_, _ That was how I came to be standing outside a sound studio on 11th Avenue in Manhattan late on the night of January 23. Herewith, a few outtakes: _. But you’ve got to take time off. That’s a comment from Chris Rock in a fascinating new GQ profile of neo-soul singer D’Angelo, who is in the midst of mounting a comeback after more than a decade away from the spotlight. On what it was like for D to perform in Stockholm in January, his first concert in more than a decade: "It was scary," D will tell me later, reflecting on playing the guitar in public for the first time. Ad Choices, D'Angelo Russell Is Exactly Where He Wants to Be. Play cards, often. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Every year, you have to gauge if you’re a part of the business, trades, contract extensions, or if you can be a guy who’s locked into a contract and not have to worry about it, can really sleep at night. D’Angelo Resurfaces in GQ Magazine 24 May Approximately 12 years ago, R&B heartthrob D’Angelo was the male definition of “sex symbol” as his music, though centered around the theme of sex, contained the sensuality that R&B possessed during the 90s era. Robert Deangelo in Virginia. All 19 pieces in the collection—dubbed Spring Fashion Selected by D’Angelo Russell—launch in H&M stores and on HM.com on February 27. _A friend forwarded the breaking news on the first day of December, 2011: after 12 years without a new record or a public performance, after countless false starts and rumored comebacks, D'Angelo was heading to Europe for a mini-tour. In addition to "Ain't That Easy" and the irresistible dance number, "Sugar Daddy," there is a song Questlove compares to Herbie Hancock called "The Charade." LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. You’ve got a lot of the top players in these big markets, and then these guys on the other teams with smaller markets—those opportunities elevate now. "Ain't no justice/It's just us/Ash to ashes/Dust to dust," D sang so insistently on Voodoo. I told myself I’d be better at getting out and experiencing the cities and doing that, but it’s just like, I could be resting, or I could be doing something to put into my work. What kind of stuff are you eating? I’m trying to get the most out of my calories. You come into the league with the people you come into the league with. Spin magazine would call "Devil's Pie," the album's centerpiece, "a sweaty, head-nodding sermon against the evil seduction of hip-hop materialism." Then, the music stops, and D bursts through the door. Brooklyn’s a great franchise, but they were in a different place when you went there than Golden State’s in right now. You may not have the outcomes that you want, but when they go your way, it’s a treat, it’s fun. D was due to board a plane to Stockholm the next day—this was the final state-side rehearsal—but I hadn't met him yet. Shirt, by Yohji Yamamoto at Barneys New York / Pants, $995, by Dolce & Gabbana / Shoes, $395, by Allen Edmonds / Watch, his own, by Audemars Piguet / Hat, $140, by Stampd / Socks, $3, by Uniqlo. According to a GQ article, D’Angelo was five-years-old when his parents split up. So you’re a younger guy coming into the league, you think you’re this and that, but really you’re just something more simplified. Even his first album, Brown Sugar, had been audacious—with its references to "Chocolate Thai," has often been presumed to be an ode to the powers of good weed, while "Shit, Damn, Motherf*cker" was as dark and ominous as anything since Sly the Family Stone's "There's a Riot Goin' On." D’Angelo wrote “U Will Know,” the 2004 song by Black Men United, an all-star collective that included … You might have seen pictures of Jill Scott a while ago that may have confused you just a bit. "It's about the disenfranchised," he says. Have you spent much time out there? "I didn't want to stop being, you know, the rambunctious mug that I was, because that's what made my music what it was. It occurs to me that the Nat Turner Rebellion of 1831, in which slaves rose up and killed more than 50 white people, the only sustained slave rebellion in the South's history, took place in D's home state of Virginia. After all, they've had to go hungry for more than a decade. Singer D’Angelo rode a wave of R&B popularity in the ’90s before his chiseled body threatened to overshadow his music and he vanished into addiction for more than a decade. I don’t have a house there, nothing. