Black Messiah is the third and final studio album by American musician D'Angelo, credited to D'Angelo and the Vanguard. Released on December 15, 2014, through RCA Records, more than fourteen years after his previous solo release Voodoo, it is D'Angelo's last studio album to be released during his lifetime. The album was produced and mostly written by D'Angelo, who collaborated with musicians including drummer Questlove, bassist Pino Palladino, guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, horn player Roy Hargrove, and singer and lyricist Kendra Foster. He pursued an entirely analog and murky funk sound for the record, lending it comparisons to the 1971 Sly & the Family Stone album There's a Riot Goin' On.
D'Angelo – vocals, guitar, piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizers, bass, electric sitar, drum programming, percussion Spanky Alford – guitar Jesse Johnson – guitar Mark Hammond – guitar Isaiah Sharkey – guitar Pino Palladino – bass, electric sitar Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson – drums, drum programming, percussion Roy Hargrove – trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn James Gadson – drums Chris Dave – drums, drum programming Kendra Foster – background vocals Jermaine Holmes – background vocals Ahrell Lumzy – background vocals Gina Figueroa – spoken word Brent Fischer – arranger, conductor (strings on "Really Love") Russell Elevado – mixing, engineering Ben Kane – mixing, engineering Tony Rambo – engineering Benny Allen – engineering Dave Collins – mastering Alex De Turk – mastering (vinyl)
