D'Angelo Is
a small piece about D'Angelo's impact
Which one came first, Black people or Neo-Soul? Some may say it’s obviously the former but I was think about how Neo-Soul is rooted in love, soul, sex, and resistance, so who’s to say that didn’t come first? It’s the musical embodiment of new imaginings for Black relationships. We’re forever indebted to the greats for their stories of love and hope.
If you’re like me and never expected to be this sad over an artist you weren’t a diehard fan of, it’s because you never needed to be—his work surpassed the concept of “standom”. If you’re Black you know that D’Angelo always was—and is. He is woven throughout the foundation of Black cultures and Black futures.
D’Angelo’s entire essence speaks to the innate creativity and invention of Black being, which is why his passing feels so weighted. But he lives on through his art.
As long as music exists, D’Angelo will always be.
He Is.
(word to Brandy).
