Really love: Atlanta’s Black music community shares D’Angelo stories
As Atlanta gets ready for ONE Musicfest this weekend, and all of the great performers who’ll hit the stage, it’s hard not to remember the recent passing of one of the greatest musicians of all time: D’Angelo.
During a meeting last week, while still in shock like the rest of the music-loving world, the UATL team talked about coverage. Obviously there were plenty of reactions and tributes in the moment, but we decided to let it breathe for a few days so Christopher Daniel could reach out to members of Atlanta’s music industry community and hear real stories of what he was like and the depth of his genius.
I’m glad we did. Christopher’s story is this week’s feature and it includes the voices of people like Joi Gilliam, WCLK’s Jamal Ahmad, Speech from Arrested Development, and others in Atlanta who met the neo-soul pioneer early in his career and can explain why D’Angelo was such a transformative figure.
There are other really great stories this week. Ernie Suggs has fantastic stories on the meaning of HBCU homecomings as well as the history of race in MARTA transit. You should read both but you shouldn’t stop there.
Gavin Godfrey wrote this month’s 404ward story on Trap Golf. The ladies of the “It’s UATL” podcast interviewed Melissa Proctor, CMO of the Atlanta Hawks. DeAsia Paige explains why Southern soul music is having a big moment, and UATL contributor Joycelyn Wilson wrote about Outkast and how the two dope boys remarkable career would be nothing without the involvement of Black women.
Oh, and if you want to see why trail rides are taking the world by storm, you absolutely must watch Najja Parker’s latest video — like right now.
It’s weeks like these that remind me why I took the job as UATL’s senior editor. This project/brand isn’t even 2 years old yet, but we’re coming in to work every day thinking about how we can properly represent Black culture in Atlanta and beyond. It’s a beautiful thing.
We hope it motivates you to become a UATL supporter because FYI, it’s not gonna stop.
We’ll see y’all at ONE Musicfest this weekend! Don’t be surprised if you see D’Angelo T-shirts throughout the crowd and musical tributes to his brilliance.
Matter of fact, if somebody knows where I can get a new D’Angelo shirt or hoodie by Friday, please hit me up on IG with a link. No scams please.
About the Author
Mike Jordan is senior editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Black culture brand, UATL. A longtime culture journalist, his work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, National Geographic, Rolling Stone and others. Jordan won the James Beard Foundation’s 2024 Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award and was a 2023 finalist.
