Mark Chappelle
I'm a writer, musician, and record collector based in Los Angeles, CA.
Recent Work
✍🏾 8 Reasons to Nominate Nicki Richards for a Grammy
✍🏾 8 Reasons to Nominate Nicki Richards for a Grammy
✍🏾 REVIEW: Mariah Carey Infuses Her Unshakeable Cool Throughout 'Here For It All’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Mariah Carey Infuses Her Unshakeable Cool Throughout 'Here For It All’
Carey’s fans expect sharp songcraft with slick humor, top-notch production, and resonance over time. That’s a lot to accomplish, but it’s all here.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Stevie Wonder’s ‘A Time To Love’ Turns 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Stevie Wonder’s ‘A Time To Love’ Turns 20
‘A Time To Love’ is an unpretentious return to form for a music legend with nothing to prove, but plenty of freedom to play.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Stevie Wonder’s ‘In Square Circle’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Stevie Wonder’s ‘In Square Circle’ Turns 40
This misunderstood pop-soul touchstone strikes an impossible balance of experimentation, spirituality, and commercial sensibility.
Links
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Bluesky
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Bluesky
Writer. Ethnomusicologist. Professional introvert. Recovering overthinker. Defector from the petty wars that shell-shock love away. ✍🏾 linktr.ee/markchappelle
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Medium
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Medium
Read writing from Mark Chappelle on Medium. Ethnomusicologist. Writer. Musician. Professional introvert. Recovering overthinker. Defector from the petty wars that shell-shock love away.
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Albumism
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Albumism
🔗 Junkyard Salvation
🔗 Junkyard Salvation
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Mastodon
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Mastodon
218 Posts, 78 Following, 153 Followers · Ethnomusicologist. Professional introvert. Recovering overthinker. Defector from the petty wars that shell-shock love away. #Albumism writer. #BlackTwitter #BlackMastodon https://linktr.ee/markchappelle
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Twitter (Inactive)
🔗 Mark Chappelle on Twitter (Inactive)
Articles
✍🏾 INTERVIEW: Marcus Miller, Lenny White, and Mark Kibble collaborate on new Nicki Richards project | SoulTracks
✍🏾 INTERVIEW: Marcus Miller, Lenny White, and Mark Kibble collaborate on new Nicki Richards project | SoulTracks
By Mark Chappelle (June 29, 2025) Nicki Richards might be the best vocalist you didn’t realize you already knew. Before American Idol, there was Star Search — and Richards won it, earning herself a recording contract with Atlantic Records. Though solo work often took a backseat to session work, background vocals, and international tours with […]
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Minnie Riperton’s ‘Adventures In Paradise’ Turns 50
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Minnie Riperton’s ‘Adventures In Paradise’ Turns 50
On her third studio album, Riperton preserves her child-like wonder while blowing the embers of sensuality for an understated melding of soul and jazz-funk.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux’s Debut Solo Album ‘Infinite Possibilities’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux’s Debut Solo Album ‘Infinite Possibilities’ Turns 25
Larrieux’s inaugural solo affair is a boundless exploration of transcontinental jazz-soul that defined her unique soundprint without losing itself in the currents of neo soul.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘I Feel For You’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘I Feel For You’ Turns 40
Khan’s fifth solo studio affair was the product of a state American culture was in at the time, commercially super-charged, devastatingly of-the-moment.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Mariah Carey’s ‘Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Mariah Carey’s ‘Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Yolanda Adams’ ‘Mountain High… Valley Low’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Yolanda Adams’ ‘Mountain High… Valley Low’ Turns 25
With its intergenre diversity, Adams’ sixth studio album had a unifying effect that communicated tacitly that all of this was gospel music.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Whitney Houston’s Final Studio Album ‘I Look To You’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Whitney Houston’s Final Studio Album ‘I Look To You’ Turns 15
Equal parts celebration and lamentation, ‘I Look To You’ gathers Houston’s powers for a festival of urban AC pop-soul to toast her supporters one last time.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Minnie Riperton’s ‘Perfect Angel’ Turns 50
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Minnie Riperton’s ‘Perfect Angel’ Turns 50
On this sophomore stunner, Riperton concerns herself only with ecstasy and frivolity to render a triumph of utopian folk-soul.
