Sitting for long hours at the desk? Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Pushkar Chawla shares how to protect the back and spine Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:58:18 IST By Debapriya Bhattacharya Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Poor posture at work can lead to problems with the back and the spine
A patient once told me that her blood sugar reading in the morning was higher than the one she had taken after dinner the night before. She hadn’t eaten a single thing. “How is this even possible?" she asked. “I haven’t had breakfast yet." That question comes up in my clinic almost every
Step inside the regal Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, where a one-night stay will cost you ₹4 lakh: Watch Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:06:37 IST By Krishna Pallavi Priya Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link A look inside the Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad
Every year at about this point in the rains, the same sequence plays out. Outpatient departments fill with feverish patients, a city announces a jump in confirmed cases, television rediscovers the phrase “swine flu," and within a fortnight the anxiety has moved on to something else
‘Walking is one of the most underrated things’: Geriatric doctor says you don't need to join a gym to start exercising Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 10:52:55 IST By Eshana Saha Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Read more to find out why walking is an underrated form of exercise! (Unsplash)
D'Angelo: A musical pioneer who reshaped soul
D'Angelo: A musical pioneer who reshaped soul
There aren't many musicians whose sound is so distinctive and influential that the music industry invents a whole new genre to describe it.
But D'Angelo, who has died at the age of 51, was seen as a trailblazer, thanks in large part to his groundbreaking debut album Brown Sugar, released in July 1995.
With its slow tempos and smooth vocals, D'Angelo's chilled-out, late-night vibe recalled some of the legends of soul while also sounding entirely new.
R&B was already popular at the time - with TLC, Mary J Blige and Janet Jackson among the stars riding high in the charts.
But Brown Sugar's more laid-back sound blended rhythm and blues with crisp hip-hop beats, jazz and funk, differentiating it from the more pop-skewing R&B dominating radio at the time.
The album's sound was christened "neo-soul" - and its influence is still being felt three decades after its release.
D'Angelo's music still crops up on streaming service playlists with titles such as "Relaxed evening vibes" and "Chilled soul classics".
It still soundtracks dinner parties and date nights. And D'Angelo is cited as an influence not only by the artists who were his peers at the time, but by newer talents emerging today.
"He was so important, and still is," Welsh hip-hop artist Lemfreck, who has been championed by BBC Introducing, told Radio 1's Newsbeat.
That neo-soul sound from the 90s and noughties is the base layer for every single layer of R&B you hear to this day.
Admittedly, the music industry is used to coming up with buzzy names to make an unfamiliar genre more marketable.
Trip-hop was invented to help categorise Portishead and Massive Attack in the mid-90s, while the term Crunk was coined to onomatopaeically reflect the bass-heavy club sounds of Southern hip-hop.
Neo-soul was christened by D'Angelo's own manager Kedar Massenburg, a US record producer who would later serve as president of Motown Records.
Seeing the market potential, but also just sensing a rapidly growing movement, Massenburg trademarked the term neo-classic soul, telling Billboard in 2002 that there was "the need to categorise music for consumers so they know what they're getting".
The term caught on, and a huge number of neo-soul artists followed in D'Angelo's footsteps, some of them signed by Massenburg himself.
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was released a year after Brown Sugar, while Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, India Arie and D'Angelo's former partner Angie Stone would launch albums over the following years, a time seen as neo-soul's golden era.
But Brown Sugar had already set the genre's blueprint.
The album's sales might have been slow at first, but its breakout hits Lady, Brown Sugar and Cruisin' all made the Billboard R&B chart, and helped the record eventually reach two million in sales.
D'Angelo "emerged as a nostalgic figure in modern soul," said Pitchfork's Marcus J Moore. "His blend of 1970s R&B and hip-hop felt uniquely vintage and modern. He appealed to wide swaths of listeners and helped usher in a new strain of black music."
However, as is often the case with a successful debut album, D'Angelo struggled to follow it up. He toured Brown Sugar for two years but then hit a wall while trying to work on his second record.
The thing about writer's block is that you want to write so badly, [but] the songs don't come out that way," he told Entertainment Weekly in 2008. "They come from life. So you've got to live to write.
The infrequency with which he released music made D'Angelo's albums much more of an event when they eventually appeared.
Much like Lauryn Hill, with whom he collaborated on Nothing Even Matters for her Miseducation album, D'Angelo's towering influence was even more notable for his comparatively low level of output.
Brown Sugar's follow-up, Voodoo, was eventually released in 2000, and hailed by critics as a triumph.
With production from Questlove and J Dilla, its sound leaned slightly more towards hip-hop than his debut, with more pulsing percussion and a collaboration with Method Man and Redman.
But it was the seven-minute music video for its third single Untitled (How Does It Feel) that attracted the headlines.
Filmed all in one take, the video saw D'Angelo's face filmed close up, before the camera pulled back to reveal him standing completely naked.
