D Angelo

When D'Angelo sat at his electric piano Sunday night at the Gibson Amphitheatre and played the first bars of his hit “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” women screamed with Pavlovian memories of the song's video, which starred his oiled abs, pelvic muscles and, it's rumored, the rest of the singer as well. Grown men leaped to their feet and yelled, “Give 'em more, D!” like they were cheering an action-movie hero. But then D'Angelo stopped. He walked out from behind the piano, stood before the crowd and waited.

As if surviving the American Revolution and helping draft the Declaration of Independence weren't hard enough, officials say Benjamin Franklin endured weeks on the road in the hands of a former housekeeper accused of stealing him -- or a bust of him at least -- from a former client's home. The bust of Franklin, valued at $3 million, was found in a gunny sack as the alleged thief stepped off a bus in Maryland earlier this month, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported . Other stolen items were also found, the newspaper said, including a conductor's baton linked to a famous cellist.

"This is ridiculous!" Michael Beardon, who has worked as Madonna's musical director, expresses his astonishment aloud as he watches the excitement build in the hours before show time at the Supper Club, a hot spot just half a block from the dazzle of Times Square. As a 15-year industry veteran, Beardon, 31, has seen his share of mob scenes, but he repeats his amazement over what is unfolding as recording artist D'Angelo makes his New York City club debut.

When D'Angelo sat at his electric piano Sunday night at the Gibson Amphitheatre and played the first bars of his hit “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” women screamed with Pavlovian memories of the song's video, which starred his oiled abs, pelvic muscles and, it's rumored, the rest of the singer as well. Grown men leaped to their feet and yelled, “Give 'em more, D!” like they were cheering an action-movie hero. But then D'Angelo stopped. He walked out from behind the piano, stood before the crowd and waited.

D'Angelo knew that he wasn't in the right frame of mind when he started working on his second album three years ago. The singer was burned out from touring. He felt immense pressure from his record company to make a commercially potent follow-up to his hit debut album, 1995's "Brown Sugar."

As if surviving the American Revolution and helping draft the Declaration of Independence weren't hard enough, officials say Benjamin Franklin endured weeks on the road in the hands of a former housekeeper accused of stealing him -- or a bust of him at least -- from a former client's home. The bust of Franklin, valued at $3 million, was found in a gunny sack as the alleged thief stepped off a bus in Maryland earlier this month, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported . Other stolen items were also found, the newspaper said, including a conductor's baton linked to a famous cellist.

Despite reports from authorities that the R&B singer D'Angelo had been badly injured in a car crash, a lawyer for the neo-soul star said Monday that his client was home and healthy. D'Angelo, 31, was in a 2003 Hummer on Sept. 19 when it veered off a highway in his native state of Virginia and crashed into a fence. Another occupant, Lynne Sellers, was injured too. Police could not say who was driving. State Police Sgt. Kevin Barrick said Monday that the Grammy winner was ejected from the vehicle.

At the 2012 BET Awards Sunday in Los Angeles, anticipation reigned thanks to a long-awaited comeback by soul singer D'Angelo, the potential of Whitney Houston's mom Cissy paying tribute to her late daughter in song, and a performance by Chris Brown. The BET stage is the first high-profile appearance the often-embattled Brown has made following a highly publicized bar melee reportedly involving him, Drake and buzzy rapper Meek Mill. No sign of Drake, but Meek performed with his Maybach Music Group and Brown hit the stage more than midway through the telecast.

The rally had all the energy of a rock concert, with thousands of teenagers screaming and chanting Wednesday at Hamilton High in West Los Angeles. But behind the noise was a message: ending gun violence. About 2,000 students crowded into the gym to hear double platinum R&B artist Michael "D'Angelo" Archer, who was kicking off a national initiative.

Legions of hairdressers, makeup artists and fashion designers may become crazed as they poof, polish and tuck Hollywood glitterati into seemingly flawless form for the Academy Awards on Sunday night, but countless others, like this scenic painter (moonlighting from her day job with Los Angeles Opera), have already put in long shifts to make the big event happen.

