“Black Messiah” is the first new album from D’Angelo since “Voodoo” in the year 2000. It was released to Spotify and iTunes at midnight, and it’s on the Red Bull Academy website. Is he even on a label anymore? (Yes, RCA.) D’Angelo, whose real name is Michael Eugene Archer, has made the best album Prince never made via Sly Stone. The first single or any single is “Really Love” and it’s great. What a nice Chanukah present! We may see d’Angelo on Jimmy Fallon this week, as Questlove seems to be very involved with the album.
No clips yet, Hold on til the morning…
from the press release, thanks to RCA:
“‘Black Messiah’ is a hell of a name for an album. It can be easily misunderstood. Many will think it’s about religion. Some will jump to the conclusion that I’m calling myself a Black Messiah. For me the title is about all of us. It’s about the world. It’s about an idea we can all aspire to. We should all aspire to be a Black Messiah. It’s about people rising up in Ferguson and in Egypt and in Occupy Wall Street and everyplace where a community has had enough and decides to make change happen. It’s not about praising one charismatic leader but celebrating thousands of them. Not every song on this album is politically charged (though many are) but calling this album Black Messiah creates a landscape where these songs can live to the fullest. Black Messiah is not one man. It’s a feeling that, collectively, we are all that leader.”
