Meshell Ndegeocello ( ; born Michelle Lynn Johnson on August 29, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on some of her mid-career work. Her music incorporates a wide variety of influences, including

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

, soul, jazz, hip hop, reggae and

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

. She has received significant critical acclaim throughout her career, being nominated for eleven

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

, and winning two. She also has been credited for helping to "spark the neo-soul movement".

Biography

Ndegeocello was born Michelle Lynn Johnson in West Berlin, Germany, to US Army Sergeant Major and saxophonist father Jacques Johnson and health care worker mother Helen. She was raised in Washington, D.C., where she attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts and

Oxon Hill High School Oxon Hill High School (OHHS) is a public senior high school, located in Oxon Hill, an unincorporated area in Prince George's County, Maryland, and a suburb of Washington, D.C. in the United States.Swahili Swahili may refer to: * Swahili language, a Bantu language official in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and widely spoken in the African Great Lakes * Swahili people, an ethnic group in East Africa * Swahili culture Swahili culture is the culture of ...

. Early pressings of '' Plantation Lullabies'' were affixed with stickers to help pronounce her name. The spelling has changed in the hands of record labels a few times during her career; the correct spelling of her stage name as of 2001 is ''Meshell Ndegeocello''.

Career

Ndegeocello honed her skills on the D.C. go-go circuit in the late 1980s with the bands Prophecy, Little Benny and the Masters, and Rare Essence. Going solo, she was one of the first artists to sign with Maverick Records, where she released her debut album, '' Plantation Lullabies''. This recording presented a distinctly

androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics i ...

persona. Her biggest hit is a

duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...

with John Mellencamp, a cover version of Van Morrison's " Wild Night", which reached No. 3 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' charts. Her only other ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hit besides " Wild Night" has been her self-penned "

If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night) "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)" is a single by American recording artist Meshell Ndegeocello. It was released in 1993 on Maverick Records. It also appears on her debut album ''Plantation Lullabies'', that was released on October ...

", which peaked at No. 73 in 1994. Also in 1994, Ndegeocello collaborated with

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

on "Nocturnal Sunshine," a track for the

Red Hot Organization Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...

's compilation album, '' Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool''. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by '' Time'' magazine. She had a No. 1 dance hit in 1996 with a Bill Withers cover song called "

Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?" is a track from Bill Withers' 1972 album, ''Still Bill''. The music was written by Withers along with Stan McKenny, who wrote the lyrics. The song has also been featured on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino ...

" (briefly featured in the film '' Jerry Maguire'') as well as Dance Top 20 hits with "Earth", " Leviticus: Faggot", "Stay" and the aforementioned "If That's Your Boyfriend.. Last Night)". Ndegeocello played bass on the song "I'd Rather be Your Lover" for

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

on her album ''

Bedtime Stories A bedtime story is a traditional form of storytelling, where a story is told to a child at bedtime to prepare the child for sleep. The bedtime story has long been considered "a definite institution in many families".Dickson, Marguerite Stockma ...

''. Ndegeocello was also tapped, at the last minute, to perform spoken word on the same song. This came after Madonna and producers decided to remove Tupac Shakur's rap (which he did while he and Madonna were dating in 1994), after he had criminal charges filed against him. Ndegeocello also performed spoken word on

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Qu ...

's single " Never Miss the Water", from the album '' Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1'', released in 1996. The song reached #1 on Billboard's Dance Club Play Chart and #36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Chart. Her music has been featured in a number of film soundtracks including '' How Stella Got Her Groove Back'', '' Lost & Delirious'', '' Batman & Robin'', '' Love Jones'', ''

Love & Basketball ''Love & Basketball'' is a 2000 American romantic sports drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood in her feature film directorial debut. The film is produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kit and stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It tells ...

