Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	9.1/10
Metacritic	95/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Cuepoint	A−
The Independent
The Irish Times
Los Angeles Times
NME	9/10
Pitchfork	9.4/10
Rolling Stone
Spin	9/10
USA Today

Black Messiah is the third studio album by American recording artist D'Angelo. It was released on December 15, 2014, by RCA Records, bringing an end to his 14-year hiatus that followed his 2000 album Voodoo.

Black Messiah was among 2014's most highly anticipated albums and was released to widespread critical acclaim, later being ranked as one of the year's best albums. The album debuted at number five on the US Billboard charts and number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, selling over 117,000 units in its first week. Black Messiah was promoted with the release of the single "Really Love" and a tour called The Second Coming.

D'Angelo released his critically acclaimed album Voodoo in 2000. Towards the end of his worldwide tour in support of the album that same year, D'Angelo's personal issues towards performing had worsened. He became more conscious of and uncomfortable with his status as a sex symbol, and after the tour D'Angelo returned to his home in Richmond, Virginia, disappearing from the public eye. Following the suicide of his close friend, MTV-affiliate Fred Jordan, in April 2001, he started to develop a drinking problem. As his alcoholism escalated, plans for a live album and a Soultronics studio effort, both originally set for after the tour, were scrapped, and impatient Virgin executives cut off funding for the expected 2004 solo album.

By 2005, D'Angelo's girlfriend had left him, his attorney had become displeased with him, and most of his family was out of touch with him. He also parted ways with manager Dominique Trenier and tour manager Alan Leeds. After a car accident and an arrest on DUI and marijuana possession charges, D'Angelo left Virgin Records in 2005 and checked into the Crossroads Centre rehabilitation clinic in Antigua. In 2005, his recording contract was acquired by J Records, following rumors of D'Angelo signing to Bad Boy Records. Despite no solo output, D'Angelo collaborated with some R&B and hip hop artists during his period between albums, appearing on other albums such as J Dilla's The Shining (2006), Snoop Dogg's Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006), Common's Finding Forever (2007), and Q-Tip's The Renaissance (2008).

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Wikipedia