After R&B pioneer D’Angelo’s tragic passing in October, those closest to him continue to share stories and memories with the late singer. His former publicist, Karen Taylor Bass, was one of the few people there at the start of D’Angelo’s career. Now as she grieves, Bass remembered his legacy.
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She spoke to Billboard about watching D’Angelo’s career take off. “I was a publicist and excited to have my first project, which was a huge priority for A&R VP Gary Harris, rest in peace,” Bass said in the interview. “He’d signed D’Angelo to EMI Music.”
D’Angelo was only 19 years old, but Bass knew the musician was talented. She recalled listening to unreleased music from “Brown Sugar,” his debut album. “It was so soulful, so exciting; I’d not heard anything special like that in recent years,” she said. “During a corporate meeting with all of the departments, D’Angelo was described as ‘the guy that’s going to change things; he’s got next.’”
As time went on, Bass met his family, spent time in his hometown and often had deep conversations about the future of his career. She, however, left his team around 1995 to pursuit her own career. “D’Angelo came to my office after hearing the news, and talked with me about not taking it– how things would be different,” she said. “It’s really hard when you love someone. I loved D as an artist and a person.”
They kept in contact as the years continued. Bass said she last spoke to him in October 2024. She told Billboard, “He’d called one of my yoga clients, Dyana Williams — also his media coach in the early days — and I was there.” The singer had been having issues with his back. “The conversation between the three of us was that maybe he should try yoga,” Bass recalled. “He was like, ‘Yeah.’ And we’re joking about imagining D on my yoga mat.”
It wasn’t until August 2025 that she knew the severity of his health problems. “I knew he had some health challenges but didn’t know the severity,” she said. D’Angelo died just months later after a quiet battle with pancreatic cancer at 51 years old.
As the R&B world continues to grieve his death, Bass remembered D’Angelo’s dedication to showcasing Black culture. “He loved his people. He loved Black music. And he loved Black women,” she said. He was unapologetically Black and authentic.
Bass pointed to this as why D’Angelo’s music leaves such a lasting impression. “You can hear the soundtrack of his life.” She continued, “He was simply being himself.”
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