'', '' Talk to Me'', ''

Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls ''Daddy's Little Girls'' is a 2007 American film written and directed by Tyler Perry and produced by Perry and Reuben Cannon. The film stars Idris Elba, Gabrielle Union, Louis Gossett Jr., and Tracee Ellis Ross. It tells the story of a lawyer who ...

'', '' The Best Man'', '' Higher Learning'', '' Down in the Delta'', '' The Hurricane'', '' Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom'', ''

Soul Men ''Soul Men'' is a 2008 American musical comedy film directed by Malcolm D. Lee, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Sharon Leal and Sean Hayes, released on November 7, 2008. It was one of three Bernie Mac films that were released after ...

'', and ''

Biker Boyz ''Biker Boyz'' is a 2003 American sports action drama film, directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood and written by Bythewood and Craig Fernandez, based on the 2000 ''New Times LA'' article of the same name by Michael Gougis. The film is about a group of ...

''. She has appeared on recordings by

Basement Jaxx Basement Jaxx are an English electronic music duo consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe. The pair got their name from the regular club night they held in Brixton, London, UK. They first rose to popularity in the underground house scene ...

Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part o ...

Scritti Politti Scritti Politti are a British band, originally formed in 1977 in Leeds, England, by Welsh singer-songwriter Green Gartside. He is the only member of the band to have remained throughout the group's history. Beginning as a punk-inspired collect ...

, and The Blind Boys of Alabama. On The Rolling Stones' 1997 album ''

Bridges to Babylon ''Bridges to Babylon'' is the 21st British and 23rd American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. Released as a double album on vinyl and as a single CD, it was supported by t ...

'' she plays bass on the song "

Saint of Me "Saint of Me" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released as the third single from their 21st British and 23rd American studio album, ''Bridges to Babylon'' (1997). It reached number 26 in the UK and number 94 in the US, where it ...

". On

Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with tw ...

's 2002 album ''

Under Rug Swept ''Under Rug Swept'' is the fifth studio album and third internationally released album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. Released by Maverick Records in the United States on February 26, 2002, and in the United Kingdom a day earlier ...

'', she plays bass on the songs " So Unsexy" and "You Owe Me Nothing in Return". Also that year, she appeared on

Gov’t Mule Gov't Mule (pronounced "Government Mule") is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as ''Mule''. ...

’s record ''

The Deep End, Volume 2 ''The Deep End, Volume 2'' is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Gov't Mule. The album was released on October 8, 2002, by ATO Records. After the death of founding member and bass guitarist Allen Woody, the band began recording tr ...

'', playing on a cover of The Staple Singers’ song "Hammer And Nails". And in 2009, she appeared on

Zap Mama Zap Mama is the music act of Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Zap Mama sings polyphonic and afro-pop music, a harmonic music with a mixture of infused African vocal techniques, urban, hip hop with emphasis on voice. The worldwide success of Zap Mam ...

's album ''ReCreation'', playing bass on the song "African Diamond". She can also be seen in the documentary '' Standing in the Shadows of Motown'', singing The Miracles' "

You've Really Got a Hold on Me "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is a song written by Smokey Robinson, which became a 1962 Top 10 hit single for the Miracles. One of the Miracles' most covered tunes, this million-selling song received a 1998 Grammy Hall of Fame Award. It has als ...

" and The Temptations' "

Cloud Nine Cloud Nine, cloud 9 or cloud nine is a name colloquially given to the state of euphoria, and may refer to: Books and comics * Cloud 9 (comics), a Marvel Comics superhero that debuted in ''Avengers: The Initiative'' * ''Cloud Nine'' (novel), a 19 ...

". In the late 1990s, she toured with Lilith Fair. She also did a remake of the song " Two Doors Down" on the 2003 release '' Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton''. Ndegeocello was also a judge for The 2nd, 12th, 13 and the 2015 14th Annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers. Her song "Tie One On" was chosen as the

Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

Pick of the Week on February 23, 2010. In 2016, she provided the theme song, "Nova", for the

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...

