Bad Boy for Life: Janelle Monáe & Erykah Badu - "Q.U.E.E.N." (Space Soul-Funk)

Miss Janelle Monáe is actually Big Boi's former fun-loving muse, who's now signed to Diddy's own micro-universe, Bad Boy Records and first appeared on Purple Ribbon All-Stars, Vol. II (2005). Anyways, she's supposedly hard @ work on her sophomore album, Electric Lady, which is coming soon. It's the long-awaited follow-up to Janelle Monáe's critically-acclaimed 3-part Space Soul-Funk series, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) EP and The ArchAndroid (2010). Monáe recently told Billboard, "The album in general is more revealing. It's more personal. I'm taking a lot more risks on this album" in a pre-Coachella interview. Lead single, "Q.U.E.E.N." embodies Janelle Monáe whole androgynous 50's Greaser chic fashion sense, complete with pompadour.


Director Alan Ferguson conjures up a living museum chock-full of frozen legendary rebels who are suspiciously brought to life by the neck-snapping groove. Janellle Monáe & Badoula Oblongata (Erykah Badu) are part of Wonderland's very own Project Q.U.E.E.N., which the robo-narrorator refers to as "a musical weapons program in the 21st century." I mean, we're talkin' about a chalked up cavemen rhythm section, countless black-and-white stage sets, un-synchronized back-up dancers, a gold-toothed skull record player, etc... Not to mention, "Q.U.E.E.N." slowly morphs into a Funky, Cosby Show-esque ditty that features Janelle Monáe herself spitting some ferocious closing bars, which breaks it down best, "and even when you edit me, the booty don't lie!"