence never waned. You can hear it in the grooves of Anderson .Paak, the layered textures of Frank Ocean and the playful spirit of Solange. His music showed that vulnerability and groove could coexist, that honesty could be as infectious as rhythm.
As we remember D’Angelo, we don’t just mourn a voice; we celebrate a feeling. His art was never about perfection — it was about presence.
Hosannah Choi is a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at hyc25@cornell.edu.