-produced show ''

Queen Sugar Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

''. She also collaborated with French-Cuban duo Ibeyi in the song "Transmission/Michaelion" for the album ''

Ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

'' reciting a poem by

Frida Kahlo Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, ...

. In December 2016, the world premiere of Ndegeocello's ''

Can I Get a Witness? The Gospel of James Baldwin ''Creating Can I Get a Witness? The Gospel of James Baldwin'' is a 2016 musical theatrical tribute to writer James Baldwin created by musician Meshell Ndegeocello, it debuted in December 2016 at the Harlem Stage in Harlem, New York. The 2016 worl ...

'', a new theatrical music and art work, was held in Harlem, New York. In June 2021,

The Beatles Channel The Beatles Channel is a Sirius XM Radio channel focusing on the music of the Beatles. The channel debuted on May 18, 2017, and broadcasts on Sirius XM Radio channel 18. The channel is described as follows: The Beatles were the big bang of pop - ...

on Sirius XM Radio began broadcasting ''A Shot of Rhythm and Blues: Exploring The Beatles and Black Music'', a four-part series hosted by Ndegeocello. The series explores the relationship between the English rock band the Beatles and the black musicians that inspired them. Ndegeocello joined the Blue Note label with the debut release of her 13th studio album '' The Omnichord Real Book'' (2023). The title refers to a set of lead sheets from songs from funk, soul, gospel and more influenced by her father as if a compilation of standards like a

real book The ''Real Book'' is a musicians' fake book – a compilation of lead sheets for jazz standards. Fake books had been around at least since the late 1920s, but their organization was haphazard, and their content did not always keep pace with co ...

in jazz repertoire.

Activism

In 2002, Ndegeocello collaborated with

Yerba Buena Yerba buena or hierba buena is the Spanish name for a number of aromatic plants, most of which belong to the mint family. ''Yerba buena'' translates as "good herb". The specific plant species regarded as ''yerba buena'' varies from region to regi ...

on a track featuring Ron Black for the Red Hot Organization's tribute album to

Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the p ...

, ''

Red Hot and Riot ''Red Hot + Riot'' (a.k.a. ''Red Hot + Riot: The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti'') is the fourteenth in a series of music compilation projects produced by Paul Heck and John Carlin of the Red Hot Organization and Grammy-winning music producer ...

''. Proceeds from the album went to various AIDS charities, per the Red Hot Organization's mission. In June 2010, she contributed a cover of U2's " 40" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo. In 2010, Ndegeocello contributed to the essay anthology '' It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living'', edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller in the vein of the It Gets Better Project.

Personal life

Ndegeocello is

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

and previously had a relationship with feminist author

Rebecca Walker Rebecca Walker (born November 17, 1969, as Rebecca Leventhal) is an American writer, feminist, and activist. Walker has been regarded as one of the prominent voices of Third Wave Feminism, and the coiner of the term "third wave", since publish ...

. Ndegeocello's first son, Solomon, was born in 1989. Since 2005, she has been married to Alison Riley, with whom she has a second son.

Awards and Nominations

{, class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" , - ! scope="col" , Award ! scope="col" , Year ! scope="col" , Nominee(s) ! scope="col" , Category ! scope="col" , Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable", , - !scope="row", Billboard Music Video Awards , 1994 , "

" , Best R&B/Urban Clip New Artist , , , - !scope="row" rowspan=3, Cash Box Year-End Awards , rowspan=3, 1994 , rowspan=2, Herself , Urban Singles: Top Rap Female Artist , , rowspan=3, , - , Urban Singles: Top New Rap Female Artist , , - , " Wild Night" , Top Pop Single , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=4,

GLAAD Media Awards The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their live ...

, 1997 , " Leviticus: Faggot" , Outstanding Music Song , , , - , 2000 , ''

Bitter Bitter may refer to: Common uses * Resentment, negative emotion or attitude, similar to being jaded, cynical or otherwise negatively affected by experience * Bitter (taste), one of the five basic tastes Books * '' Bitter (novel)'', a 2022 nove ...