D'Angelo certainly had the body to pull off the video, which went on to be nominated for three MTV VMAs, including Video of the Year.
We made this music video for women," said its director Paul Hunter. "The idea was, it would feel like he was one-on-one with whoever the woman was.
The stripped-back appearance reflected the stripped-back sound of the song - the arrangement saw the instruments lower in the mix to give D'Angelo's layered harmonies centre stage.
The frenzied reaction to Untitled pushed Voodoo to number one in the US for two weeks, and in 2001 it won the Grammy for best R&B album (the singer won four Grammy Awards from 14 nominations throughout his career).
But D'Angelo, whose real name was Michael Eugene Archer, was uncomfortable with his new status as a sex symbol.
He already had a strained relationship with fame, which led to prolonged periods of time away from the spotlight.
The success of Voodoo and his shirtless music video led him to leave showbusiness for what would become a 14-year break before his next album.
He struggled with depression and alcohol and drug abuse, entering rehab twice, and nearly died in a 2005 car crash.
In the same year, he was given a three-year suspended sentence for cocaine possession.
A 2008 article in Spin magazine questioned where D'Angelo had disappeared to, and asked his friends and colleagues if there was any prospect of him returning to music.
D'Angelo's former music manager, Dominique Trenier, told the magazine that both he and the singer had been disappointed by the reaction to Untitled's music video, which had come to define D'Angelo's career.
I feel really guilty, because that was never the intention," Trenier said. "I'm glad the video did what it did, but he and I were both disappointed because, to this day, in the general populace's memory, he's the naked dude.
But he got back on track, signing a new deal that would ultimately lead to his third and final studio album, 2014's Black Messiah.
The vocals were unmistakably D'Angelo, but the album had a somewhat different sound. His electric guitar playing featured much more heavily on the album, giving it a more rocky sound - and earning comparisons to Funkadelic's influential 1971 album Maggot Brain.
The singer also experimented with psychedelia on an album that was sonically more abstract than his first two, and featured more overtly political lyrics, partly inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, which developed after the police shootings of black men.
It was, perhaps, a rejection of the neo-soul label.
I never claimed I do neo-soul," he said in a 2014 interview with Red Bull Music Academy. "When I first came out, I used to always say, 'I do black music. I make black music.'
Even Massenburg, who had invented the phrase, acknowledged: "A lot of people don't like the term because, when you classify music, it becomes a fad, which tends to go away."
D'Angelo may have been uncomfortable with cultural moments most closely associated with him - but he will perhaps be best remembered as an inspiration.
Paying tribute to D'Angelo on X on Wednesday, Hill said: "Thank you for charting the course and for making space during a time when no similar space really existed.
You imaged a unity of strength and sensitivity in black manhood to a generation that only saw itself as having to be one or the other.
Lemfreck reflects: "He was probably the first artist I heard where I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, you really can do it your own way. You really can make the thing that is right without having to appeal to the masses and still appeal to the masses'.
The fact that he created the stuff that he did, and how he did it, is a testament to the fact that artistry always comes first.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Life Style
There are few things as satisfying as biting into a buttery, flaky almond croissant, especially when you get that rich almond flavour, creamy frangipane filling and slightly crisp, toasted edges in every bite. But when a croissant craving hits and you don’t have a bakery run planned—or all the
12 hours ago
Erling Haaland debuts new buzz haircut after chopping his iconic blonde locks: ‘+999 missed calls from shampoo company’ Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 08:58:32 IST By Krishna Pallavi Priya Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Erling Haaland debuts a fresh, new buzz cut
12 hours ago
Parents should check medicine labels carefully before giving cough or cold remedies to young children. The Union Health Ministry has restricted all fixed-dose combination medicines containing chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride from being used in children below four years of
12 hours ago
Tandoori chicken should be smoky and seared on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside. But it can often turn out dry, rubbery and lacking flavour, even when you’ve used all the right spices. The problem may not be the recipe itself, but a few small mistakes during preparation and cooking
1 days ago
Want to know how healthy your heart is? Cardiologist Dr Sanjay Bhojraj lists 9 blood tests for ‘cardiovascular risk’ Published on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:34:50 IST By Akanksha Agnihotri Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Dr. Bhojraj highlights nine blood tests to assess cardiovascular health
1 days ago
We tend to think of constipation as a plumbing problem: eat more fibre, drink more water, take isabgol and wait for things to move. For occasional constipation, that approach can be perfectly reasonable. But when constipation keeps returning despite these measures
1 days ago
Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women, but its biggest known cause is persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), which is closely linked to sexual transmission. While HPV itself is not caused by men
1 days ago
