D’Angelo, like a football quarterback in the final seconds, came through in the clutch of 2014. Fourteen years in the making, the singer finally released his third studio effort, Black Messiah. Executing the surprise album drop, it looks like the album has paid off for him in more ways than one.

In an interview with Red Bull Music Academy, D’Angelo talked about his inspiration for his newly released “Black Messiah” album and some of his influences where he payed homage to old school artists like; Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone to James Brown, all while maintaining his own raw, gospel-steeped sensuality. When asked why Aaron Hall is a hero to him, he said;