'' , rowspan=3, Outstanding Music Artist , , , - ,

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...

, '' Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape'' , , , - ,

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

, ''

Comfort Woman Comfort women or comfort girls were women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army in occupied countries and territories before and during World War II. The term "comfort women" is a translation of the Japanese '' ian ...

'' , , , - !scope="row" rowspan=12,

, rowspan=4,

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...

, '' Plantation Lullabies'' , Best R&B Album , , rowspan=11, , - , rowspan=2, "

" , Best R&B Song , , - , Best Female R&B Vocal Performance , , - , " Wild Night" (with John Mellencamp) ,

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers c ...

, , - , rowspan=2,

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...

, '' Peace Beyond Passion'' , Best R&B Album , , - , "Never Miss the Water" (with

) ,

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances. The award had several minor name changes: *From 1967 to 1968 the ...

, , - ,

, '' Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape'' , Best Contemporary R&B Album , , - ,

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

, '' The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel'' ,

Best Contemporary Jazz Album The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing quality ...

, , - ,

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, " Fantasy" , Best Urban/Alternative Performance , , - ,

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

, '' Ventriloquism'' ,

Best Urban Contemporary Album The Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for quality works on albums in the urban contemporary subgenre within the R&B field. Honors in several categories are presented at t ...

, , - ,

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

, "Better Than I Imagined" , Best R&B Song , , - ,

2024 Predicted and scheduled events * January 1 ** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1928 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law. ***''Steamboat Willie'', Walt Disney's fi ...

, '' The Omnichord Real Book'' , Best Alternative Jazz Album , , , - !scope="row" rowspan=2,

MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...

, rowspan=2,

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...

, rowspan=2, "

" ,

Best Female Video The MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the Y ...

, , rowspan=2, , - , Best New Artist , , - !scope="row" rowspan=2, Soul Train Music Awards ,

, '' Plantation Lullabies'' , rowspan=2, Best R&B/Soul Album – Female , , , - ,

, '' Peace Beyond Passion'' , ,

Discography

Albums

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" , - !scope="col" rowspan="2", Year !scope="col" rowspan="2", Album !scope="colgroup" colspan="8", Chart positions , - style="font-size:smaller;" !scope="col", US
!scope="col", US
R&B
!scope="col", US
Jazz
!scope="col", AUS
Peaks in Australia: * ''Peace Beyond Passion'' and "Wild Night": * ''Plantation Lullabies'' and "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)": !scope="col",

BEL BEL can be an abbreviation for: * The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code for Belgium * ''BEL'' or bell character in the C0 control code set * Belarusian language, in the ISO 639-2 and SIL country code lists * Bharat Electronics Limited, an Indian stat ...

!scope="col",

FRA A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...

!scope="col",

SWI SWI may refer to: Places: * Switzerland (this is not the ISO 3166-1 code, which is CHE) * Swindon railway station (National Rail code SWI), serving Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom In science and technology: * SWI-Prolog, a free implementatio ...

!scope="col", UK
, - , 1993 !scope="row" align="left", '' Plantation Lullabies'' , 166 , 35 , — , 100 , — , — , — , — , - , 1996 !scope="row" align="left", '' Peace Beyond Passion'' , 63 , 15 , — , 30 , — , — , 46 , 100 , - , 1999 !scope="row" align="left", ''

'' , 105 , 40 , — , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2002 !scope="row" align="left", '' Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape'' , 67 , 21 , — , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2003 !scope="row" align="left", ''

'' , 150 , 43 , — , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2005 !scope="row" align="left", '' The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel'' , — , — , 9 , — , — , 127 , — , — , - , 2007 !scope="row" align="left", ''

The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams ''The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams'' is the seventh studio album by the American musician Meshell Ndegeocello. The album was released in August 2007. Five of the tracks were previously released on Meshell's 2006 EP, ''The Article 3'' ...

