American singer-songwriter, rapper and bass player Meshell Ndegeocello was born on this day in 1968. Born into a military family in Berlin, Germany, she grew up in Washington D.C.
In 1992 she was one of the first artists signed to Maverick Records, a new label set up by Madonna and her business partners. Ndegeocello released five acclaimed albums on the label.
Her debut album Plantation Lullabies, which came out in 1993, featured a string of singles including I’m Diggin You (Like an Old Soul Record), Dred Loc and If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night).
Ndegeocello’s 1996 sophomore record including the song Leviticus: Faggot which referenced a biblical quote on homosexuality and focused on homophobia and discrimination. Her second album also included a cover of the Bill Wither’s song Who Is He and What Is Hew To You and a reinterpretation of Marvin Gaye’s Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler).
In 1994 Ndegeocello collaborated with Herbie Hancock to contribute a track to the compilation album Red Hot and Cool: Stolen Moments which brought together rap and hip musicians with jazz artists to create awareness about HIV in the African American communities.
The musician also appears on Madonna’s I’d Rather be Your Lover where she performs bass and raps. During her career she has also collaborated with Chaka Khan, John Mellencamp, Basement Jaxx, Alanis Morrisette, Indigo Girls, The Rolling Stones, and Scritti Politti.
So far in her career Meshell Ndegeocello has released 14 albums of material ranging across neo-soul, jazz, rock and R&B. OUTinPerth chatted to her back in 2012 about the release of her album that pays tribute to singer Nina Simone.
The artists most recent releases 2023’s The Omnichord Real Book and 2024’s No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin have been highly praised.
Early gay rights advocate Edward Carpenter was born in 1844
Poet, Philosopher and Anthropologist Edward Carpenter is recognised as one of the earliest proponents of gay rights, and he was born on this day in 1844.
He worked in the church and education and travelled widely visiting India and Ceylon where he studied Hindu philosophy. Upon his return to England in 1891 he began a relationship with a younger man George Merrill.
The pair remained a couple for the rest of their lives. Carpenter was the inspiration for E.M. Forster’s novel Maurice, which tells the same-sex love story of an upper class man, and his working class partner.
During his career Carpenter wrote over 35 works covering topics such a prison reform, sexuality, marriage, religion, and society. His best known work is Civilization: It’s Cause and Cure which was published in 1889. He passed away in 1929 aged 84.
Choreographer Mark Morris was born in 1956
Mark Morris is one of the most acclaimed choreographers on ballet and modern dance in recent decades. He was born in Seattle, Washington on this day in 1956.
As a child Morris experienced a lot of discrimination for appearing effeminate, and this has a major influence on his choreography later in life. As a youth he studied both flamenco dancing and ballet.
After finishing high school he moved to Spain to further his studies, but he experienced homophobia in Spain and returned to the USA, later moving to New York City, and in 1980 launched his own company with 10 dancers.
Over the years his career grew and he created works for many major dance companies around the globe, especially the San Francisco Ballet. His work often includes dance from different cultures, and he’s spent a lot of time studying Indonesian dance and music.
He published his autobiography Out Loud: A Memoir in 2019, and continues to create major dance works. His company is now based in Brooklyn.
OIP Staff, this post was first published 2021 and has subsequently been updated.
