Ladies, D’Angelo is still bae. The infamously reclusive survivor of soul may have transcended the physique he once coined while butt-boned naked in that “Untitled” video, but don’t get it twisted. Taking to the stage for this year’s Bonnaroo Festival, D’Angelo retained his hold on the steering wheel of sex drives as he combined the best parts of an old school juke joint on the Tennessee stage. Intimate, classic and straight-up sweaty, the singer came to his hour-long set with his seduction in tow.
Need receipts? Here are the sexiest moment from his performance below:
1.) D’Angelo has clearly been working out. Visibly slimmer and more muscular, it is a safe assumption that dancing has become a part of his regimen. Pulling out the choreography for Black Messiah’s “Betray My Heart,” the singer and his background singers did not only rely on their sultry vocals to render the ladies helpless; they also offered smooth movements to solidify their intrusion.
2.) The wardrobe fulfilled fantasies all on its own. D’Angelo wants to be your black Zorro. Minus the mask – because we need his face – he emerged from his keyboard back to center stage in a creeping motion, adorned in a hat and poncho. And while this may sound less-than-appealing to the average woman, the real ones would have picked up on the hero vibe. Save us, D.
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3.) Every woman should love a man that’s “woke.” Taking a moment to acknowledge the #BlackLivesMatter movement, D’Angelo ran off the names of victims of police brutality, including Mike Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, he dedicated “The Charade” to the cause, throwing his fist in the air.
4.) A little tease never hurt nobody. D’Angelo is not just out here giving it all away. Before quenching everyone’s “Brown Sugar” thirst, he nearly made the audience beg for it. Requiring that the crowd reach a certain level of desperation before handing out his gift. He could have just said “you’re welcome,” and walked off stage after that. But he wasn’t through just yet.
SEE ALSO: A Guide To Understanding D’Angelo’s ‘Black Messiah’
5.) Your sex playlist was personified. If Voodoo’s “Left And Right” is not in your get-freaky-with-my-boo playlist, you are losing. If it is, seeing it live will send you back to your man with a newfound vigor. Leading the crowd in a “left, right, up, down” arm motion, D’Angelo almost made people forget the song was about a glorious romp. And by “almost,” we mean not at all.
6.) Oh yeah, and he is masterfully talented. There’s something incredibly arousing about a man riffing on a guitar like he does it in his sleep. Strumming with ease while belting out his signature squall, D’Angelo’s craft adds to his appeal. And for the record, The Vanguard is wonderful complement to his exquisite level of quality music.
7.) Ain’t no cuddling after this session in the sheets. When he was finally done with us – after a three-song encore and an unbelievable jam session to “Chicken Grease” – D’ Angelo slammed his mic to the ground and walked off stage like a damn boss (insert resounding “yaaasss” here).
And just for kicks and giggles, he did all of this without even performing “Untitled.”
Photo Credit: Stacy-Ann Ellis