In December 2011, D’Angelo’s comeback album was “pretty much 97 percent done,” per Questlove. Here, in January 2013, the record at least thirteen years in the making is now 99 percent done, again per Questlove. Longest. Two percent. Ever. But it should be worth it! “I would not be far off by saying this is probably my generation’s version of Sly [and the Family Stone]’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On. It’s potent. It’s funky. It’s an extremely hard pill to swallow,” Questo tells Billboard. “It’s going to take you about ten years to digest this record. Totally brilliant. Just the way this society works with music … being able to judge if something is a classic after the first listen, you can do that after thirty seconds on this.” He also says if the album isn’t handed to the label by February, “then something is extremely wrong. Because we worked to the bone in the entire month of January just to tighten up all the loose ends.” Bear in mind, “turned in to the label” does not equal “released for everyone to love forever,” but still … !
