Ever since they recorded D'Angelo's seminal Voodoo together at the turn of the millennium, Questlove and the reclusive singer have shared a special bond. After Voodoo and his debut Brown Sugar had established him as the new face of "neo-soul" and the steamy video for "Untitled" made him a sex symbol, the singer buckled under the immense and unwanted pressure, disappearing from the public spotlight and turning to heavy use of drugs and alcohol.
During his darkest times, one of the few people D'Angelo kept in contact with was The Roots drummer, who eventually convinced him that his remaining choices were rehab or death. The brotherly bond the two developed during these darkest of times was on full display Monday at The Brooklyn Bowl, as the two leaned heavily on each other throughout the setlist of deep cuts from D'Angelo's records, well chosen covers and even a few new songs from his forthcoming, Questlove produced album.
Check out the setlist, courtesy of the Brooklyn Vegan:
The two exchanged encouraging nods and glances throughout the set, with Questlove even stating at one point, "My name is Questlove, so I know I get love, but please, please, let him know that he is loved!" to which the crowd responded in kind. Here's to hoping that D'Angelo keeps feeling the love and keeps that smile plastered on his face, as the music world is far richer with him in it.
D'Angelo, Questlove and the rest of The Roots crew are taking part in a tribute to Prince at Carnegie Hall tomorrow evening.