'' , 186 , 60 , — , — , — , 92 , — , — , - , 2009 !scope="row" align="left", ''

Devil's Halo ''Devil's Halo'' is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter and bassist Me'Shell Ndegéocello. It was released by Downtown Records on October 6, 2009. After writing songs for over a year, Ndegéocello recorded ''Devil's Halo'' in ...

'' , 185 , 64 , — , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2011 !scope="row" align="left", '' Weather'' , — , 37 , — , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2012 !scope="row" align="left", '' Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone'' , — , 46 , — , — , 190 , 117 , — , — , - , 2014 !scope="row" align="left", ''

Comet, Come to Me ''Comet, Come to Me'' is the 11th studio album by U.S. singer Meshell Ndegeocello, released 2 June 2014, on Naïve Records. Kyle Fleck of '' The Stranger'' described the album as "a lyrically haunted yet lushly produced set of alienated art p ...

'' , 161 , 22 , — , — , 194 , — , — , — , - , 2018 !scope="row" align="left", '' Ventriloquism'' , — , — , — , — , 86 , — , 62 , — , - , 2023 !scope="row" align="left", '' The Omnichord Real Book'' , — , — , — , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2024 !scope="row" align="left", '' No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin'' , — , — , — , — , — , — , 67 , —

Singles

{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" , - ! rowspan="2", Year ! rowspan="2", Title ! colspan="5", Chart positions ! rowspan="2", Album , - style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="35", US
! width="35", US
R&B
! width="35", US
Dance
! width="35", AUS
! width="35", UK
, - , rowspan="3", 1993 , align="left", "Dred Loc" , — , 86 , — , — , — , rowspan="4" , ''Plantation Lullabies'' , - , align="left", "

" , 73 , 20 , 23 , 79 , 74 , - , align="left", "Outside Your Door" , 113 , 41 , — , — , — , - , rowspan="2", 1994 , align="left", "Call Me" , — , — , — , — , — , - , align="left", " Wild Night"
(with John Mellencamp) , 3 , — , — , 18 , 34 , ''

Dance Naked ''Dance Naked'' is the thirteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp released on June 21, 1994. The album was released in response to the record company's accusations that Mellencamp's previous album, ''Human Wheels'', di ...

'' ( John Mellencamp) , - , rowspan="3", 1996 , align="left", " Who Is He and What Is He to You" , — , 34 , 1 , — , 80 , rowspan="2" , ''Peace Beyond Passion'' , - , align="left", " Leviticus: Faggot" , — , — , 15 , — , — , - , align="left", "Never Miss the Water" (with

) , 102 , 36 , 1 , — , 59 , non-album single , - , 1997 , align="left", "Stay" , — , 67 , 15 , — , — , ''Peace Beyond Passion'' , - , 1999 , align="left", "Grace" , — , — , — , — , — , ''Bitter'' , - , rowspan="2", 2002 , align="left", "Pocketbook"
(featuring

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...

, Tweet and Redman) , — , 116 , — , — , — , rowspan="2" , ''Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape'' , - , align="left", "Earth" , — , — , 29 , — , — , - , rowspan=2, 2006 , align="left", " The Article 3" (EP) , — , — , — , — , — , rowspan=2 , - , align="left", "Exit Music – Songs with Raido Heads EP 2" , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2007 , align="left", "Lovely Lovely" , — , — , — , — , — , ''The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams'' , - , 2014 , align="left", "Conviction" , — , — , — , — , — , ''Comet, Come to Me'' , - , rowspan=3, 2018 , align="left", "Tender Love" , — , — , — , — , — , rowspan=3, ''Ventriloquism'' , - , align="left", "Sometimes It Snows In April" , — , — , — , — , — , - , align="left", "Waterfalls , — , — , — , — , — , - , 2019 , align="left", "True Vine"
, — , — , — , — , — , - , rowspan=4, 2023 , align="left", "Virgo" , — , — , — , — , — , rowspan=4, ''The Omnichord Real Book'' , - , align="left", "Vuma"
, — , — , — , — , — , - , align="left", "The 5th Dimension"
, — , — , — , — , — , - , align="left", "Clear Water"
, — , — , — , — , — , - , style=text-align:center" colspan="12" style="font-size: 8pt", "—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Other appearances

