As legend has it, Hollywood is named after the wood of a witch’s wand that in one flick of the wrist could conjure anything one wished for. In the midst of the mysticism, magic, and allure of that place is Raphael Saadiq, who, after warning me of the story’s apocryphal origins, told me the tale of “holly wood.” It’s fair to say that his success is a product of his own toil, not of some metaphorical magic fairy dust or wand waving. The Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated impresario is one of the music industry’s most pragmatic, relentlessly hardworking, multi-hyphenate talents, a man more likely to appear in the credits of your favorite’s album than on social media. Saadiq, a Taurus (naturally) and an Oakland, California, native, now lives and works in Los Angeles. Though he’s been a fixture in popular music for almost three decades, many people don’t know Saadiq beyond how he makes them feel. 

The ’90s was the era of his hit group Tony! Toni! Toné!, which gave the world “Feels Good,” the intimate “(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow,” and “Anniversary,” a yearly reminder to celebrate love. Fast-forward to Y2K, when people were losing their shit over the potential end of computers, and his new band Lucy Pearl gave us the space to put on our studded denim jackets and new kicks and entertain the idea of getting freaky while we “Dance Tonight.” In addition to making the solo classics “Ask of You,” “Good Man,” and “Be Here,” he penned and collaborated on hits for greats such as Whitney Houston and D’Angelo, contemporary hit-makers like Rick Ross and, more recently, the visionary Solange, executive-producing her Grammy Award–winning album A Seat at the Table, and helping to make its venerated single “Cranes in the Sky.” In early 2018, “Mighty River,” a song he cowrote and coproduced for the film Mudbound, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Although his musical credentials are well-known, there was still much to learn about beyond Saadiq’s mystique. I assumed our interview would take place between quite a few press obligations leading up to the release of his new project. As I prepared for the interview call with the quiet legend, I wondered how much he’d be willing to divulge. In an age that favors perception over reality, how has Saadiq seemingly managed to retain a sense of normalcy, humanity, and even secrecy in an industry that doesn’t openly reward such noble traits? Fifteen minutes into our conversation, Saadiq answered my overarching question. With humor and candor, he shared with me stories of his childhood, the lingering trauma of family deaths, his individual spirituality, the masks...