Janelle Monae continues her digital domination thanks to her performance at the 2018 BET Awards on Sunday evening (June 24). The Kansas City native breathed life into two of her latest melodies, “I Like That” and “Django Jane.”
While fans fall in awe of Monae’s vocals, her rapping skills also merit praise and attention. Both songs showcased her undeniable talent and are featured on the 32-year-old’s third album, Dirty Computer. The futuristic-sounding project was released in April 2018 and accompanied by an “emotion picture” that starred actor Tessa Thompson.
In an interview with Billboard, Monae shared that it was important for her to not suppress her creativity. “I feel like it’s a great time to be presenting the projects that you have in your heart,” she said.
“If you grew up being rejected or teased for being a science-fiction nerd or geek and you were black, to me this is the time you would be celebrated. I love the fact that we are telling our stories from our mouths and through our own eyes. I think that if we don’t they will be erased. Representation matters, and we should make sure that we’re doing all that we can to get our stories out.”
Watch her performance below.