Our Take • BJ the Chicago Kid's Salute To D'Angelo EP
As a means to pay homage to the legendary D'Angelo, Chicago singer BJ the Chicago Kid decided to release a three song EP of covers.
The trio of tracks, all produced by Jairus "JMO" Mozee, showcase BJTCK paying his respects to the 16th anniversary of the iconic R&B single "Untitled (How Does it Feel)". From 2000 to 2016, D'Angelo's album Voodoo has remained a staple in the R&B/neo-soul world, one of a handful of catalysts that sparked a movement of artists like Erykah Badu and The Roots to properly express themselves and shine brightly. The lead single was "Untitled", released on January 1, 2000. January 25th will be the anniversary for Voodoo, but "Untitled" arrived at the dawn of the millennium as an appetizer for a quite possibly flawless album. Shouts to Willennium, but Voodoo takes the Y2K cake.
BJ the Chicago Kid does a great job covering these tracks, not by trying to outshine, but simply as a means to show his gratitude for something so crucial in the music realm. He begins with a cover of 1997's "Always in My Hair", a D'Angelo cover of a Prince Song. The two tracks that follow are both found on Voodoo. All three tracks come and go in eight short minutes, but they are full of live instrumentation, powerful horns, and relaxing guitars. BJ was even kind enough to upload a seamless version of the EP into one condensed mp3.
At sixteen years old, "Untitled" still sounds refreshing and smooth as hell. Props to BJ the Chicago Kid for being a catalyst for my D'Angelo rediscovery. Press the buttons below to watch the video for "Untitled", a video that we have all seen at one point or another. Also, jump back into 2014's Black Messiah with a live performance alongside The Roots at last year's Afropunk Fest. That is, if you need even more D'Angelo in your life. We all do.
“I had to celebrate his genius by paying homage to his legacy while he continues to kill the game and make great music. It’s a new year and there’s no better way to start it off than taking it back to where it all began for me. This is real Soul/R&B.”
