Meshell Ndegeocello has survived the best and worst of what a career in music has to offer. She eschewed genre for originality, celebrity for longevity, and musical trends for musical truths. Fans have come to expect the unexpected and follow her on sojourns into soul, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, rock—all bound by the search for love, justice, respect, and resolution. Performing under the banner of Hanif Abdurraqib’s transdisciplinary poetry series, I Guess It Was My Destiny To Live So Long, she shares the stage with Samora Pinderhughes, a composer, pianist, vocalist, filmmaker, and multidisciplinary artist known for striking intimacy, carefully crafted and radically honest lyrics, and high-level musicianship.

Ndegeocello’s sonic investigations have defied and redefined the expectations for women, for queer artists, and for black music for over 30 years and she remains one of few women who write the music, sing the songs, and lead the band. A bass player above all else, she brings her warm, fat, and melodic groove to everything she does. She has earned a Grammy award along with numerous nominations, and has played alongside the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, James Blood Ulmer, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tony Allen, John Medeski, Billy Preston, and Chaka Khan. As for her own bass-playing influences, she credits Sting, Jaco Pastorius, Family Man Barrett, and Stevie Wonder.

Meshell is always grateful for the opportunity to share the stage and believes music is a fellowship. She looks to spread that gospel with every creation and collaboration. A stretch for I Guess It Was My Destiny To Live So Long? Not at all: from the start, Hanif set out to show us where poetry intersects with our everyday lives, reflecting and infusing all the things we love.