VIBE & RapGenius Present: 5 Most Hip-Hop Moments On Janelle Monáe's 'Electric Lady' LP
Any way you try to box her in, Janelle Monáe just does not fit. Bending genres and combining rap, rock, soul, and ambient, Monáe redefines pop. Her new The Electric Lady LP continues that journey pulling from provocative hip-hop influences (don't sleep on her 16s!). Rap Genius presents the top five hip-hop moments on The Electric Lady. —Gavin Matthews
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5. “Dance Apocalyptic”
There’s something about the hip-hop and soul fusion “Dance Apocalyptic”—with those reference-rich, almost fast-paced bars (the same ones that offer a nod to Juicy J: “Bands they make her dance apocalyptic”).
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4. “What an Experience”
“What an Experience” has no rap on it. In fact, it sounds more like it belongs in the middle of the 1980s than in 2013. That, though, is exactly what makes it work: the countercultural, heartfelt expression that birthed rap lives on the track.
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3. “Electric Lady”
Monáe clearly studied the exotica and lounge sounds of the 1950s and 1960s; her rap break in “Electric Lady” is actually a standard breakdown of the genre, just faster than usual. A new-day version of Smoke City’s “With You” or any Minus 8 classic, the song fits in perfectly as a soul, hip-hop, or lounge standard. All in all, Monáe drops off the mystical, smoky description of the seductress, able to turn a room with a single look.
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2. “Ghetto Woman”
Janelle brings back the '90s in the best way possible: a powerful, funky ode to empowerment and self-sufficiency. The “ghetto woman,” strong for her perseverance and dreams, sheds the bigoted and dated roles people fit her into. Driving this message home is Monáe’s well-timed raps, delivered from someone who is speaking her autobiography. Those same hopes and wishes were to be found in a young girl from Kansas City, who grew up into a career that dreams are made of.
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1. “Q.U.E.E.N.”
What sets “Q.U.E.E.N.” apart isn’t just the rap break, but the featured guest: neo-soul queen Erykah Badu. Rapping along one of the greats of any era is a feat itself, taking confidence and talent that most only hope to reach. Matching the feature is a fantastic verse by Monáe, who preaches on the “lost generation” and a “crown too heavy like the Queen Nefertiti.” To her credit, Monáe’s effort matches some of the best of Badu tit-for-tat, marking “Q.U.E.E.N.” as yet another step toward legendary status.
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