*1994: ''

'': "I´d Rather Be Your Lover" ( Maverick/

Sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" a ...

/ Warner Bros.) *1994: Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool: "Nocturnal Sunshine" (with Herbie Hancock) *1995: ''

Higher Learning (soundtrack) ''Music From The Motion Picture "Higher Learning"'' is the soundtrack to John Singleton's 1995 film ''Higher Learning''. It was released on January 3, 1995 on Singleton's label New Deal Music through 550 Music/ Epic Soundtrax and contained a mix ...

'': "Soul Searchin' (I Wanna Know If It's Mine)" (

Epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film with heroic elements Epic or EPIC may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and medi ...

) *1995: '' Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality'': Guru feat. Meshell Ndegeocello "For You" (Chrysalis) *1995: ''

White Man's Burden "The White Man's Burden" (1899), by Rudyard Kipling, is a poem about the Philippine–American War (1899–1902) that exhorts the United States to assume colonial control of the Filipino people and their country.Hitchens, Christopher. ''Bloo ...

'': "Time Has Come Today" (Chrysalis) *1995: ''

Panther (soundtrack) ''Panther'' is a 1995 cinematic adaptation of Melvin Van Peebles's novel ''Panther,'' produced and directed by Mario Van Peebles. The drama film portrays the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, tracing the organization from its founding through i ...

'': "

Freedom (Theme from Panther) "Freedom" is a 1995 song released on Mercury Records featuring a chorus of over 60 African-American female artists and groups of note in hip-hop, pop and R&B music including En Vogue, Aaliyah, Vanessa L. Williams, Mary J. Blige, MC Lyte, SWV, T ...

" (Mercury) *1997: ''

Love Jones (soundtrack) ''Love Jones: The Music'' is the soundtrack to Theodore Witcher's 1997 film '' Love Jones''. It was released on March 11, 1997, via Sony Music. Track listing ;Notes *Tracks 6, 7, 8, 12 are not featured in the film. Personnel *Stephen Marcussen ...

'': Marcus Miller feat. Meshell Ndegeocello – "Rush Over" (Columbia) *1997: ''

Money Talks (soundtrack) ''Money Talks: The Album'' is the soundtrack to Brett Ratner's 1997 comedy film '' Money Talks''. It was released on August 12, 1997 through Arista Records and featured hip hop and R&B music. The album peaked at 37 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and 6 ...

'': "The Teaching" (Arista) *1997: '' Batman & Robin (soundtrack)'': "Poison Ivy" (Warner Bros.) *1997: '' My Melody'': Queen Pen feat. Meshell Ndegeocello "Girlfriend" (Interscope) *1998: ''

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (soundtrack) ''How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' is the soundtrack to the 1998 film, ''How Stella Got Her Groove Back''. It was released on August 11, 1998, through Flyte Tyme Records and consisted mainly of R&B music. The album was entirely produced by the pro ...

'': "Let Me Have You" (Flyte Tyme/MCA) *1998: '' Down In The Delta (soundtrack)'': "My Soul Don't Dream" (Virgin) *1999: ''

Anomie & Bonhomie ''Anomie & Bonhomie'' is the fourth album by the British group Scritti Politti, released in 1999. The album marks a sharp departure from their previous synthpop era and features contributions from rappers Mos Def and Me'Shell Ndegeocello. Crit ...

