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Voodoo by D'Angelo is the album that deserves the praise. That was the album that made space for so many to follow, even the ones who never could and never did.
At a time where the compositional structure of R&B was somewhat becoming progressively synthetic, Voodoo stuck out like a sore thumb. Even if you don't "get it", it's really the album of all albums. I was 7, I couldn't appreciate it for what it was musically in the way I do now.
It wasn't until I was 19 that I actually was able to truly appreciate that album and D'Angelo as a complete artist. Brown Sugar was the album that I grew-up on, but musically, Voodoo is the one that taught me. Actually sitting down and listening to it changed me musically.
There are some people that would prefer Brown Sugar to Voodoo, and if it's one thing D'Angelo always got right it was a timelessness. Brown Sugar, just like Voodoo, changed the soundscape in a way that allowed for the arrival of 'Neo-soul', what's now considered alt-r&b.
Voodoo is an album that literally does not sound dated, 20 years later. I'm notgoing up for the album due to my love for it but because it really is never spoken about in a way that fully encompasses why it's so special. It was literally defiant.
However..I also can understand why some people didn't enjoy Voodoo or don't like it. It was the anti-thesis of everything that was out at the time it debuted, even in the genre deemed Neo-soul. It's almost too musically complex, despite the fact all the songs make sense.
It was different from Brown Sugar almost in totality but they share the same musicianship. I think his upbringing on Soul, Gospel, R&B, Funk and so forth allowed for his ear to develop in a way that mirrors musicians of older generations. The love for Prince was also clear.
