Untitled

"Groupie love now, gotta be them wheels/ Haters back down, gotta be that steel/I know they cant wait till ya outta ya deal/Look how they did D'Angelo ask em how do it feel?"
- Kanye West "They Say"
From Common's "Be" (2005)

I have love for D'Angelo. I believe "Voodoo" is one the best R&B/Soul albums ever to be recorded (and smashed Kells' whole catalogue in process. And yes, I'm including "12 Play.") Along with "Brown Sugar," it still gets multiple spins, especially when there's a shorty over for company ("Untitled" is THE "I want you now" jump off joint). But like many music fans (and especially Okayplayers), we have waited 7 years with no glimmer of a new album. Sure there was the "Real Love" demo leaked by ?uestlove, and his show stealing appearances on the Dilla produced Com Sense jawn, "So Far To Go" and the latest Snoop & Dre classic "Imagine," but there has not been a sign of "James River" (the supposed title of the album) or any new material from D in almost 7 years.

I try not to give up hope, but after reading a new article regarding his new legal troubles today, I doubt the new D'Angelo joint will be read for the fall. Well, even if this new album does not materialize, at least we know D will have a job. If they make a autobio flick on the WU, we already know who will play Dirty.