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Mystic (singer)

Mandolyn Wind Ludlum (born March 28, 1974),[1] better known by her stage name Mystic, is an American singer and rapper from the San Francisco Bay Area.[2] After touring and recording with Digital Underground, she released her debut solo album in 2001.

Mystic
Birth nameMandolyn Wind Ludlum
Also known asDU Goddess
Born (1974-03-28) March 28, 1974 (age 50)[1]
Lower Lake, California, United States
OriginOakland, California
GenresHip hop
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
Years active1990–present
Labels
Websitemysticworldwide.com

Early life

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Born Mandolyn Wind Ludlum on a hippie commune in Lower Lake, California to a white mother and African-American father, she was raised by her mother after her parents split up when she was three years old (an experience she explores in her song "Fatherless Child").[3][4] She grew up in rural California, Hawaii, Mexico, and Oregon before settling in her eventual home base, Oakland, California, in 9th grade.[5][6][7][8] Most of her life has been in the Bay Area, and she says that she's from Oakland because it's where she "became a woman" and discovered herself.[9]

Music career

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1991–1996: Career beginnings

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Ludlum began taking part in MC Battles in the Bay Area in the early 1990s.[4] After dropping out of high school at the end of 11th grade[9][10] in 1991, she began teaching art in 1996, and also began her recording career, her version of "Gloomy Sunday" appearing on the soundtrack to Abel Ferrara's film The Funeral.[7][11][12]

1997–1999: Digital Underground

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Early on in her musical career, she collaborated with fellow female producer The Angel and toured with Digital Underground between 1997 and 1999, appearing on Digital Underground's Who Got The Gravy album under the name DU Goddess.[6][13] She worked as a writer for Rude Gal Music before establishing herself as a solo artist.[6]

She signed a solo contract with Goodvibe Recordings in 1999 (signing on the same day her father died of a heroin overdose) after label co-chair Matt Kahane heard her on a mixtape by Bahamadia.[3][14]

2001–2003: Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom

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She worked with respected underground hip-hop producers including Shock G and A-Plus on her 2001 critically acclaimed debut album, Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom, which was labelled as "conscious rap" and saw her receiving comparisons with Lauryn Hill.[2][7][15][16][17][18] She participated in the summer 2001 Tree of Life tour with her labelmates to promote the album,[2][6] whose lead single, "The Life", was featured in the ESPN show The Life and a commercial for Bud Light in 2004. She also toured with The Black Eyed Peas in 2001.[14]

The album track "W" featuring her collaboration with Planet Asia was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2001 for the brand new category, at the time, of Best Rap/Song Collaboration.[7][19] Mystic was also nominated for a BET Award in 2002 in the 'Best female hip-hop artist' category.[20]

The album was reissued with five extra tracks in 2003 on the DreamWorks label, including two new tracks produced by Kanye West, one a collaboration with Mos Def.[7][21]

2007–2011: European tour and digital album release

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In 2007, Mystic toured in Europe along with Dave Ghetto, Hezekiah, and DJ Munch. The tour began in Berlin, and they toured through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.[22]

In August 2011, Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom was released as a digital download for the first time via Universal Music Group, with a website also opened featuring stories from fans related to the album.[23]

2013–2019: Music haitus, academia, non-profit work, and return to music with Beautiful Resistance

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Mystic eventually took a haitus from music to focus on her education, earning a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from UC Berkeley in 2015, and a Master of Science in Comparative and International Education from the University of Oxford in 2019.[10][24][25][26]

She became inspired to keep making music by one of her professors at UC Berkeley,[9] and in 2014, she returned to music with the independent release Beautiful Resistance, released through her own label, Beautifull Soundworks.[24]

From 2007-2021, Mystic also worked with the Hip Hop Caucus, a non-profit organization that aims to promote political activism for young U.S. voters using hip-hop music and culture.[27] She held a number of positions over the years, including Organizer, Bay Area Coordinator, Project Manager, Bay Area Advisor, and Program Manager.[28][29][26]

2022: Dreaming in Cursive: The Girl Who Loved Sparklers and A Black Love Trilogy

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In 2022, Mystic released her first solo album in eight years, Dreaming in Cursive: The Girl Who Loved Sparklers.[24][30] She described this album as her "healed Black woman music", focusing on affirmation and love.[5][31]

Her latest project, currently in post-production, is a short film called A Black Love Trilogy, which she co-wrote, co-directed and stars in.[30][24][31][32]

Discography

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Albums

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  • Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom (2001), Goodvibe - US #170,[33] reissued (2003), DreamWorks
  • Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom (Learning to Breath) (2003), Goodvibe, DreamWorks
  • Beautiful Resistance (2014), Beautifull Soundworks
  • Dreaming In Cursive: The Girl Who Loved Sparklers (2022), Beautifull Soundworks/Soulspazm

Singles

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  • "Current Events" (2000), GoodVibe
  • "The Life" (2001), GoodVibe
  • "The Life" remix by Erik Rico (2001), GoodVibe - featuring Talib Kweli & Kam
  • "Girlfriend Sistagirl" (2001), GoodVibe - promo-only
  • "Elusive Freedom" / "The Judas Factor" (2001), Raptivism
  • "No Competition" (2003), DreamWorks/GoodVibe
  • "Breathe (Better Days)" (2003), DreamWorks/GoodVibe - featuring Donell Jones
  • "The Forecast" (2004), GoodVibe
  • "OK...Alright" (2006), Supa Crucial - digital download only