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. Have you been seeking wines out, or is it more when you go to a place, you’re paying attention? He's worth investing in because there's nobody like him.". D'Angelo tells GQ in the music business 'you have to be careful' thecaxtonpress. From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. I wanted to know more about D—and to solve the mystery of where he'd been (and why he'd stayed away) for so long. I don’t really enjoy the cheap wine. Last year, D’Angelo Russell had one of those seasons NBA players make vision boards about. I enjoy wine. Yeah, I would say the more experience you get, the more you know what type of player you are. I’m not really a bad eater—I try to stay away from that as much as I can. What other support structures do you have to keep you sane and help you get through the season off the court? It’s becoming a more guard-oriented league, positionless basketball, to the point where guys with the strengths of a normal big wouldn’t stand out anymore like they would two, three, four years ago. In his first interview (and magazine shoot) in 12 years, D’Angelo talks to the June 2012 issue of GQ Magazine about what he’s been up to in his time off from music, why he left the industry without warning over 10 years ago, his run-ins with the law, his struggles with substance abuse and more. Now I don’t know who’s on whose team. Despite assurances that it's 97-percent done, D hasn't locked his third. May go to dinner, drink a glass or two of wine, talk shit, talk about the game. _, _ Growing up in southwest Ohio in the 1970s, I'd been steeped in the music that D'Angelo would later love: Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind Fire, Parliament, the Isley Brothers, Ohio Players—and, eventually, Prince. © 2021 Condé Nast. It's not like suddenly there's gonna be three other D'Angelos, and we're going to be like, 'Oh, well, we could have invested in these three guys.' But D's onstage persona was more muted—it simmered, but didn't burn. Even through a closed door, D's voice commands attention. "I tried to fight, I guess, what typically fame quote-unquote does to people," he says. You got a lot of the same-size guys on the court, so you gotta figure out other ways to contribute. I would say just being a consistent professional. Tales of the Voodoo recording sessions at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, built by Jimi Hendrix in 1970, have become lore. I feel like, with guys in the league these days, something happens in the offseason and people are constantly putting out their interpretation of what happened. Coming into the league, you don’t know how to take care of your body and recover in the proper ways and things of that sort. P.O. Ad Choices, Exclusive extras from Amy Wallace's time with the R&B legend, profiled in the June 2012 issue of. Michael Eugene Archer was born Feb. 11, 1974 in Richmond, Virginia. I know there are guys who are nuts. SECTION SF 30 BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE . He was willing to admit that carnal love had left him not just wounded, but wrecked. When he turned nine, his dad began “battling his own demons.” So D’Angelo and his siblings packed up and moved back in with their mom. I always liked clothes. I think one of the most interesting things about the NBA right now is you guys aren’t just basketball players. Do you feel like you’ve learned about being that guy? Presciently, D'Angelo goes on to chide himself: _"Who am I to justify/ All the evil in our eye/ When I myself feel the high/From all that I despise/ Behind the jail or in the grave/I have to lay in this bed I made." So I enjoyed it, actually. The older you get, the guys you see doing it, the older guys you see doing it, taking care of their body 365 days a year, it’s contagious. It is dark, dense and mysterious and makes the most of D's newfound prowess on the guitar. … Rondo’s one of the guys that I’ve seen take care of his body in the offseason. Is there a consistent plan, or is it just good food? Dominique Trenier and Kevin Liles, D's managers, are both here. I give credit to a lot of the older guys that paved the way. In the piece, writer Amy Wallance explores how … The plane for Stockholm leaves tomorrow; everyone's getting picked up at noon. Is that the stuff you’re doing off the court, in terms of taking care of yourself? CONTRACT NUMBER: GS00Q09BGD0025 MODIFICATION NUMBER: PS09 Page 2 of 10 . I mean, either you’re a part of the business, or you’re sitting back and you’re not a part of it. Who are some of the guys that you feel like you’ve really looked at and taken things away from? Voodoo was nothing if not raw. Yeah, hell yeah. Start swimming. Spades. Contents I think that elevated my game. [PHOTOS] Posted By lilD. And then