Most of the posts in this series have focused on the old or the obscure. But I don't only live in the past. I have a toe in the present as well. So this week, let's talk about one of the most talented artists working today, a woman who inspires me to strive for a better world. It's Music Monday and we're talking about Janelle Monáe.
In Baseball, the term "5-tool player" refers to a player who excels at all the things a position player may be called upon to do. If such a term were to be applied to music, Janelle Monáe would be the poster child. She can sing, she can rap, she co-writes her songs, she produces or co-produces her songs, and she dances. Oh, yeah, she's also a terrific actress. And she's an amazing storyteller. So let's tell her story.
Content warning: This one has explicit lyrics.
As Monáe is an active artist, I will not be sharing any videos here that were not officially released and can be seen on her youtube channel. Also, unlike many contemporary artists, Monáe's primary medium, to my mind, is the album, not the song. I would strongly urge you, if you like what you see and hear here, to seek out her work in whatever streaming service you use. Also, as the first few albums only have a handful of videos, those will get a bit of short shrift to allow space to talk about her latest album, which is available in its entirety in legally embeddable form.
Metropolis Suite I: The Chase
Monáe's first studio album was the EP Metropolis Suite 1: The Chase, released in 2007. It is, as the name implies, the first part in a larger story, that would be told over multiple albums and videos. The Metropolis series of concept albums is the story of Cindi Mayweather, an android sentenced to disassembly for the sin of loving a man.
The EP begins with a gleeful announcement about Cindi's crime, and a call to bounty hunters to hunt her down, to quote the lyrics:
Android Number 57821, otherwise known as Cindi Mayweather, has fallen desperately in love with a human named Anthony Greendown. And you know the rules! She is now scheduled for immediate disassembly
While the rest of the EP would relate the story in both oblique and direct ways, the best way to get the full picture is to listen to the full album and watch this short film, which includes the song that got Monáe her first Grammy nomination. This is Many Moons:
This song, and the EP in general, already show what would be the main themes of Monáe's work going forward: Race, gender, freedom, and oppression. She has said in an interview that "androids are the new 'other'", and in her music, they often serve as a metaphor to other "others" in society.
As good as the EP was, it was just a prelude to her second album, her first full length album and the first to get a major studio release.
The ArchAndroid
If The Chase was about Cindi as a fugitive from justice, The ArchAndroid deals both with her past and with her rise to messianic status. This is an incredibly ambitious album, at once deeply personal and a science fictional narrative of the Metropolis story, where androids are both people and property.
It was preceded by a trailer. The music is the first track of the album, Suite II Overture:
While the album had three singles, only two were given videos. The third single, Come Alive (War Of The Roses) is actually pretty great, and I recommend you seek it out. The first single featured Big Boi (aka, the guy from OutKast who isn't Andre 3000), who was also a producer on the album. This song is about dealing with adversity in a positive way. The video features Monáe as Cindi when the android was an inmate in the asylum "The Palace of Dogs." This is Tightrope:
Lyrics sample:
You gotta keep your balance
Or you fall into the gap
It's a challenge but I manage
Cause I'm cautious with the strap
In the second single, both Cindi and Janelle struggle with being a revolutionary and a leader. It is, to my mind, the most powerful song in the album. This is Cold War:
One song I'd like to mention here is **Mushrooms and Roses," which is both lovely and features the first mention of the mysterious character of "Blueberry Mary," later referred to only as Mary.
While the Metropolis concept was originally supposed to be told in four suites, Monáe extended it to seven, of which five are currently out. The next album would cover the next two.
The Electric Lady
By the time TEL came along in 2013, and due to the success and critical reception of The ArchAndroid, Monáe was able to have quite a list of guests on the album, including one of her biggest idols: the late, great Prince though his participation was more of a cameo). This album is largely a prequel to The ArchAndroid, talking about Cindi's early "life" and her relationship with her beloved human Anthony Greendown.
The first single, however, has its own narrative, and is directly about Monáe and the marginalized communities she supports and belongs to. It features a great vocalist guest in Erykah Badu. It's another song that really got its own short film as a video. It is the first example here of one of my favorite things Monáe does, which is sing somewhat obliquely about a topic and then taking it head on in the rap to end the song. Do notice this song has another mention of "Mary." Yes, there is a reason I'm pointing this out. This is Q.U.E.E.N.:
Sample lyric:
And while you're selling dope, we're gonna keep selling hope
We rising up now, you gotta deal you gotta cope
Will you be electric sheep? Electric ladies, will you sleep?
Or will you preach?"
