Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo photographed by Warren Du Preez for Trace Magazine (1999) | Styling: Pierre Cortes By 1999, D’Angelo and Lauryn Hill attained superstar status and ushered in a new wave of hip-hop soul that was rooted in their love of God and R&B.

“Why Sisters Are Excited About D’Angelo” D’Angelo interviewed by Kimberly Davis for Ebony, April 2000 “I consider myself very respectful of the masters who came before. In some ways I feel a responsibility to continue and take cue from what they were doing musically […]"

“Young Soul Rebels”. D’Angelo, Tony Rich, Bryce Wilson & Amel Larrieux of Groove Theory, and Maxwell photographed by Eric Johnson for Vibe Style, April 1996 | Styling by Emil Wilbekin

D’Angelo photographed by Sue Kwon (1996) D’Angelo got his start singing in the church then moved onto R&B, but he was also a hip-hop head. As a teenager, he went by the name “Chilly Chill” and “did little homemade rap tapes & beats while I was also doing R&B music on the side.”

“Soul Man”. D’Angelo photographed by Dah Len & Rossa Cole for Vibe, April 2000 | “I started to see all the connections of music pointing back to Africa and I wanted to express all those genres. Like what Sly was trying to do, like what Prince was trying to do, and Jimi too.”

D’Angelo on the Table of Contents of Vibe, April 2000

D’Angelo on the cover of Vibe, April 2000 | After the success of his 1995 debut album, Brown Sugar, D’Angelo took a 4 1/2 year hiatus from the music industry. The birth of his son w/ former-girlfriend Angie Stone in 1998 inspired him to write again; he spent ‘98-99 writing VooDoo – at Brooklyn, NY

“All Black music is soul music” -D’Angelo, the unofficial ‘Heir to the Throne of Soul Music’ “Soul is the meat of all other kinds of music. This music is satisfying a hunger. It’s a hunger for that sound that I’m hearing underneath all other stuff.” –Amel Larrieux

“Butter Smooth Renaissance: Neo-Soulsters D’Angelo, Groove Theory And Brand New Heavies Leap From The Beats ‘N Blunts Era To Become The Latest Incarnation Of One Of Our Richest Musical Traditions“ D’Angelo, Brand New Heavies, and Groove Theory for The Source, March 1996

“I don’t consider myself an R&B artist. I consider myself a musician and a songwriter. The term R&B doesn’t mean what it used to mean. R&B is pop, that’s the new word for R&B.” –D’Angelo

“Hot Singer D’Angelo Helps Keep Soul Music Alive“ D’Angelo for Jet Magazine, July 3, 2000 “I’m just different. I’m a loner and I’ve always been that way. I’ve always been to myself. I’ve always just had my own way of doing things and it comes out in my music.” (Cont’d)