Soul of Stone: A tribute to Angie Stone

Back in the year 2001 the world of music was vibrant with a new found cadre of Neo-Soul artist. One morning while watching BET music videos a song called “Brotha” performed by Neo-Soul powerhouse Angie Stone came on and it really spoke to me as a young Black male. Little 8 year old me didn’t realize at the time that Angie had this effect on everyone with her neo soul.

Angie Stone was born Angela Laverne Brown on December 18th 1961 in Columbia, South Carolina. Her mother Iona was a hospital technician and her father Bobby was a lawyer’s assistant. Angela’s love for singing and music began at an early age thanks in part to her coming from a church family that was active in choir. Though her first love was singing, Angie actually first touched down in the music industry thanks to the then newly growing culture of Hip Hop.

By the late 1970’s Angie had become heavily invested in the growing world of Hip Hop and pursued a career as a rapper being one-third of the female rap trio The Sequence and adopting the stage name Angie B, alongside fellow emcees and childhood friends Blondy and Cheryl the Pearl. The women of Sequence would go on to be Hip Hop pioneers. Their debut album Sugar Hill Presents The Sequence was first record in Hip Hop’s history to be released by a female act. The album’s leading single “Funk You Up” was the first original song by a Hip Hop act and the group was the first female act in Hip Hop’s history history to accumulate sales of over a million albums.

🎶Oh, hey, you, sitting over there

You better get up out of your chair

And work your body down

No time to funk around

'Cause we gonna🎶 - “Funk You Up” by The Sequence.

By the mid to late 80’s the growing world of Hip Hop was changing and the old school style and appeal of The Sequence began to dwindle, so Angie set out on her own solo career as a writer and performing singer. From the remainder of the 80’s all the way to the late 90’s. While building her own solo career in the late 80’s she became a member of the R&B group Vertical Hold. The group was critically acclaimed though they only maintained moderate commercial success, but the group also displayed the successful shift in what would become Angie’s signature style. Angie had also been writing music for other artist at this time, including neo-soul sensation D’Angelo, with whom she had a relationship with that led to the birth of her daughter, Ti’ara Diamond.

By 1999 Angie had been fully taken by the new sound of Soul that had become known as Neo-Soul and with this new footing she began crafting her first solo album Black Diamond, which she named after her daughter. Released in September of 1999, Black Diamond was both a critical and commercial success due to Stone’s smooth vocals and soulful lyrics which encapsulated the traditional sound of Soul music for the younger generation. The album’s lead single “No More Rain (In This Cloud)” is widely regarded as one of the most memorable Soul hits of its time. It was here that Stone had become one of the frontline members of Neo-Soul alongside fellow Neo-Soul heavy weights Erykah Badu and D’Angelo.

🎶My sunshine has come and I'm all cried out

And there's no more rain in this cloud

(There's no more rain)

My sunshine has come (no more rain in this cloud)

(Let it go) And I'm all cried out

And there's no more rain in this cloud (no more rain)🎶 - (No More Rain).

It was the release of Stone’s sophomore album Mahogany Soul that she caught my attention and made a fan out of me. Mahogany Soul was a vibrant and soul expression of love for her Black brothers and sisters. The album’s leading single “Brotha” catapulted Angie to a new level of popularity and resonance with audiences for its acknowledgement of love for Black men, regardless of what we have been through or what negative images of which the world tries to paint us. An 8 year old me was definitely taken with the song because it made me feel loved and appreciated as a young Black male.

🎶He is my king, he is my one

Yes, he's my father

Yes, he's my son

I can talk to him 'cause he understands

Everything I go through and everything I am

That's my support system, I can't live without him

The best thing since sliced bread

Is his kiss, his hugs, his lips, his touch

And I just want the whole world to know, about my..🎶 - (Brotha).

The success of Mahogany Soul took Angie to a whole new level of fame and recognition. In addition to her stellar music career Angie eventually made the transition into acting. She was already familiar with the small screen having made appearances on the sitcom Moesha and she even performed the theme song to the hit female led sitcom Girlfriends. In 2002 she made her big screen debut in Rob Schneider’s hit comedy film The Hot Chick and in 2003 she appeared alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and R&B-Pop sensation Beyoncé in the musical comedy film The Fighting Temptations.

On March 1, 2025 the world of music was burdened with the unfortunate news that Angie Stone had died in a fatal car crash in Montgomery, Alabama. Every Neo-Soul fan was in mourning, myself included. Everyone started sharing their memories of her impact and I can honestly say it was very therapeutic in keeping her memory alive. From her heartfelt Neo-Soul all the way back to her days as a Hip Hip pioneer. Angie Stone was a voice for her people who exemplified love and creativity. I for one will always appreciate the love she gave us and will continue to cherish her soul of stone.

🎶Black brotha, I love ya and I will never try to hurt ya

I want ya to know that I'm here for you, forever true

'Cause you're my black brotha

Strong brotha and there is no one above ya

I want ya to know that I'm here for you, forever true🎶 - Angie Stone.

~Dedicated to the memory of our Neo-Soul queen Angie Stone.