'':

"Die Alone" (Virgin) *1999: '' The Best Man (soundtrack)'': "Untitled" (Sony) *1999: '' A Day In The Life'': Eric Benet feat. Meshell Ndegeocello "Ghetto Girl" (Warner Bros.) *2000: ''

Love & Basketball (soundtrack) ''Music from the Motion Picture Love & Basketball'' is the soundtrack to Gina Prince-Bythewood's 2000 film ''Love & Basketball''. It was released on April 18, 2000 through Overbrook Music/Interscope Records, and mostly consisted of contemporary R ...

'': "Fool of Me" (New Line) *2002: ''

'':

"Hammer & Nails" (ATO Records) *2003: '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'': The Blind Boys Of Alabama Special Guest Vocals and Piano – "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" (Real World) *2005: ''Momentum'' (Joshua Redman album) bass guitar (track 7) *2007: '' Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur'': " Imagine" ( John Lennon cover) (Warner Bros.) *2007: '' Talk to Me'' (soundtrack): "Compared to What" (featuring Terence Blanchard) ( Atlantic) *2012: ''

Black Radio ''Black Radio'' is the fifth studio album by American jazz pianist/hip hop producer Robert Glasper, recorded with his electric quartet, the Robert Glasper Experiment. Released on February 28, 2012, on the Blue Note label, the album won Best R&B Al ...

'':

Robert Glasper Experiment Robert Andre Glasper (born April 6, 1978) is an American pianist, record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger with a career that bridges several different musical and artistic genres, mostly centered on jazz. To date, Glasper has won four ...

feat. Meshell Ndegeocello: "The Consequences of Jealousy" *2014: '' All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller'': Jason Moran (Blue Note): producer and vocals *2020: ''

From This Place ''From This Place'' is a studio album by American jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, released in February 2020 on the Nonesuch label. Track listing All tracks are written by Pat Metheny. Personnel The individuals involved in the making of the alb ...

'': Pat Metheny Special Guest Vocals – "From This Place" (Nonesuch) *2022: '' SHIFT (Bad Hombre Vol. II)'' :

Antonio Sanchez Anthony Sanchez, Antonio Sanchez or Tony Sanchez may refer to: Sports * Antón (footballer) (1914–2005), Spanish footballer born ''Antonio Sánchez Valdés'' * Antonio Sánchez (boxer) (1905–?), Spanish boxer * Antonio Sánchez (footballer, b ...

Special Guest – Comet, Come To Me (Warner Bros.)

References

External links

* * * *
Extensive audio interview
on ''

The Sound of Young America ''Bullseye with Jesse Thorn'' (formerly ''The Sound of Young America'') is a public radio program and podcast based in Los Angeles, California, and distributed by National Public Radio (NPR). The weekly show is currently heard on over 50 public r ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Ndegeocello, Meshell 1968 births Living people African-American women rappers African-American women singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters African-American guitarists American contraltos American women guitarists American funk bass guitarists American funk singers American hip hop musicians American jazz bass guitarists American jazz singers American multi-instrumentalists American reggae musicians American rhythm and blues bass guitarists American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters American rock bass guitarists American women rock singers Bisexual feminists Bisexual singers Bisexual songwriters Bisexual women musicians EmArcy Records artists Grammy Award winners Progressive soul musicians American women bass guitarists American LGBT singers American LGBT songwriters African-American LGBT people American neo soul singers Musicians from Berlin Maverick Records artists American LGBT rights activists LGBT rappers Guitarists from Washington, D.C. 20th-century American bass guitarists 21st-century American rappers Naïve Records artists Shanachie Records artists 20th-century American LGBT people 21st-century American LGBT people 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century African-American women singers 21st-century American women singers Singer-songwriters from Washington, D.C. 21st-century American women rappers American bisexual writers Blue Note Records artists

Biography

Career

Activism

Personal life

Awards and Nominations

Discography

Albums

Singles

Other appearances

References

Further reading

External links