Futuristic Bad Girl Goes On Bad Boy Records

She is like the best parts of “The Love Below” by Andre 3000. The drum beat, the clapping, the horns, everything on the song “VSHH CyberHop Remix” screams “Hey Ya” part two. She reminds me of what David Bowie would have been if he had never left his Ziggy Stardust phase and then got a sex change instead of settling for androgyny.

As an entertainer, she is like James Brown, but more jerky and futuristic. She even cites him as a major influence. Okay, enough with the comparisons.

“I’m an alien from outer space.”

The way her voice crows at the end of “VSHH CyberHop Remix” fills your body with soul.The way she stutters some words leaves your foot tapping and your head jerking. Other songs, she tones down the quirky futuristic vibe and breaks out like a gospel girl.

I think Janelle Monae is going to blow up on the scene this year. In fact, Nouveau Magazine predicted her as one of five artists who people would know by 2008. I hope this rings true.

She has been steadily gaining a following ever since 2005 when she was featured on the “Purple Ribbon All-Star’s Compilation: Volume 2″ with her song, “Lettin’ Go.” The song became a cult hit. Later, in 2006, she was appropriately featured on The Idlewild soundtrack.

The movie clip below was ripped from MySpace. It explains how Big Boi and P. Diddy jointly discovered Monae. I find it amusing that she did not respond to P. Diddy’s initial message inquiry.

Okay, I will be honest — I cannot figure out how to embed MySpace videos into WordPress. So, here is the link:

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=34522441

If you find a bag of weed on the floor motherfucker — What the fuck you gonna do? Pick it up, pick it up…

I have been a neglectful neglecter and if this blog were a child, Child Protective Services would have investigated long ago. If you really want to know why I have been absent from here, read my personal blog … though I have neglected that blog also. I am sure an update will be there at some point.

Anyways, I want to mention the Method Man and Redman show I saw on April 23. Yes, that was almost a month ago

I need to get this down before the memory wanes.

I had trouble getting anyone to go at first, but finally got a hold of a friend through a friend who was ecstatic to accompany me. We stuck out like a sore thumb, but had the time of our lives.

The iconic duo mustered up every sinew and spick of spit to prove their worth. They worked the crowd like no other performance I had ever seen. There is no need no to hustle on the streets when they can hustle a crowd like they did.

“We aren’t only rappers, we’re also M.C.s,” Method Man said.

It could have easily turned out different with the mixed crowd of half-interested college students and “wanna-be ghetto, but really just Gainesville hick” citizens. Not many people filled the stadium, which suprised me since it was a free show. That did not end up mattering though.

As soon as they stepped on the stage, the energy was stepped up. I actually saw someone yawn during the opening acts, but mouths were only open in shouts of “Wu Tang” once Method and Red layed out their master plan.

Method jumped down into the crowd and prowled around on the chairs as he rapped the first song.

The two danced on the speaker systems, humping the air and pursing their lips. Redman did his quirky indian chop with a fist and discoed to the beat. They sprayed water bottles into the crowd, which seems like a cheap effect, but worked perfectly.

At one point, they demanded the crowd stop sitting in their designated seats and come up to the stage. The mob rushed to the front, pushing through police and security. The hands were up and waving.

They did everything from Wu Tang classics to originals from their classic stoner movie, “How High.”

It was too bad my friend and I were stuck on the side bleachers and could not bum rush the stage like everyone else. Luckily, Redman decided to come to us. He jumped the stage and climbed up the bleachers. We stood right by him and did awkward white dances with the small crowd. He fell into me to be hoisted up: a sweaty rapper falling on a weak college kid does not work out that well. We finally got him in the air and he crowd surfed off the bleachers.

“Redman fell on me!” I believe were my exact words to my girlfriend after leaving the show.

They threw leftover water bottles at the end and my friend ended up getting one. We called it “Wu Tang” water and drank it while walking home.

I heard last time Method man and Redman came to Gainesville a riot or something started. But that is just hearsay that I do not feel like researching or ruining. I can see them starting a riot.

I have gained tremendous respect for the duo. They are funny, entertaining and can rap like fuck. The whole reason I went to the show (besides the cheap price of free) was because I love Wu Tang clan and wanted to see a fraction of it through Method Man. I left with a million other reasons to have gone.