Here is a little background about her for those who may not know about this wonderful artist. Meshell NDegeocello was born Michelle Lynn Johnson in Berlin, Germany to father Jacques Johnson and mother Helen Johnson. However, Ndegeocello was raised in Washington, D.C, United States. She attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Oxon Hill High School. Her first record deal signing was to Maverick Records, and decided to let art take its stride and change her name from Michelle Lynn Johnson to Meshell Ndegeocello. Meshell’s last name Ndegeocello mean’s “free as a bird” and represents her music well. Meshell is bi-sexual and had a previous relationship with feminist author Rebecca Walker, she suffers from photosensitive epilepsy and is predicted to seizures induced by flash photography at live performances, and in 1989 her song Askia was born.
Having signed and secured a record deal with Maverick, Meshell Ndegeocello was one of the record label’s first ever artists to sign. Previously, she had performed with bands such as Prophecy, Little Bennie, the Masters and Rare Essence. Eventually, Ndegeocello released her debut album Plantation Lullabies out in 1993. The record itself is gritty and soulful flavoured funk music. It offers the music lover thirteen songs, songs such as I’m Diggin’ You (Like an Old Soul Record), If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night), Dred Loc, and other underground gems like Shott’n Up and Gett’n High, Soul On Ice, Outside Your Door, and Sweet Love.
After twenty years of music industry experience under her belt, Meshell Ndegeocello has given up trying to explain herself and leaves it up to her fearsome force as a powerful songwriter, talented bassist, and curious creativity. Many berate her sexually charged and political lyrics, while others celebrate. Each album has stepped away from the last, allowing Meshell’s musicianship to be challenged, explored and identified as a talent to not question but to embrace. Devil’s Halo musically represent traces of her native go-go, hip-hop, rock R&B, new wave and even punk music. Her signature bass playing is warm, fat, and melodic with groove in announces.
Many of the major and independent artists a like admire Meshell Ndegeocello’s music, she has performed alongside Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, James Blood Ulmer, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tony Allen, John Medeski, Billy Preston, and Chaka Khan. As a bassist in her own right, she has gained credits working with Sting and Stevie Wonder to name a few. She was also the first woman to be featured on the front cover of Bass Player Magazine and remains one of the few women in the music business to lead the band and write her own music. As a music fan (without undermining her right as a musician herself) she admires the following artists such as Curtis Mayfield, Joni Mitchell, Ohio Players, Parliament, Prince, Minnie Riperton, Nirvana, Skunk Anansie, Fiona Apple, D’Angelo, No Doubt, Rahsaan Patterson, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Beatles, David Bowie, James Brown, Ron Carter, Eric Clapton, Ornette Coleman, Alice Coltrane, Miles Davis, Earth Wind & Fire, Robert Flack, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, The Gap Band, Larry Graham, Al Green, Herbie Hancock, Donny Hathaway, Isaac Hayes, Jimi Hendrix, Rufus & Chaka Khan, Last Poets, Led Zepplein, Bob Marley and many more.
Words by Matthew Daniel