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Brown Sugar( 1995)
The Brown Sugar album was released in July 1995 and was certified platinum by the RIAA, receiving rave reviews that credited it with launching the neo-soul movement. The album debuted at # 6 on the US Billboard Top R & B Albums chart and reached # 4 in February 1996, spending over a year on the chart. It sold 300,000 copies in two months and topped the 500,000 mark in October 1995. The singles“ Lady”( which reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100) and the R & B hits“ Brown Sugar” and“ Cruisin’” contributed to its success.
Voodoo( 2000)
After Brown Sugar, D’ Angelo collaborated with artists such as Angie Stone, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill. He also contributed to film soundtracks and released cover versions. His second album, Voodoo, was released in 2000 and debuted at # 1 on the U. S. Billboard 200, receiving rave reviews. The album won the Grammy Award for Best R & B Album, and his third single,“ Untitled( How Does It Feel)”, won him the Grammy Award for Best Male R & B Vocal Performance. Voodoo was ranked 28th on Rolling Stone’ s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The video for“ Untitled( How Does It Feel)”, which showed him naked, greatly contributed to the song’ s popularity and his image as a sex symbol.
Flashmag! Edition 166 Novembre 2025
Personal Struggles and Eclipse
After the success of Voodoo and the world tour that followed, D’ Angelo became increasingly uncomfortable with his sex symbol status. He faced numerous personal difficulties, including depression, drug addiction and alcoholism.
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The video for“ Untitled( How Does It Feel)” transformed him into a sexual icon. But D’ Angelo shuns this image. He sinks. Addictions, accidents, silence. He confides:“ The music business is a crazy game, especially when you’ re a purist. It’ s a tightrope between staying true to yourself and sinking into madness.”