Following showings at the BET Awards and the House of Blues that earned D'Angelo stellar reviews, the soul singer is continuing his (extremely welcomed) return to form by announcing a late summer tour. The performer, who is carefully making a comeback after more than a decade in seclusion, is set for a co-headlining trek, dubbed the Liberation Tour, on which he will be joined by the reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,Mary J. Blige. Only six dates were unveiled on Monday, the first being an Aug. 18 stop in Virginia Beach, Va. Blige told Rolling Stone the tour will be 20 dates.

During Sunday's live telecast of the 2012 BET Awards, anticipation reigned, with questions filling Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium. What would polarizing singer Chris Brown say? How would soul singer D'Angelo's highly awaited comeback performance fare? And how would BET pay tribute to fallen pop titan Whitney Houston, whose February death cast a shadow over the Grammys? The annual show, which started in 2001, is known for its over-the-top performances and drama onstage and last year pulled in 7.7 million viewers.

At the 2012 BET Awards Sunday in Los Angeles, anticipation reigned thanks to a long-awaited comeback by soul singer D'Angelo, the potential of Whitney Houston's mom Cissy paying tribute to her late daughter in song, and a performance by Chris Brown. The BET stage is the first high-profile appearance the often-embattled Brown has made following a highly publicized bar melee reportedly involving him, Drake and buzzy rapper Meek Mill. No sign of Drake, but Meek performed with his Maybach Music Group and Brown hit the stage more than midway through the telecast.

There is much to envy about actress Beverly D'Angelo: ageless beauty, a Hollywood career of lasting duration, the fact that hunky Al Pacino parked his slippers at her front door for years and that she owns a 1920s Spanish-style gem of a house in Beverly Hills that has come on the market at $2,185,000. The five-bedroom, 4 1/2 -bathroom, 4,045-square-foot house has a two-story entryway, arched doorways and hardwood floors.

Despite reports from authorities that the R&B singer D'Angelo had been badly injured in a car crash, a lawyer for the neo-soul star said Monday that his client was home and healthy. D'Angelo, 31, was in a 2003 Hummer on Sept. 19 when it veered off a highway in his native state of Virginia and crashed into a fence. Another occupant, Lynne Sellers, was injured too. Police could not say who was driving. State Police Sgt. Kevin Barrick said Monday that the Grammy winner was ejected from the vehicle.

Hey, did anyone else feel the gravitational pull toward the Sunset Strip on Saturday? Not only were D'Angelo's second-coming shows at the House of Blues a near-religious experience (are you with me, ladies?), but Cherry promoter Bryan Rabin also celebrated his birthday at Moon of Tunis before leading a soul train of art-world heavies over to Make-Up (which was still blazing like a four-alarm fire at 1:30 a.m., with Queen, ABBA, and KC & the Sunshine Band demanding you stay on that dance floor).

Following showings at the BET Awards and the House of Blues that earned D'Angelo stellar reviews, the soul singer is continuing his (extremely welcomed) return to form by announcing a late summer tour. The performer, who is carefully making a comeback after more than a decade in seclusion, is set for a co-headlining trek, dubbed the Liberation Tour, on which he will be joined by the reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,Mary J. Blige. Only six dates were unveiled on Monday, the first being an Aug. 18 stop in Virginia Beach, Va. Blige told Rolling Stone the tour will be 20 dates.

An investor in GenesisIntermedia Inc., a former telemarketing company in Van Nuys that was 75% owned by Saudi financier Adnan Khashoggi, agreed to plead guilty to helping manipulate the company's share price in a conspiracy that netted more than $130 million, U.S. prosecutors said Thursday. Kenneth D'Angelo, 60, agreed to plead guilty to charges that he conspired to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, and a count of wire fraud.

Legions of hairdressers, makeup artists and fashion designers may become crazed as they poof, polish and tuck Hollywood glitterati into seemingly flawless form for the Academy Awards on Sunday night, but countless others, like this scenic painter (moonlighting from her day job with Los Angeles Opera), have already put in long shifts to make the big event happen.