D’Angelo’s son has remade one of the neo-soul singer’s classic songs.
Swayvo Twain, whose real name is Michael Archer Jr., posted a video on Instagram this week showcasing his remix of his father’s song “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker,” from his 1995 debut album Brown Sugar.
Where D’Angelo’s original oozes with funky ’90s R&B grooves, his son’s version — simply titled “S.D.M.” — puts a modern spin on things with trap drums, booming 808s and lyrics like: “I feel like I’m the shit, damn/ And this muthafucka lit.”
In his caption, Twain asked his followers which version they like best, writing: “WHICH ONE YAL ROCKING WITH THE MOST AND WHY? COMMENT YOUR ANSWER BELOW.”
Swayvo Twain, whose mother is R&B singer Angie Stone, has been trying to establish a music career of his own for some time now. He most recently dropped off a new song called “TwainFlow” last November, and in an interview with Rolling Out spoke about revamping his father’s Brown Sugar track.
“I kinda was trying to take the fact of it being my dad out of the equation, and just really take what I got given to me and make something out of it, and I know I wanted to flip it,” he said. “The baseline is crazy so I wanted to flip it to a club anthem.”
He added: “I took a classic and made something new so I definitely want people to see my musical mind.”
As for Swayvo’s father, D’Angelo has celebrated two major milestones in 2023 so far. January 25 marked the 23rd anniversary of his critically acclaimed sophomore LP Voodoo, before he celebrated his 49th birthday this past Saturday (February 11).
Next December will mark 10 years since the crooner’s last album — 2014’s Black Messiah — although he told DJ D-Nice in 2021 that his fourth album is still on the way.
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During a recent appearance on The Leona Graham Podcast, Embrace frontman Danny McNamara looked back on the unusual story behind the band's 2004 single "Gravity," a song that was ultimately handed over to them by Coldplay singer Chris Martin.
"The Gravity story, it all starts on Angelina Jolie's spaceship," McNamara explained. The memorable moment happened around two decades ago in the parking area of a major film studio just outside London. Coldplay had been visiting the set of the sci fi adventure film The Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow when the two musicians found themselves sitting atop a giant replica spacecraft. "Me and Chris from Coldplay, we were sat on this huge mock-up of a spaceship... about the size of about five double-decker buses. It was like gold and green and red, and we were sat on it in the car park in the midday sun playing each other songs on an acoustic guitar."
After McNamara played Martin a new Embrace song called "Ashes," the Coldplay frontman returned the favour by sharing a track that had not yet been released. "He played me 'Gravity.' And I just thought, 'Wow, that's like an amazing song.' It's up there with like 'Fix You' or 'The Scientist.' For me, it's like one of the best ballads they've ever written."
Some time later, McNamara received a surprise phone call from Martin late one evening. Gwyneth Paltrow, who was married to the singer at the time, could be heard encouraging him in the background. "Gwyneth was in the background saying, 'Go on, ask him. Ask him.' So anyway, he says, 'You know Gravity?' And I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Do you want it?'"
At first, McNamara was reluctant to accept the offer because he worried the attention surrounding Martin's involvement might take focus away from Embrace's comeback album, Out of Nothing. "My thought was like, 'I don't want this to be overshadowed by Chris offering us this song,' so initially I was sort of thinking no. But then I thought, 'Hang on a minute. He's the biggest rock star in the world. What are you doing?'" Curious about why Martin was willing to part with the song, he asked him directly and was told, "Well, I think it sounds too much like Embrace for us to use."
The experience only strengthened the admiration McNamara has held for Martin over the years. Rejecting the common perception that the Coldplay star is predictable or ordinary, he described him as one of the most captivating people he has ever encountered. "That guy is one of the most interesting, charismatic and fun to be around people I've ever met, if not the most," McNamara stated. "I've met a lot of people in my life, a lot of people even more famous than him, and he is far and away the most interesting person. Whenever he's there, I just stand back and just like let him shine. I love him to bits."
