|
?- So the floodgates were open after that? D - Yeah. I was listening to Kool and the Gang’s Sea of Tranquility (Delite/Polygram, 1970) and I started writing "Send It On", and it started it right there. I mean we were doing "Player Player" and "Bitch". (interrupts) You say that with such normalness, but these are radical ass songs, very unorthodox. When did you decide to make this radical change? None of this stuff is the dreams of R&B radio. My goal was to just establish my sound, like Pete (Rock) had his sound, and Tip and Ali had their sound. But you came in and destroyed that whole program for me. Who?????? Well, you took it deeper. I mean the whole time you’re telling me to drag the rhythm and play off beat. And I remember telling you the media would kill me. They ain’t going to understand it and they’re going to dis me. So, what set off, in your head that ‘I’m going to do some unorthodox shit.’? But it’s not. See the way I see it is I would always hear the (ponders)... See I don’t know if I should say shit...(ponders). See, it’s really not unorthodox it’s just unorthodox compared to the shit that’s out today. I remember when Tip would play me these records from different genres and different times but there was a pocket... So, you’re just unorthodox by default? For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never liked anything "polished" -except your women- (D frowns.) I don’t mean that, not nail polish (note to ladies: d despises fire-red nail polish on feet...perhaps they taste bad?) I mean clean, you have your cousin’s group called "Dirty Souls", you were gonna name our group "D’Angelo and the Mud", you describe your thing as nasty dirt...why do you embrace the dirt so much? (Laughs) "From the rain to the dirt, from the vine to the wine..." Why do you love the bottom so much? Cause that’s the earth. To me George’s concept of funk was a rejection of the establishment. He was getting shit from Jimi and Sly. And all they were was the antithesis of what the soulsville thing was. I mean James’ shit was funky up to a point, his band was still clean Apolloesque, Sam and Dave type thing. George was anti that. His shit was like...(folds arms and chills Run Dmc style circa 1985)...niggas! Y’know dig your hand up yo ass and pull that wedgey out if you have to. That was funk... (The doorbell rings and in comes 4 guys from his entourage; they place luggage and bags in the living room and quietly leave. However one of the guys pulls D over and grins mischievously. Words are exchanged but I can’t make them out. But I have a clue.) Well I can tell by the smile on his face that he asked the million-dollar question (Laughs) not again... So were you getting head in "Untitled"? Next question (laughter) |