The next single was both a dance anthem and a cry against apathy - in both our world the the Metropolis of the dark future - sung by Cindi, who by now is a singing and dancing sensation while still a fugitive. This is Dance Apocalyptic:
Sample lyric:
But I need to know if the world says its time to go
Tell me, will you break out?
Before falling in love with Anthony Greendown, Cindi had an early affair with another man, Joey Vice. In this duet, where singer Miguel takes the role of Vice, we see Cindi early on, as a waitress in a sleazy club. In the video description, it is explained that Cindi would start working on her music shortly after leaving the club. Really, though, it's just a super sweet love song. This is Prime Time:
Sample lyric:
Bang bang, I'm calling your name
You're like a fire the world can't tame
The last single and video from The Electric Lady is the album's title song, which is a celebration of Cini Mayweather. It is also a song about female empowerment and bodily autonomy. It features another huge guest performer in Solange. This is Electric Lady:
Sample lyric:
All the girls showing love
While the boys be catching feelings
Unrelated singles
Between The Electric Lady and Dirty Computer, Monáe released some songs. I'll talk about two of them.
In 2014, ahead of the World Cup, Pepsi released a compilation of songs and videos called "Beats of the Beautiful Game." Now, I wouldn't ordinarily share what is essentially a brand's ad. However, this is a terrific cover of a wonderful David Bowie song. And Monáe and video directors The Young Astronauts made an absolutely beautiful and inspiring video in which bullies are defeated. I'm a sucker for that stuff. This is Heroes:
In 2015, Monáe's label/artists collective, Wondaland released an EP collection called The Eephus. Monáe's contribution was her most commercial song to date, and the video featured a guest performance by a woman who would become important in our narrative, actress Tessa Thompson who you'll remember as Valkyrie from Thor: Ragnarok. This is Yoga:
Dirty Computer
And so we come to the reason for this post, my favorite album of 2018, Dirty Computer. This is a departure from Monáe's previous work, as it is not a part of the Metropolis story. And the album, on its own, does not tell a story. This is a more accessible way into Monáe's work, as every song stands alone. They all share themes, of course. And the science fiction element does come in. Which you know I love.
However... you gotta know Monáe's always got a concept, and in this one, it is expressed through one of the ways to consume the album: the Emotion Picture, available entirely on youtube. Watching the Emotion Picture may be the best way to first experience the album. I'm not sure. I listened to it first, as I could do that while doing other stuff. The video tells a story about a woman, Jane, labeled a "dirty computer" - as all dissidents are in this world - captured and slated for memory wipe. The videos for the songs are her memories, as watched by the deleters. Jane's girlfriend Zen is in the institution where the deletion is set to take place, having been memory wiped. She is now called "Mary" (I told you that name is gonna come around).
Mary is played by Tessa Thompson. Thompson and Monáe have been friends since 2015, and the internet really, really wants them to be girlfriends. Especially now that Monáe is out as queer after years of being coy about her sexuality. Now, maybe they are girlfriends. I don't know. But regardless, this bit of casting, and the name "Mary" are just an epic troll and a brilliant Easter egg.
Okay. Enough babble. Here's the emotion picture:
If you skipped the video or are saving it for later, I'm still here for you with my thoughts about the album, Monáe's shortest since the Chase EP. Since every song in the album - whether it has a standalone video or not - is available on Monáe's youtube channel, I'm gonna embed all of them and talk about them. Also, I've been listening to this album nonstops and I have feels to share.
The first song - past the intro - is a tale of two parts. Past the bit adapted from the US constitution about the pursuit of happiness, the first is part a celebration of freedom and and that very quest for happiness. The second part is where Monáe does the thing she did in Q.U.E.E.N., and breaks out of the comfortable veneer. She talks about how white and blacks are treated differently by society. This is Crazy, Classic, Life:
Sample lyric:
Me and you was friends, but to them, we the opposite
The same mistake, I'm in jail, you on top of shit
The next song all about sex, about sexuality and the different ways people are programmed sexually. The tech here is very likely a metaphor for queerness. Musically, it's a fun and light song. Quite danceable! This is Take A Byte
Sample lyric:
Your code is programmed not to love me, but you can't pretend
Oh, what a surprise
The next song takes its title both literally and seriously, as Monáe plays with sexual innuendo and political despair. It features the always excellent Zoë Kravitz. This is absolutely one of my favorites of the album. It is super pop and super smart. A Janelle Monáe special. There's also a great rap to end it. This is Screwed:
Two sample lyrics!
