Meshell Ndegeocello is the pseudonym of singer, bassist, and multi-instrumentalist Michelle Lynn Johnson (b. 29 Aug 1968). She was born in Germany and her parents moved to Washington, D.C shortly after Meshell’s birth. Ndegeocello cultivated her skills on the D.C go-go circuit in the late 80s’ before venturing out as a solo artist. She emerged as a recording artist in 1993 on Maverick Records/Sire Records with her debut, ‘Plantation Lullabies’. She has been credited as one of the artists who sparked the neo-soul movement. Ndegeocello's name means "free like a bird," which effectively describes her mix of funk, soul, R&B, hip-hop, reggae, rock, and jazz — as well as lyrics that explore the politics of race, sex, gender, and more.

No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin

... The visionary work is at once a musical experience, a church service, a celebration, a testimonial, and a call to action. With No More Water, Ndegeocello embarks on a prophetic musical odyssey that transcends boundaries and genres, delving headfirst into race, sexuality, religion, and other recurring themes explored in Baldwin’s canon.

“The music you hear in No More Water, is Jimmy talking to Meshell and his words meeting the language of her sounds and then coming out again through a multitude of voices, a multitude of sounds and thoughts that bring Jimmy back and give him—finally—his whole and true self, that which he offered up, time and again, if only we knew then how to listen.”

Review
Interview w/ Rolling Stone

First Look w/ BLUE NOTE PRESIDENT Don Was

Talk w/ album collaborator Staceyann Chin

Red Hot & Ra - The Magic City

In today’s music scene, heavily influenced by the innovative ideas of Sun Ra—a self-taught pianist, composer, and thinker hailing from Birmingham, AL, or perhaps Saturn, in his cosmic imagination—Red Hot presents a fresh perspective on Ra’s concepts in a contemporary setting. Red Hot + Ra: Magic City is an intimate musical dialogue crafted by Grammy Award-winning musician Meshell Ndegeocello, delving into Sun Ra’s repertoire. These aren’t just covers; they’re entirely new compositions, drawing on Ra’s essence while infusing original music and sounds. Ndegeocello collaborates with a diverse array of talented musicians, including the legendary 99-year-old Marshall Allen of Ra’s Arkestra, hip-hop/jazz artist Pink Siifu, saxophonists Immanuel Wilkins and Darius Jones, vocalist-composer Justin Hicks, and many others.

Produced by Ndegeocello and Hector Castillo, Red Hot + Ra: Magic City blends various elements—voices, synths, horns—into a cohesive sonic landscape. The album reimagines familiar Ra motifs, adding fresh layers and personal interpretations, free from the clichés often associated with his mystique. Tracks like “#9 Venus The Living Myth” and “Yet Differently Not – Mars Hall (in)” offer novel arrangements, infused with feminine energy and Ndegeocello’s vision.

Original compositions by Justin Hicks, such as “Bedlam Blues” and “Reproductive Manatees – Sunny Said Up!,” incorporate Ra’s teachings, reflecting his perspective on navigating a chaotic world. Ndegeocello’s journey into Ra’s philosophy, sparked by John Szwed’s biography “Space Is The Place: The Lives And Times Of Sun Ra,” led her to reevaluate her approach to music, seeking a deeper connection and exploration of new dimensions.

For Ndegeocello, Red Hot + Ra: Magic City is about honoring Sun Ra’s legacy while embracing the present moment. It’s a call to self-reflection and empowerment in a tumultuous world. Ultimately, the album invites listeners to recognize the power of their own choices and the importance of shaping their lives according to their own aspirations.

review

The Omnichord Real Book

“It’s a little bit of all of me, my travels, my life,” says Meshell. “My first record I made at 22, and it’s over 30 years from then, so I have a lot of stored information to share.” Reflecting on the impact that the forced stillness of the pandemic lockdown had on her, she says “I must admit it was a beautiful time for me. I got to really sit and reacquaint myself with music. Music is a gift.”
“This album is about the way we see old things in new ways,” said Ndegeocello. “Everything moved so quickly when my parents died. Changed my view of everything and myself in the blink of an eye. As I sifted through the remains of their life together, I found my first Real Book, the one my father gave me. I took their records, the ones I grew up hearing, learning, remembering. My mother gifted me with her ache, I carry the melancholy that defined her experience and, in turn, my experience of this thing called life calls me to disappear into my imagination and to hear the music.”

EPK

Interview With Reverb
Interview With Morgan Enos

Interview w/ Don Was

Discography:

Links:

Website

In

In

her drummer dropped some unreleased songs from her these really made my morning 🥰

So many classics

wow you just put me on thank u

@op became one of the realest niggas ever for this thread.

Wouldnt say R&B singer tho, she way too versatile. And also one of the dopest bassists too.

She’s up there in having a damn near/flawless discography imo.

Growing up on plantation lullabies and bitter, and going to cookie (I HIGHLY recommend listening to barry farms) and peace beyond passion in hs. And her later works throughout college, the versatility she has is damn near unmatched.

Imagine going from this

To

To

(One of the saddest albums ever but beautiful at the same time. U going through a breakup this is the album for ya)

To

To

Plus her features are always crazy nice.

(played bass)

(fun fact: it was supposed to be 2pac on this. There’s a version with him on the internet. But he was going through his rape case at the time so his verse was dropped)

One of the GOATs. I wanna see this woman live one day.

she covered andre’s spread:

new interview:

she’s working on new music: instagram.com/p/CWCnQl0rFjB/?utm_medium=copy_link

and heres a new performance w robert glasper:

I need to get into her music more.

I adore “Bitter,” though.

listening to her albums chronologically 4rm the first really makes u appreciate her progression tbh

god this song is so out of this this world and it deserved a video fr like i would direct it

Great thread

i had a bunch of live material in a thread of mine on here part of my live series. nice mention, respect 😎

Link the live please

i forgot what that post was called i thought i put it under her name. i checked my profile i can only go back 7 months. 😳

maybe i still have the live shows on my hard drive i know it’s in my locker but …..i probably didn’t spell out her name 😒

dope

shes amazing

Hopefully it can be recovered

found it on ktt1 😎

bit.ly/3rMhSlY

this is a zip of some live shows converted off youtube

i may go look for some more just in case the other one’s get deleted 😳

LET'S GOOOOOOOO