I’ve got my dogs, so it’s just a whole family vibe that we’ve got going. "; Nicki Minaj showed up at this year's Grammys with a faux Pope as her date. As a player, you guys are close, you know guys across the league. Yeah. Since the Roots drummer has a day job now (he's the bandleader on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), most of the work on the album has had to be done between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. After one seven-week stretch of pre-dawn sessions and little sleep, an exhausted Questlove contracted coxsackie virus. Why not? That’s where my brothers come in handy, man. "Drugs and thugs/ Women wine/Three or four/ At a time/ Watch them stand all in line/For a slice of the devil's pie." D’Angelo’s friend/former music A&R, Gary Harris (C) and Jam Master Jay of Run DMC (R); via Pinterest Honestly, I kind of just winged it, and then a lot of doors have opened when it came to fashion. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. I’m part-time vegan. I’m not superstitious, but when it comes to routine and rhythm, I try to do the same things after games. Find Robert Deangelo's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. He's the son and the grandson of Pentecostal preachers. They help manage all my everyday [needs]—it makes my life easier when I’m just playing and training in season. A perfectionist, he wishes he'd had more of an active interplay with the audience. I would say [Rajon] Rondo. Yeah, yeah. That’s the main focus, I would say, just trying to see where you are, [and to] be honest with yourself. The album was met with critical acclaim and fared well on music charts, peaking at number five on the US Billboard 200. I hired a full-time chef, so I wasn’t taking that time to order pizzas or eat Wild Wings or stuff like that. And it’s got to be nice knowing that you don’t have to be the guy who has everything on his back. There's a lull, and then a familiar chord progression. No, not at all. Then you’re playing in the right place next year. I ask someone who has a closely-guarded copy to let me hear "1000 Deaths." King first met the 22-year-old D'Angelo, Vibe magazine reported in 2000, the bluesman remarked that D had an old soul. When I catch a reference to "the deceiver," I can't help but think: this song—twisted, almost atonal, multi-layered—is about that forked-tongued devil, Fame. I enjoy wine. Just jump in the pool, you know?' We gather, listening, in the lounge outside Montana Studios' fourth floor rehearsal space on 11th Avenue. But there was something urgent about the music, something at once revelatory and messy, heavenly and earth-bound. In addition to D'Angelo, Common and Erykah Badu were also recording there, and after awhile, they were all visiting each other's sessions, offering insights and sharing beats. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. In his first major print interview in several years, the soul singer spoke with GQ magazine.In the feature, D’Angelo discusses “evil” present in the music industry, how he felt after the success of the “Untitled” video, and what it was like being hit on by Madonna.. D’Angelo on the evil in music: There may be a pattern to his first two stints in the league, but the aftertaste couldn’t be more different this time around: In 2017, he landed on a haggard Nets team that had won a mere 20 games the season before; in 2019, he becomes the latest world-beater to join the premier franchise in the NBA. It’s kind of hard to travel with them or do anything like that. We’ve got some excerpts for you here: R&B Singer And Mother Of D’Angelo’s Son Angie … On a TV monitor on the floor, footage of Brown making his signature moves flickers soundlessly—an assistant is burning DVDs of classic soul tracks for D and his band to watch on the tour bus. I play cards after every game. And probably would again. How do you feel going to a franchise like Golden State and entering that kind of environment? And how extreme are you? Being a guy who realized, “I’ve got to give it all I can give it, I’ve got to be 100 percent committed,” do you think that’s the big divider between the guys who make the leap in year four or five versus the guys who slide into more of a lower-rotation role? Career Success. