Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 Vinyl Listening Experience (Event Recap)

Jul 18

Jill Scott’s debut turned 25 years old today, and we celebrated with the second installment of our Music Nerds vinyl listening experience.

We opened the evening with Chef Dro spinning a smooth neo-soul set while guests grabbed light bites, setting the perfect tone for what was to come. I had the honor of moderating the conversations throughout the night, guiding reflections as we moved through the 20th edition vinyl side by side.

For 80 minutes, the room swayed with head nods and two-steps, quiet mm-hmms, a little karaoke, and the kind of deep sighs that come when you feel seen as Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 spun front to back at the Association for Creative Enlightenment. Each track opened the door to stories, memories, and meaning. We talked about how Jill didn’t just sing, she spoke. About the way she fused poetry and melody. How her jazz-like phrasing stretched words into moments. How the go-go rhythms and live instrumentation gave her space to breathe and testify. And how “I Think It’s Better” might be one of the greatest transitions into a love song ever. (Okay, that one might just be me.)

But the conversations weren’t just about music. They were about us. About softness and safety. About heartbreak and healing. About feeling romantically deprived or emotionally full. About how Jill’s voice still lives at the intersection of the sensual and the spiritual. With multiple generations in the room, we also explored how Jill’s music met us at different life stages and how her words guided, affirmed, and evolved with us over time. We even had a few Philly natives in the room, reflecting on what it meant to grow up as young Black women with Jill Scott as part of their soundtrack, how her voice and the deep, soulful legacy of Philly music shaped their sense of self.

We touched on her early roots, how Questlove discovered her through Philly’s spoken word scene, how she co-wrote The Roots’ “You Got Me” and won a Grammy before the world ever knew her name, and how DJ Jazzy Jeff brought her into the studio (and let her stain wood in exchange for time on the mic). Jazzy Jeff’s production house, A Touch of Jazz, executive produced the entire album and you can hear it. Every track is textured, intentional, and unskippable.

We talked about Jill’s impact on the golden era of neo-soul being that this debut landed Grammy nominations in the same breath as Voodoo, Mama’s Gun, and Aijuswanaseing. We also discussed how she recorded over 50 songs for this project and somehow narrowed it down to 19. How her interludes hit like full monologues. And how, by the end of the album, you didn’t just know Jill, you knew yourself a little better too.

From the electric shuffle of “Do You Remember” to the aching honesty of “Slowly Surely,” this album still holds weight. And hearing it on vinyl made it feel even more alive between the crackle, the warmth, and the way the bassline filled your entire being. The listening experience felt like church without the pews. Just collective testimony, beautiful shared energy, and music that still holds space.

Big love to everyone who pulled up, shared their stories, and stayed in the moment with us. This wasn’t just about nostalgia. It was about honoring an artist who gave us language, rhythm, and permission to be.

If you missed it, don’t worry. Next month’s vinyl listening experience will be announced soon! Follow Music Nerds for more!