Everything is sex
Except sex, which is power
And
You fucked the world up now, we'll fuck it all back down
The next track is all rap, all straight forward. And if the previous song was about getting fucked and being fucked, this one is a fuck you. A fuck you to anyone who would doubt her, anyone who would oppress women. Also, hey, look, there's a video! It's fucking awesome. This is Django Jane:
Sample lyric:
And we gon' start a motherfuckin' pussy riot
Or we gon' have to put 'em on a pussy diet
If you've only seen one thing related to this album, there's a pretty good chance it's this. This is the song with the video with the vagina pants. It also features vocals by Grimes, another artist who has played around with most music genres would could think of. It's smooth as hell, and the start of it is a bit evocative of the Aerosmith song with a similar name. This is PYNK:
Sample lyric:
I donate my truth to you like I'm rich
The truth is love ain't got no off switch
When the video for this next song was released, it got the internet all aflutter with its queerness. This was just before she came out as bi/pan, so "oh, look! Janelle Monáe is super queer with Tessa Thompson in a video" was hot news over on twitter. The song itself is super funky, and super cool. It's about sexual attraction. This is Make Me Feel:
Sample lyric:
It's like I'm powerful with a little bit of tender
An emotional sexual bender
Hey, maybe you thought PYNK was the most explicitly sexual things were gonna get. And also the most celebratory of the vagina. If so, you were wrong. Pharell guests on this one. This is I Got The Juice:
Sample lyric:
If you try to grab my pussy cat, this pussy grab you back (hey!)
This pussy grab you back, give you pussy cataracts (hey!)
This next song has an absolutely gorgeous video, and is about being unique. It's also about being hurt and judged, and about rising about it. This is I Like That:
Sample lyric:
Told the whole world, I’m the venom and the antidote
Take a different type of girl to keep the whole world afloat
Second sample lyric:
Uh, I remember when you laughed when I cut my perm off
And you rated me a six
I was like, “Damn”
But even back then with the tears in my eyes
I always knew I was the shit
After all the years of being coy and oblique about her sexuality, of putting privacy above else, this song is about Monáe's fear that the thing fans and the media love about her is the disguise, the black and white and the tuxedos. It's also a love song, of course. It's a beautiful song. This is Don't Judge Me:
Sample lyric:
Even though you say that you love me
Is it me or do you love my disguise?
The next track isn't a song. It isn't a rap. It's the shortest piece in the album, and it never features Monáe's voice. This is spoken word, as performed by Stevie Wonder. This is Stevie's Dream.
Sample lyric:
So, don't let your expressions, even of anger
Be confused or misconstrued
Turn them into words of expression
That can be understood by using words of love
The penultimate song in the album is my favorite Janelle Monáe song right now. It is beautiful, exposed, honest. It absolutely breaks my heart. It deals with anxiety in a way that reflects to her saying earlier in the album that the tuxedos and black and white have always been her camo. This is a woman who created a finely crafted facade and is coming out from behind it, and she's afraid. This is So Afraid:
Sample lyric:
I'm a gift and a curse to the wilderness when the leaves only turn to brown
If the previous song was an expression of fear, this one is all about anger. Anger about the state of the world, and specifically the state of America right now. And it features a speech by the Reverend Sean McMillan that is absolutely powerful. I'm not gonna excerpt the speech. Listen to the song. Or look the lyrics up. This is Americans:
Sample lyric:
War is old, so is sex, let's play God, you go next
Hands go up, men go down, try my luck, stand my ground
Die in church, live in jail say her name, twice in hell
Uncle Sam kissed a man, Jim Crow Jesus rose again
This is an album about sexuality, freedom, oppression, and being who you are. It is a powerful work. And as is true for most of Monáe's work, it is best experienced as an album.
Final thoughts
I think we've all gone on a journey here. I mean, it was certainly long enough for a journey. But really, I just scratched the surface. I've chronicled Monáe's journey from an artist who only gives glimpses about herself, who creates personas, to one who is open and direct about who she is. And she was brilliant the whole time.
If you want to listen to these albums, I've got two ways you can do that, because this is newer stuff and all of my stuff is in the cloud now. Here's a spotify playlist, and here's a Google Music playlist. Enjoy!
Related posts
Music Monday: Garfunkel and Oates
Music Monday: Jonathan Coulton
Music Monday: Amanda Palmer
My favorites are I Like That and Screwed! Also love Pynk and Django Jane. Django Jane made me kind of uncomfortable the first time I listened to it, because it's kind of intense and not comfy to listen to, but the more I listened to it, the more I love it. I've loved Janelle Monae for a while now, and this new album just makes me love her even more. ❤️
In both the emotion picture and when listening to the album, Screwed and Django Jane are really two halves of the same song. And that song, as a whole, is maybe the strongest statement in the album.
I agree. Django Jane makes more sense to me in the context of the album. I think it didn’t work for me as a single, but situated in context it is amazing!
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