Meshell Ndegeocello
Meshell Ndegeocello
Meshell Ndegeocellois an American singer-songwriter, rapper, bassist, and vocalist. Her music incorporates a wide variety of influences, including funk, soul, jazz, hip hop, reggae and rock. She has received significant critical acclaim throughout her career, and has had ten career Grammy Award nominations. She has been credited for having "sparked the neo-soul movement."...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSoul Singer
Date of Birth29 August 1968
CityBerlin, Germany
CountryUnited States of America
Yes, violence begets more violence, but historically this has been the way of the world.
Not to be a Bible-thumper, but there really is nothing new under the sun.
I'm pushing ahead on my own - you no longer need a large record company to make you a star.
Your government has problems...my government has problems. I can't be a judge. All I can do is be an ambassador of love. I'm a musician, not a soldier, and if I'm invited to a place in order to play and bring love, I'll always accept the invitation.
I tried to be as positive as possible, because I have the same birthday as Michael Jackson. He is my cosmic brother. I love him.
It's funny, I think after you are a star like Sting and you no longer think you need any guidance or aid - it would be great to see those stars work with other songwriters.
I joke that a person of color would never make a movie like 'Midnight in Paris.' Nostalgia isn't so enticing.
I watch documentaries for information. I watch films to be entertained.
Our leaders and Osama Bin Laden all claim to do the right thing in the name of God. I question that. I wonder if that God is worth the life of another human-being.
My greatest influence is Jimi Hendrix, and if he's been reincarnated, or if he's looking down, sideways, or looking up, I just wanted to tell him that I love him and thank him for opening doors for me. I just wanted to make it beautiful for him.
I'm a true believer that unless you're Prince or Stevie Wonder - and even Prince is showing that he needs help - not everybody can produce themselves. I'm definitely not that person.
My father was a jazz tenor sax player. He played in a lot of big bands. So I had that sound around me all the time. The first record that really caught my ear was Clifford Brown's 'Brownie Eyes.' I grew up listening to John Coltrane and Illinois Jacquet. This is where I come from... I love improvisational music.
Music is my only guide. I don't care if people pigeonhole me. Miles Davis is my hero. He covered Cindy Lauper and Michael Jackson, and he didn't give a hoot about what the purists said.
I feel that musicians are in a fellowship, and that fellowship is a responsibility.