American singer-songwriter, rapper and bassist 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, the label established by Madonna and her business partners. Ndegeocello went on to release five critically acclaimed albums through the label.
Her debut album, Plantation Lullabies, was released in 1993 and 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 album included the song Leviticus: Faggot, which referenced a biblical passage often cited in discussions about homosexuality and explored themes of homophobia and discrimination. The album also featured a cover of Bill Withers’ Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? and a reinterpretation of Marvin Gaye’s Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler).
In 1994, Ndegeocello collaborated with Herbie Hancock on a track for the compilation album Red Hot + Cool: Stolen Moments, which brought together hip-hop and jazz artists to raise awareness of HIV in African American communities.
The musician also appeared on Madonna’s I’d Rather Be Your Lover, performing bass and contributing vocals and rap verses. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with artists including Chaka Khan, John Mellencamp, Basement Jaxx, Alanis Morissette, Indigo Girls, The Rolling Stones and Scritti Politti.
Over the course of her career, Meshell Ndegeocello has released albums spanning neo-soul, jazz, rock and R&B. OUTinPerth chatted to her back in 2012 about the release of her Nina Simone tribute album.
The artist’s most recent releases, 2023’s The Omnichord Real Book and 2024’s No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin, have both received widespread critical acclaim. Her new same-gender duets and covers album is Synonym will be released later this year.
Early gay rights advocate Edward Carpenter was born in 1844
oet, philosopher and anthropologist Edward Carpenter is recognised as one of the earliest advocates for homosexual rights and was born on this day in 1844.
He worked in both the church and education before travelling widely, including visits to India and Ceylon, where he studied Hindu philosophy. Upon returning to England, he began a relationship with a younger man, George Merrill.
The pair remained together for the rest of their lives. Carpenter is widely regarded as one of the inspirations for E.M. Forster’s novel Maurice, which tells the story of a same-sex relationship between an upper-class man and his working-class partner.
During his career, Carpenter wrote more than 35 works covering topics such as prison reform, sexuality, marriage, religion and society. His best-known work is Civilisation: Its Cause and Cure, published in 1889.
He died in 1929 at the age of 84.
Choreographer Mark Morris was born in 1956
Acclaimed choreographer Mark Morris was born in Seattle, Washington, on this day in 1956.
As a child, Morris experienced discrimination because he was perceived as effeminate, an experience that has been cited as influencing aspects of his later artistic work. As a young person, he studied both flamenco and ballet.
After finishing high school, he moved to Spain to further his dance studies. However, after experiencing homophobia there, he returned to the United States and later relocated to New York City. In 1980, he launched his own dance company with 10 dancers.
Over the years, Morris’s career flourished, and he created works for many major dance companies around the world, particularly the San Francisco Ballet. His choreography often incorporates influences from different cultures, and he has spent considerable 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.
