It's an album that celebrates being brown skinned and also highlights some of the self inflicted attitudes keeping people of color down. At least that's how I see it. Right from the start on 'Dead Nigga Blvd. (Pt. 1)' she's highlighting some of the negative thinking holding so many people back. "Somebody said, our greatest destiny is to become white - but white is not pure and hate is not pride - just cause civil rights is law doesn't mean that we all abide - tell me are you free?" She goes on to say most are holding onto an Africa of the past while forgetting it was Africans who helped to enslave their ancestors. She's fighting the negative thoughts of an entire generation of people.
She follows it up with 'Hot Night'. This song is a party tune, but it's interlaced with a speech from Angela Davis... I'm not sure how to interpret what I'm hearing. In so many ways, the choices of soundbites from this woman are both offensive and trivializing women in society. And yet I know these comments are taken out of context in order to present a certain idea. Once again, it seems the order of the day is how black people are keeping black people down. But let's be honest, this is one jamming track and I love it!
'Interlude: Blah Blah Blah, Dyba Dyba Dyba' is a short little jam featuring Meshell talking to someone on the phone. It's a great interlude and it leads into one of the sexiest seduction songs ever written, 'Priorities 1-6'. "All I got is love and time to spend". The stuttering percussion, deep groove tones and the chanted vocals make it one of the best tracks on the disc. Next up is 'Pocketbook'. I think this song was the big single from the album, but I might be wrong. If it isn't it should've been. It's got a delicious groove that starts and drives you right dang near to ultimate pleasure. There's no bars being held here. Meshell is letting her sexuality stand out like a wild stamp for the world to see. If you don't get what's happening on this track, you won't be able to pretend you don't know when 'Barry Farms' kicks in.
This track holds a special place in my heart because I heard it live before it was recorded and released on this record. She played it at a concert in North Carolina to test it out and I loved it. She pretty much spells out everything on this track. Plus you hear some of the synth stylings that would play such a huge roll on her next album, "Comfort Woman".
And then we get to 'Trust'. Wow, another amazingly complex seduction song. This one is soft core porn virtually bordering on the explicit extreme... And it's absolutely incredible. These are songs that make me envy lesbians. Lol. Although this one seems to be more in tune with the straight side of things. She's a complex and interesting woman and there's no way to categorize her. She really defies attempts to file her away.
As the next song proves. 'Akel Dama (Field Of Blood)' includes lyrics I use as a closing quote on all my online profiles. This track is as much a philosophical statement as it is a statement of faith and purpose. It includes a rather heart touching account told by a man in prison. He shares his thoughts about family and incarceration. Very powerful. It's followed by 'Earth'. This song seems to incorporate some jazz and other musical elements Meshell is known to use from time to time. It's another song describing dedication and devotion. She writes these kinds of songs so well. I'm starting to think no one could ever do it better.
Another tune with a deep groove and a funky beat kicks in called 'Better By The Pound'. I really love this number too. 'Criterion' kicks in sounding like something you'd here in a Las Vegas lounge. It's incredible but also deep. 'GOD.FEAR.MONEY' jumps in with a more aggressive beat and it almost sounds like something I've heard long ago. I wanna say, there's a Prince quality to it, but it's more like something that would've inspired Prince back in the day. Something you'd hear in his music from the artists who came before. And so it is here. Like the progression of music culminating in this track.
'Jabril' is next and it's got more of the same organ sounds, bass funk playing and everything you've come to expect from this eclectic disc. I love the song, but it's not the best on the disc. 'Dead Nigga Blvd. (Pt. 2)' is an instrumental reprise with some spoken word over the top. It's as funky and cool as the first track. Afterward, you get an interlude to close out the disc. 'Interlude: 6 Legged Griot Trio (Weariness)' vocalizes the frustration felt by those who are trying to get ahead and feel like they're being held back.
The last piece of music on this disc is 'Pocketbook (Rockwilder And Missy Elliott Remix) Featuring Redman And Tweet'. It's a good mix, but I'm not sure it surpasses the original. It does feature some new lyrical content and performance by Meshell which is very cool.
Once again, Meshell opens up a door and takes the listener in a new direction and once again, those who take the trip are wrapped in music that makes you think, feel and move. She reaches you on so many levels... It's hard to explain her to people. Everytime I mention her name and someone tells me they don't know her, I feel like their lives are missing an integral equation for happiness in life. She reaches into you in such a powerful way. There's no other word for it. She touches her listeners. She expresses sentiment in such a passion-filled manner. I could go on and on about the power I feel in her music.
My final words are: ANOTHER TRIUMPHANT CLASSIC FROM AN UNDER-RATED ARTIST.
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO - COOKIE: THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL MIXTAPE BY MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO
01. Dead Nigga Blvd. (Pt. 1)
02. Hot Night
03. Interlude: Blah Blah Blah, Dyba Dyba Dyba
04. Priorities 1-6
05. Pocketbook
06. Barry Farms
07. Trust
08. Akel Dama (Field Of Blood)
09. Earth
10. Better By The Pound
11. Criterion
12. GOD.FEAR.MONEY
13. Jabril
14. Dead Nigga Blvd. (Pt. 2)
15. Interlude: 6 Legged Griot Trio (Weariness)
16. Pocketbook (Rockwilder And Missy Elliott Remix) Featuring Redman And Tweet
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