✍🏾 REVIEW: Lalah Hathaway Reaffirms Her Artistic Identity and Self-Agency on Kaleidoscopic ‘VANTABLACK’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Lalah Hathaway Reaffirms Her Artistic Identity and Self-Agency on Kaleidoscopic ‘VANTABLACK’
‘VANTABLACK’ may be Hathaway’s most accessible album to date and its influences are multitudinous.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Seal’s Eponymous Second Album ‘Seal II’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Seal’s Eponymous Second Album ‘Seal II’ Turns 30
Seal’s second studio affair balances abstract lyricism and bold instrumentation to pack existential crisis into a tidy pop-rock cellophane.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Cherrelle’s Debut Album ‘Fragile’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Cherrelle’s Debut Album ‘Fragile’ Turns 40
For her debut album, Cherrelle forged a lean but capable mix of street-savvy dance-funk and quiet storm R&B to announce her arrival.
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Prince’s ‘The Chocolate Invasion’ & ‘The Slaughterhouse’ Turn 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Prince’s ‘The Chocolate Invasion’ & ‘The Slaughterhouse’ Turn 20
✍🏾 REVIEW: Beyoncé Defies Expectation, Lassos Inspiration with Convention-Breaking ‘Cowboy Carter’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Beyoncé Defies Expectation, Lassos Inspiration with Convention-Breaking ‘Cowboy Carter’
✍🏾 INTERVIEW: Musical Masterclass: A Conversation with Sy Smith
✍🏾 INTERVIEW: Musical Masterclass: A Conversation with Sy Smith
✍🏾 REVIEW: Sy Smith’s Kaleidoscopic ‘Until We Meet Again’ Melds Multiple Elements Into One Cohesive, Compelling Whole
✍🏾 REVIEW: Sy Smith’s Kaleidoscopic ‘Until We Meet Again’ Melds Multiple Elements Into One Cohesive, Compelling Whole
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux’s ‘Bravebird’ Turns 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux’s ‘Bravebird’ Turns 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: CeCe Peniston’s ‘Thought ‘Ya Knew’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: CeCe Peniston’s ‘Thought ‘Ya Knew’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Queen Latifah’s ‘Black Reign’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Queen Latifah’s ‘Black Reign’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘C.K.’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘C.K.’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Tevin Campbell’s ‘I’m Ready’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Tevin Campbell’s ‘I’m Ready’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux’s ‘Ice Cream Everyday’ Turns 10
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux’s ‘Ice Cream Everyday’ Turns 10
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Meshell Ndegeocello’s ‘Plantation Lullabies’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Meshell Ndegeocello’s ‘Plantation Lullabies’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Cherrelle’s ‘Affair’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Cherrelle’s ‘Affair’ Turns 35
✍🏾 NEW MUSIC WE LOVE: Sy Smith’s “Slide”
✍🏾 NEW MUSIC WE LOVE: Sy Smith’s “Slide”
✍🏾 NEW MUSIC WE LOVE: Lenny Kravitz’s “TK421”
✍🏾 NEW MUSIC WE LOVE: Lenny Kravitz’s “TK421”
✍🏾 REVIEW: James Blake Delves Deep Into the Visceral on Prismatic ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’
✍🏾 REVIEW: James Blake Delves Deep Into the Visceral on Prismatic ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Janelle Monáe’s ‘The Electric Lady’ Turns 10
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Janelle Monáe’s ‘The Electric Lady’ Turns 10
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Mariah Carey’s ‘Music Box’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Mariah Carey’s ‘Music Box’ Turns 30
✍🏾 7 Albums That Shaped the Sound of Hip-Hop | Sound of Life
✍🏾 7 Albums That Shaped the Sound of Hip-Hop | Sound of Life
✍🏾 REVIEW: Joni Mitchell’s Resilient Spirit and Timeless Songs Take Center Stage on ‘Joni Mitchell at Newport’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Joni Mitchell’s Resilient Spirit and Timeless Songs Take Center Stage on ‘Joni Mitchell at Newport’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s Lost Prince Album ‘Come 2 My House’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s Lost Prince Album ‘Come 2 My House’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Toni Braxton’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Toni Braxton’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Toni Braxton’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Toni Braxton’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Reexamining the Genius of N’Dea Davenport’s 1998 Solo Step-Out
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Reexamining the Genius of N’Dea Davenport’s 1998 Solo Step-Out
✍🏾 REVIEW: Janelle Monáe Savors Her Sensuality and Stimulates Our Senses with ‘The Age of Pleasure’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Janelle Monáe Savors Her Sensuality and Stimulates Our Senses with ‘The Age of Pleasure’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Queen Latifah’s ‘Order In The Court’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Queen Latifah’s ‘Order In The Court’ Turns 25
✍🏾 REVIEW: Jidenna Examines Intimacy In Its Multiple Forms with Compelling ‘ME YOU & GOD’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Jidenna Examines Intimacy In Its Multiple Forms with Compelling ‘ME YOU & GOD’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Emily King’s ‘Special Occasion’ Celebrates the Vitality and Vicissitudes of Love
✍🏾 REVIEW: Emily King’s ‘Special Occasion’ Celebrates the Vitality and Vicissitudes of Love
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Sade’s ‘Stronger Than Pride’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Sade’s ‘Stronger Than Pride’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Lenny Kravitz’s ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Lenny Kravitz’s ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Aaliyah’s ‘I Care 4 U’ Turns 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Aaliyah’s ‘I Care 4 U’ Turns 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Erykah Badu’s ‘Live’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Erykah Badu’s ‘Live’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Karen Clark Sheard’s ‘Finally Karen’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Karen Clark Sheard’s ‘Finally Karen’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘Funk This’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘Funk This’ Turns 15
✍🏾 REVIEW: Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Is a Resplendent, Reverential Experience for the Mind, Body and Soul
✍🏾 REVIEW: Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Is a Resplendent, Reverential Experience for the Mind, Body and Soul
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Common’s ‘Finding Forever’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Common’s ‘Finding Forever’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Alexander O'Neal’s ‘Hearsay’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Alexander O'Neal’s ‘Hearsay’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Missy Elliott’s ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Missy Elliott’s ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Mirage’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Mirage’ Turns 40
🎥 Catch That! Episode 66: Cherrelle's "Affair" w/ Mark Chappelle
🎥 Catch That! Episode 66: Cherrelle's "Affair" w/ Mark Chappelle
✍🏾 ARTICLE: En Vogue’s ‘EV3’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: En Vogue’s ‘EV3’ Turns 25
✍🏾 Forever Straight From the Heart - An INTERVIEW with Patrice Rushen
✍🏾 Forever Straight From the Heart - An INTERVIEW with Patrice Rushen
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Musiq Soulchild’s ‘Juslisen’ Turns 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Musiq Soulchild’s ‘Juslisen’ Turns 20
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Bill Withers’ ‘Still Bill’ Turns 50
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Bill Withers’ ‘Still Bill’ Turns 50
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘The Woman I Am’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘The Woman I Am’ Turns 30
✍🏾 REVIEW: Robert Glasper’s Sound and Collaborative Vision Hit All of the Right Keys on Resonant ‘Black Radio III’
✍🏾 REVIEW: Robert Glasper’s Sound and Collaborative Vision Hit All of the Right Keys on Resonant ‘Black Radio III’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Kenny Lattimore’s ‘Here To Stay’ Advances His Artistry While Preserving His Proven Creative Pedigree
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Kenny Lattimore’s ‘Here To Stay’ Advances His Artistry While Preserving His Proven Creative Pedigree
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: CeCe Peniston’s ‘I'm Movin’ On’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: CeCe Peniston’s ‘I'm Movin’ On’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Queen Latifah’s ‘Nature of a Sista’’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Queen Latifah’s ‘Nature of a Sista’’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The Roots’ ‘Game Theory’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The Roots’ ‘Game Theory’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Vanessa Williams’ ‘The Comfort Zone’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Vanessa Williams’ ‘The Comfort Zone’ Turns 30
✍🏾 Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire: Patti LaBelle’s ‘Burnin’’ Turns 30
✍🏾 Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire: Patti LaBelle’s ‘Burnin’’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The Time's Eponymous Debut Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The Time's Eponymous Debut Turns 40
