Death = Dollars

Did you hear about D'Angelo's crash in Va. last week? It sounds pretty bad, but there aren't many details. They say that the 2003 Hummer he was riding in ran off the right side of the road, then crossed the road, ran off the left side of the road, hit a fence and flipped over. The Hummer was totaled and D'Angelo was thrown from the vehicle. There was also a lady in the car, but all they know about her is that her name is Lynne Sellers. D'Angelo had to be taken to the hospital by helicopter and his family isn't releasing any info on his condition. But it just doesn't sound too good.

Of course, every article mentions D'Angelo's cocaine conviction a couple of weeks ago. He was sentenced to three years in prison and got all of them waived so he didn't have to do time. My coworker was saying that it's a shame that the judge gave him such a big break when he was clearly on a downward spiral. I agree with that. He also had a DUI and marijuana possession earlier this year and a suspended license. I think that D'Angelo's label [or someone] should step in and say, "Clean up, Junkie! Lose weight! You were a sex symbol five years ago!" Now he's like Fat Elvis. But I remember staring at the "Untitled" video just wishing the camera would drop a lil' lower... mmmm hmmmm [ahem, sorry] I just don't want to see someone so talented flush his life away like so many r&b stars before him. It's a classic tale. Reminds me of the 5 Heartbeats. He probably thinks he's "still got it."

But this leads me to think about the power of death and near-death experiences. B.I.G. said it best, "You're nobody till somebody kills you." Look what happened to Kanye West after his accident. I didn't even hear about his accident until he released "Through the Wire." And I haven't talked about D'Angelo since the day we found his mug shot online and gathered around the computer in disgust. Remember Gloria Estefan's bus accident? That was big, but her comeback was even larger. It was like a real-life drama to see her dance again. Who else? Bob Marley.. way bigger after death. Same with Pac. I dug him, but didn't have as much respect for him until he died.. then it was like- "You don't think Pac was one of the best ever?!"

I can't help but wonder if nearly dying would make any difference in regular people's lives? Would my job feel sorry for me and give me a huge raise at my annual review if something crazy happened to me? Of course, I'd probably be out on disability, huh? It's not like I sing and can make a huge comeback album. Would people sit around saying, "Wasn't MBT that hottest blog ever?" I doubt it. Nearly dying is worthwhile only for the rich and famous. D'Angelo won't be in debt when the bill for the helicopter comes in the mail.

That said, I hope he feels better soon and gets his shit together.

-Atsui_Gal