Compilation appearances

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  • The Funeral: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture (1996), BMG/Critique - "Gloomy Sunday"
  • The New Groove: The Blue Note Remix Project (1996), Blue Note - "Kofi"
  • Dark Angel - The Original TV Series Soundtrack (2002), Artemis/Epic - "The Life"
  • MTV2 Handpicked (2002), Columbia - "The Life"
  • Biker Boyz: Music From The Motion Picture (2002), DreamWorks - "No Competition"
  • Underground Airplay Version 1.0 (2001), Rawkus - "Current Events"
  • Budweiser commercial (20??), - "The Life"

Contributions

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DVD

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  • Soundz of Spirit (2003) - documentary film

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mandolyn Ludlum". California Birth Index, 1905–1995. California Office of Health Information and Research.
  2. ^ a b c Birchmeier, Jason "Mystic Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-24
  3. ^ a b Chonin, Neva (2002) "Going 360 degrees: Mystic turns her pain into acclaimed album", San Francisco Chronicle, February 3, 2002, retrieved 2012-01-26
  4. ^ a b Lentz, Andrew (19 June 2002). "Mystic Moods". LA Weekly. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b Watt, Brian; Gonzalez, Alexander (13 February 2023). "Why Hip-Hop Artist Mystic is Devoting February to Revolutionary Love". KQED. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Kenon, Marci (2001) "Mystic Doesn't Mince Her Words", Billboard, June 2, 2001, p. 51, retrieved 2012-01-24
  7. ^ a b c d e Mendez Berry, Elizabeth. "Back to Life". Vibe (June 2003). Retrieved 24 January 2012.[dead link‍]
  8. ^ Brown, Ann (2001) "On the Verge: Mystic", CMJ New Music Monthly, July 2001, p. 38, retrieved 2012-01-24
  9. ^ a b c King, Jamilah (18 August 2014). "Mystic's 13-Year Journey Toward 'Beautiful Resistance'". ColorLines. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  10. ^ a b Voynovskaya, Nastia (1 December 2021). "In Hip-Hop and Academia, Mystic Defines Her Own Success Story". KQED. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  11. ^ Keast, Darren (25 July 2001). "Into the Mystic". SF Weekly. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  12. ^ Baker, Soren (19 April 2001). "Mystic Uses Age To Her Advantage On Album". MTV News. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  13. ^ Capobianco, Ken (2001) "Hip-Hop Her Way Without the Attitude, Mystic Gives Fans Music That Matters", Boston Globe, September 21, 2001, p. C14
  14. ^ a b Mitchell, Gail (2001) "Mystic and Her Quest for Goodvibe's 'Freedom'", Billboard, November 24, 2001, p. 13, retrieved 2012-01-26
  15. ^ Baker, Soren (2001) "MYSTIC, Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom", Los Angeles Times, July 29, 2001, p. 1 (Calendar/Entertainment)
  16. ^ Conaway, Matt "Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom Review", Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-24
  17. ^ Allen, Kyle (2001) "Mystic Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom", CMJ New Music Monthly, August 2001, p. 74, retrieved 2012-01-24
  18. ^ Hageman, Lisa (2001) "The Year in Hip Hop", CMJ New Music Report, December 2001, p. 20-21, retrieved 2012-01-24
  19. ^ Keast, Darren (2002) "Smooth Operator", SF Weekly, November 20, 2002, retrieved 2012-01-24
  20. ^ "Aaliyah Tops BET Awards Nominations", Billboard, retrieved 2012-01-26
  21. ^ Koslow, Jessica (2003) "Mystic Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom", CMJ New Music Monthly, June 2003, p. 43, retrieved 2012-01-24
  22. ^ "Dave Ghetto, Mystic & Hezekiah on Tour!". Rap.de (in German). 9 March 2007. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  23. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (2011) "Mystic To Reissue Debut "Cuts For Luck And Scars For Freedom” To Digital Retail", HipHopDX, July 6, 2011, retrieved 2012-01-25
  24. ^ a b c d Garrett, Ural (1 November 2022). "Interview: Oakland Underground Rap Legend Mystic Gets Candid About New Music, The Death of Digital Underground's Shock G". BET. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  25. ^ D, Davey (2 September 2022). "Bay Area Artist Mystic Is Still Resisting Beautifully BAY AREA ARTIST MYSTIC IS STILL RESISTING BEAUTIFULLY". Hard Knock Radio. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  26. ^ a b "Mandolyn "Mystic" Ludlum". LinkedIn. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Our Team: 2016". Hip Hop Caucus. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Team: 2020". Hip Hop Caucus. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Team: 2021". Hip Hop Caucus. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  30. ^ a b Voynovskaya, Nastia (21 September 2022). "Love and Magic Abound on Mystic's 'Dreaming in Cursive: The Girl Who Loved Sparklers'". KQED. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  31. ^ a b Collins, Brandy (31 October 2022). "Bay Area hip-hop artist Mystic puts love at the center of new album". The Oaklandside. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  32. ^ THE MUSIC SNOB (31 October 2022). "Digital Underground's Mystic Shares Part One Of Upcoming Short Film". stupidDOPE.com. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  33. ^ Charts & Awards, Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-24
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