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. It’s a true blessing that it went in my favor. Such runaway success had the added benefit of making the Los Angeles Lakers take a long, mopey look in the mirror: L.A. drafted the point guard second overall out of Ohio State in 2015, then shipped him out of town after just two seasons. © 2021 Condé Nast. My friend Raphael Saadiq was like, 'Yo, man, you've just got to jump in. The following scene is one of several that didn't make it into the lengthy profile of D'Angelo that appears in the June issue of GQ (when you travel with an artist for a week, from New York to Stockholm to Copenhagen to Paris, you collect a huge amount of material). From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. REVISED Contract Section B.5 CONTRACT ACCESS FEE in its entirety as follows: B.5 CONTRACT ACCESS FEE . Posted May 22, 2012. 1. Obviously, when you’re on a team, you carry them to the playoffs, you have the best season of your career and become an All-Star, and then you end up leaving town. That constitutes grown ass man doing what a grown ass man wants to do. D'Angelo GQ Interview Discussion in 'Celebrity News and Gossip' started by aGOLDENbox, May 21, 2012. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. Not just a good pro, but somebody who’s getting the best out of life as a guy in the league. He’s definitely someone I’ve gotten a lot of jewels from. Because I’ve been through a few different scenarios to where it molded me into learning about the business side of this league. 19 Apr 2016. When B.B. Cabs, pinots. ", Edge says it's a bet he had to make. Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. "There's so much money behind it now that there's very little room for humanity, for specialness," he says. In Europe, he unveiled several songs he thinks will be on it. I’ve felt like a teenager my whole career; they’ve made it so easy. It happens to the best of them, you know: At some point in everyone's career, it was like the music lost its bite. Yeah, for sure. Individually wrapped sandwiches or wraps, chips and/or Cookies. I think I have nothing but knowledge to learn from being around all those guys. Yeah, yeah. "Who was more human than Aretha Franklin back in the day? SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE. Well the ensemble was all a part of her one of her looks for Vh1 Storytellers. That's just fine with D. He tells me art, not commerce, is his fuel. Honestly, humbly, I feel like the same player. The following scene is one of several that didn't make it into the lengthy profile of D'Angelo that appears in the June issue of GQ (when you travel with an artist for a … Yeah. Despite the precious distraction, Russell still managed to talk about taking the next step in his career, the happy ending to his tumultuous offseason, and falling in step with the league’s hottest new trend. "It's black music thinking — it's black music manifested outside of the box. You know what I mean? In the dozen years since D'Angelo's last record, many artists have tapped into the transcendent themes that he so memorably explored. You can be whatever you want to be. Several have gone so far as to proclaim themselves sanctified: Jay Z has long called himself "J H.O.V.A. D says I'm wrong. That must be such a challenge of playing. Says Harris today: "He's the oldest young man you'll ever meet.". The lead vocal is so distorted—like the moans and groans of a Negro spiritual—that D could almost be speaking in tongues. _, **On how the "fame cycle" of the music business set D'Angelo back: **, The guitarist Charlie Hunter, who played on the Voodoo album, says he blames not the "Untitled" video as much as what he calls the broader "fame cycle" of the music business. How much do you actually get to know the city? Heck yeah, for sure. Not yet. He admits to being nervous. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. D'Angelo, by contrast, was always the uneasy, unwilling prophet. He's barely had three. You are what you're around. Are you a guy that’s gonna go through this in a way that you can’t control, or are you gonna be a guy who’s controlling the whole situation? Yeah, you can be sick with it. It's not one of D's songs, but David Bowie's "Space Oddity." Come home, chill with my guys. Watch D'Angelo jam out on the set of his GQ photo shoot.Still haven't subscribed to GQ on YouTube? What are some of the things you’ve started doing? "Crawling through a systematic maze to demise," it begins, and D sings the line with a seething fury. ", That argument was just one of many D was having in his own head. Is there anything that you’ve been thinking about? — D’Angelo in the June 2012 issue of GQ magazine regarding his drug problem and stints in rehab. May 22, 2012 #31. On Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's role in D's career: D asked Questlove to help him come up with the playlist for the European tour, just as D had asked for his help on his upcoming album.