Michael Archer, better known by the name D’Angelo, passed away on October 14 at age 51. The neo-soul pioneer influenced and touched many lives in the music world, evidenced by the outpouring of love and tributes to his legacy. Now, rapper Busta Rhymes has added his own memorial to his close friend, releasing a tribute song called “Magic.”
The song consists of Busta Rhymes rapping over a sample of D’Angelo’s track “One Mo’Gin,” which appeared on his album Voodoo from 2000. In the opening lines, the MC praises D’Angelo’s influence. “D’Angelo,” he says, “that man is a godsend. He is truly a godsend. Not was truly, but is truly a godsend.”
“Magic” continues with references to Busta Rhymes’ first time meeting D’Angelo. He also recounts D’Angelo’s positive impact in the hip-hop and R&B worlds.
“The man never needed a co-sign, he never needed a voucher / He touched them keys like Escobar in the Medellín / And he touched the souls of the people and everything between / We gotta feel it / And embrace all of his spirit/From the music, whenever we hear it.”
Busta Rhymes Celebrates His Late Friend D’Angelo With Heartfelt Tribute Track
Busta Rhymes recently spoke with Okayplayer—where the new track debuted—about his friendship with D’Angelo, recalling their first meeting. He recounted an immediate connection with the singer, a kinship that lasted for decades.
“I met D’Angelo through Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed [Muhammad] at an A Tribe Called Quest studio session probably around 1990,” he said. “It wasn’t too far from around the timeframe that we were working on ‘Scenario.’
“When I met him, it was just a good, beautiful energy with the bro,” he explained. “D’Angelo’s personality speaks volumes because of how reserved he was. When it was time for him to actually speak—when you heard him sing or play the keyboard—it magnified the polar opposite of how quiet he was.”
Busta Rhymes described D’Angelo in the 90s as looking “like a hustler from the five boroughs!” despite being from Richmond, Virginia. But, he continued, “he was calm. He was a man of few words. His embrace was welcoming, it was warm. He was already appreciative of what we was already doin’.”
Photo by Steve Eichner/Getty Images
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