A self-taught pianist who began playing at the age of three, D'Angelo took his soul influences (Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Prince) and parlayed them into a EMI contract when he was 18 years old. He wrote and co-produced "U Will Know," from the soundtrack for Jason's Lyric. The single featured D'Angelo with Tony Toni Tone, Boyz II Men, Tevin Campbell, Gerald Levert, R. Kelly, After 7 and others. His debut, Brown Sugar, appeared on EMI in 1995. Live at the Jazz Cafe followed in 1998, and two years later D'Angelo returned with Voodoo.