D'Angelo
A visionary soul singer whose 2000 album 'Voodoo' redefined R&B with its raw, hypnotic grooves, leaving an indelible mark on a generation of musicians.
1974–2025 (age 51)·American musician·Birthday: February 11·Generation X
Biography
D'Angelo's 1995 debut 'Brown Sugar' announced a new, organic direction for R&B. The title track became an anthem. Born in Richmond, Virginia in 1974, the preacher's son melded gospel spirituality with funk and hip-hop at the piano. His 2000 masterpiece 'Voodoo,' recorded with The Soulquarians, explored groove and feeling with meticulous looseness. The video for 'Untitled (How Does It Feel)' unfortunately overshadowed the music's complexity, typecasting him as a sex symbol. Intense scrutiny contributed to a long retreat marked by personal struggles. His 2014 return 'Black Messiah' proved his artistic fire burned brighter than ever. D'Angelo died in 2025.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
D'Angelo was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When D'Angelo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
D'Angelo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2025Died at 51
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
Key Achievements
- Released the landmark album 'Voodoo' in 2000, which won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and is frequently cited as one of the greatest albums of all time.
- His song "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2001.
- His debut album 'Brown Sugar' is certified platinum and is credited with helping to launch the neo-soul movement of the mid-1990s.
- Made a critically acclaimed comeback in 2014 with the album 'Black Messiah,' released with no prior announcement.
Did You Know?
He was a multi-instrumentalist who played most of the instruments on his albums, including piano, drums, and bass.
He was heavily influenced by and often compared to Prince, whom he considered a mentor and friend.
He contributed to the 'Get On The Bus' soundtrack for Spike Lee's film before his own debut album was released.
He was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2025.
“I'm not trying to make a comeback, because I never left.”