Chakra Horoscope Today, August 23, 2026: An obstacle does not necessarily mean you are on the wrong path Updated on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:49:03 IST By Kishori Sud Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Chakra Horoscope Today, August 23, 2026 (Pinterest) Daily Chakra Horoscope, August 23
1 days ago
Dahi vade may not be the first dish that comes to mind when planning a Sawan Somwar vrat menu, but Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s fasting-friendly version gives the classic snack a clever twist. Instead of lentils, these vade are made with cooked barnyard millet, also known as sama or samak
1 days ago
59-year-old grandmother and Roadies 20 contestant Ashu Jain shares 5 hacks that helped her 'build gym habits that stick’ Published on: Aug 23, 2026, 10:12:34 IST By Sanya Panwar Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Ashu Jain is not just a grandmother — she's a 'hybrid athlete'
1 days ago
Could artificial intelligence compress decades of medical progress into just a few years? Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei believes advanced AI systems may soon transform how we fight cancer, Alzheimer’s and other major diseases. Amodei has predicted that AI-enabled biology could compress 50 to 100
1 days ago
Look out of an aircraft window as it descends into Chennai and the coastline is the first thing that catches your eye. A long blue-grey edge against the city, with the sea on one side and the sprawling city on the other. From up there, it looks permanent
1 days ago
Soha Ali Khan, along with her husband Kunal Khemu, is known for setting couple goals through their fitness content. The couple have consistently shared videos showing their workouts in the gym, how they parent their kids together, the healthy food they eat without compromising on taste
1 days ago
As Onam 2026 approaches, here is our curated guide from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru covering everything from elaborate restaurant thalis to convenient takeaway sadya boxes. We consult chefs on how they are reimagining the traditional sadya; we ask celebrities how
1 days ago
Raksha Bandhan is all about celebrating the special bond between siblings. This year, show your siblings how much you mean to them and make the occasion sweeter by making everyone’s favourite kalakand at home. If you are looking for a festive dessert that is indulgent yet skips refined sugar
1 days ago
Thirty-nine-year-old Shivendra came in with what looked like an ordinary monsoon fever. Fifteen days later, he was still in hospital, only being discharged now after being diagnosed with H1N1-related pneumonia. His wife, Poonam, said the family did not take the fever seriously at first. “Actually
1 days ago
Postpartum pain is NOT just ‘normal’: Physiotherapist Muskan Rastogi reveals all about pelvic floor recovery Postpartum recovery involves more than just pain management; it includes pelvic floor rehabilitation to restore strength and reduce discomfort for new mothers. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug has been arrested in the US state of Texas on charges of driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and illegal possession of a firearm. Allen County Police confirmed to BBC Newsbeat the 28-year-old, whose real name is Xavier Landum, was stopped on Friday
1 days ago
44-year-old fitness coach shares simple exercises that help her look ‘15 years younger’ Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 13:24:38 IST By Akanksha Agnihotri Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Fitness coach shares 4 simple exercises to improve posture and look more youthful. (Instagram/@sascha
2 days ago
The Madhya Pradesh Health Department has ordered a high-level medical and legal investigation after a 6 woman from Ujjain died following treatment at a private hospital in Indore. She had tested positive for H1N1 influenza, commonly called swine flu
2 days ago
No food after 6 pm to boxing: Inside Dua Lipa’s fitness routine and fasting rules for toned body on her 31st birthday Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 14:11:05 IST By Sanya Panwar Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Dua Lipa turned 31 on August 22, 2026
2 days ago
The DJ dropped the beat and 70 women started throwing punches. By the time the first kickboxing combination was called out, Moon Bar, a Visakhapatnam club had shed its weekend persona to turn into a makeshift fitness floor, with women punching, kicking
2 days ago
A couple of years ago, when Osman Abdul Razak was being fitted for a suit by Yuki Igarashi, founder of Japan-based menswear brand Lecteur, he recalls being struck by how neatly Yuki’s pins were arranged on his pin cushion. “As an onlooker there, I couldn’t help but analyse this precision
2 days ago
Baro Market is coming to Chennai with a pop-up bringing together fashion, craft, art, accessories and lifestyle products, with a focus on conscious living and handcrafted design. Curated by Srila Chatterjee, the showcase marks her third pop-up in the city
2 days ago
Step inside ₹200 crore royal residence in Hyderabad: Shaped like a scorpion and home to 'world's longest dining table' Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 10:22:41 IST By Sanya Panwar Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link The palace in the shape of a scorpion: Here's a virtual tour of the magnificent
2 days ago
On Fourth Trust Link Street at Santhome in Mylapore, a piece of vacant land cheek by jowl with a Greater Chennai Corporation-run middle school was being armtwisted every day into functioning as a garbage dumping spot by residents and passersby
2 days ago
Have high cholesterol? Nutritionist lists 9 heart-friendly cooking oil options Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 11:00:04 IST By Aayushi Gupta Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Cooking oils that may help manage cholesterol and support heart health
2 days ago