✍🏾 How Physical Media Brought Prince Back To Life For Me
✍🏾 How Physical Media Brought Prince Back To Life For Me
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Joni Mitchell's ‘Blue’ Turns 50
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Joni Mitchell's ‘Blue’ Turns 50
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan's ‘Destiny’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan's ‘Destiny’ Turns 35
✍🏾 Climbing the Mountain - An INTERVIEW with Kenny Lattimore
✍🏾 Climbing the Mountain - An INTERVIEW with Kenny Lattimore
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Kenny Lattimore’s Eponymous Debut Album Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Kenny Lattimore’s Eponymous Debut Album Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Paula Abdul’s ‘Spellbound’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Paula Abdul’s ‘Spellbound’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Lisa Fischer’s ‘So Intense’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Lisa Fischer’s ‘So Intense’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux's ‘Morning’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Amel Larrieux's ‘Morning’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The S.O.S. Band’s ‘Sands of Time’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The S.O.S. Band’s ‘Sands of Time’ Turns 35
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Teena Marie’s ‘Irons In The Fire’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Teena Marie’s ‘Irons In The Fire’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Joni Mitchell’s ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’ Turns 45
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Joni Mitchell’s ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’ Turns 45
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Mutemath’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Mutemath’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Mutemath’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Mutemath’ Turns 15
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Minnie Riperton’s ‘Love Lives Forever’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Minnie Riperton’s ‘Love Lives Forever’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The Time’s ‘Pandemonium’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: The Time’s ‘Pandemonium’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Jazmine Sullivan Examines the Depths and Dynamism of a Woman’s Worth on ‘Heaux Tales’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Jazmine Sullivan Examines the Depths and Dynamism of a Woman’s Worth on ‘Heaux Tales’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Jacob Collier Embarks Upon His Most Ambitious & Arresting Adventure to Date with ‘Djesse Vol. 3’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Jacob Collier Embarks Upon His Most Ambitious & Arresting Adventure to Date with ‘Djesse Vol. 3’
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Lucky Daye Proves That Sometimes It Takes Two to Make a Song Sound Right on ‘Table For Two’ Duets EP
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Lucky Daye Proves That Sometimes It Takes Two to Make a Song Sound Right on ‘Table For Two’ Duets EP
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Monica’s Debut Album ‘Miss Thang’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Monica’s Debut Album ‘Miss Thang’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Groove Theory’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Groove Theory’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Groove Theory’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Groove Theory’ Turns 25
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Chaka Khan’s ‘What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me’ Turns 40
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Teena Marie’s ‘Ivory’ Turns 30
✍🏾 ARTICLE: Teena Marie’s ‘Ivory’ Turns 30
Features
🎥 Catch That! with The R&B Representers - Episode 22: Mark Chappelle - Janet Jackson's "The Velvet Rope"
🎥 Catch That! with The R&B Representers - Episode 22: Mark Chappelle - Janet Jackson's "The Velvet Rope"
🎥 Catch That! Episode 62: Mariah Carey's "Music Box" w/ Mark Chappelle
🎥 Catch That! Episode 62: Mariah Carey's "Music Box" w/ Mark Chappelle
🎥 Catch That! with The R&B Representers - Episode 14: Mark Chappelle Discusses Alexander O'Neal's Hearsay
🎥 Catch That! with The R&B Representers - Episode 14: Mark Chappelle Discusses Alexander O'Neal's Hearsay
🎥 Catch That! with The R&B Representers - Episode 4: Mark Chappelle Discusses Chaka Khan's What Cha' Gonna Do For Me
🎥 Catch That! with The R&B Representers - Episode 4: Mark Chappelle Discusses Chaka Khan's What Cha' Gonna Do For Me
⭐ Albumism Welcomes Mark Chappelle as Our Newest Contributor
⭐ Albumism Welcomes Mark Chappelle as Our Newest Contributor
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