Raised in Washington, D.C., Meshell Suhaila Bashir Shakur (as she became known) adopted the surname Ndegéocello, which means "free like a bird", while still in her teens. She has been hailed in the music press as a redeemer of soul music. Her music incorporates funk, soul, hip-hop, reggae, rock and jazz. She has been nominated for 9 Grammys. She has frequently toured with Lilith Fair.
Ndegeocello honed her chops on the D.C. Go-go circuit in the late 1980s before venturing out as a solo artist. She emerged as a recording artist in 1993 on Maverick Records/Sire Records with her debut, Plantation Lullabies. This recording presented a distinctly androgynous persona. Her music has been featured in a number of film soundtracks including How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Batman and Robin. She has also appeared on recordings by Basement Jaxx and The Blind Boys of Alabama, among others. Her biggest hit is a duet with John Cougar Mellencamp, a cover version of Van Morrison's Wild Night, which reached #3 on the Billboard charts.
Her singles If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night), Leviticus: Faggot, and her cover of Bill Withers Who Is He and What Is He To You? have all charted in the Billboard top 20. She sang background vocals on the song I'd Rather be Your Lover by Madonna, on her album Bedtime Stories. She also sang with Chaka Khan on the single Never Miss the Water, as well as providing her typical solid bass skills.
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Step Into the Projects
Me'Shell Ndegéocello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And into his mind she creepsÂ
In this world of lies and confusion
She's the only thing not clouded by illusionsÂ
The pain of everyday life is hidden by the blackness of our skin
He searches to find peace within
He finds love in the blackness of her skin
Serenaded by the violence outside the window
Project aristocrats gather they realizeÂ
That our hearts and minds are shackled by the liesÂ
But he finds peace when he looks into her eyesÂ
And see her blackness is fine
The blackness of her skin the blackness of her mind
Straight from the wombÂ
Right smack dab in the middle ofâ?¦
Poverty insecurity no one to save me
The young black man lays his head on her young black thighs
So that the child in her womb can hear the tearsÂ
That the black man criesÂ
Soon come on a wave of positivity the big swinger,
Swingin' like a jazz singer travelin', movin', movin',Â
Steppin' in my three-quarter shell-toes,Â
Groovin' love to hear the brothers signify sisters with their head held highÂ
Summertime, the livin' is easy dreaming of seas of dark tranquilityÂ
On the project train full speed on the project train heading for my love that's sweet like sugercraneÂ
The song Step Into the Projects by Me'Shell Ndegéocello talks about the struggles of being black and facing the daily challenges of life. The lyrics refer to the pain and confusion that comes with living in a world full of lies and illusions. In such a world, the only thing that is not clouded by these illusions is the love that he finds in the blackness of her skin. The darkness of the skin is symbolic of the pain and suffering that black people go through every day.
The song highlights the ghetto or the projects, where violence and poverty are rampant. The young black man finds peace when he looks into her eyes and sees the blackness of her skin and mind which means that she is also a victim of the same society that they are fighting to survive in. The young black man also finds solace in the young black woman's thighs, and the tears he sheds become a lullaby for their unborn child. The song is about the power of love that helps people to survive in tough times.
Line by Line Meaning
She's darker than a child's deepest sleep
Her complexion is darker than that of a child who is in a deep sleep
And into his mind she creeps
He thinks about her often
In this world of lies and confusion
The world is full of lies and confusion
She's the only thing not clouded by illusions
She is the only thing that is not influenced by false beliefs
The pain of everyday life is hidden by the blackness of our skin
Our skin color hides the pain we experience in our everyday lives
He searches to find peace within
He seeks inner peace
He finds love in the blackness of her skin
He loves her for her dark complexion
Back to the ghetto
Returning to the poor area of the city
Serenaded by the violence outside the window
The sounds of violence are heard through the window
Project aristocrats gather they realize
The leaders of the community come together and understand
That our hearts and minds are shackled by the lies
False beliefs and lies restrain our thoughts and emotions
But he finds peace when he looks into her eyes
He feels calm when he looks at her
And see her blackness is fine
He thinks her dark complexion is beautiful
The blackness of her skin the blackness of her mind
Her skin color is representative of her personality
Straight from the womb
From birth
Right smack dab in the middle ofâ?¦
In the center of something
Poverty insecurity no one to save me
Living in poverty and feeling insecure with no one to help
The young black man lays his head on her young black thighs
He rests his head on her thighs
So that the child in her womb can hear the tears
The unborn baby can feel the emotional pain and sadness
That the black man cries
The man is crying
Soon come on a wave of positivity the big swinger,
Positive feelings and emotions are coming soon
Swingin' like a jazz singer travelin', movin', movin'
Feeling happy, like a musician traveling and moving to the rhythm
Steppin' in my three-quarter shell-toes,
Walking in his shoes with a certain style of shoe
Groovin' love to hear the brothers signify sisters with their head held high
Enjoying the music and feeling empowered when seeing women stand tall with confidence
Summertime, the livin' is easy dreaming of seas of dark tranquility
Life is easy during the summer, and the dream is to have moments of peace and calmness
On the project train full speed on the project train heading for my love that's sweet like sugercrane
Heading towards his love on a train in the projects
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind