The musician, model, actress and feminist Janelle Monáe Robinson released a new album this year but did not reach the world like her single “yoga” which broke borders. I got an update on the album after getting bored with all the music I have been hearing. I decided to listen to this it because it was different with the beat production sounding like songs made when Micheal Jackson was still singing with the Jackson five. The only difference was that Janelle was overdoing everything. In my opinion it is not bad being creative but when you overdo it becomes a disaster. The album “Dirty computer” did not make global impact because of some two major reasons which I will discuss later but before then, if you have not listened to this album, I will give you a hint one it all about.
The album discusses two major topics which is female power and anti-racism. Although there are other song which talks about enjoying life and having fun however and love are topics sang about was a bulk of what was sang about in the album. This album because of some if its lyrical content is supposed to be good for all to listen to because of the message of female pride and message against racism and sexism which it teaches but this two reason is why people around the world didn’t really feel the song.
Confusion in Music Genre
Janelle is no doubt a whole bunch of different talent and I admire her multi-gifted skills, the money she has and the smashing look she has got but I feel she got a little bit confused on the genre of music she wanted to do. I have understood over time that different people like different music types depending on their age and type of music they listened to when they were kids. Janelle got the world confused releasing an album that has RnB, 1970/1980 pop sound, Hardcore Hiphop, soul and even some elements of Caribbean beats in it. The way the trailer load of producers fused this genres of music is quite phenomenal but would have been okay if she did stick to one method of vocal delivery. In one track she is pure RnB diva and the next a gang star rapping lady, the next minute a soul singing lady which is not cool. What surprised me was even went acapella in one of the track and I was like what genre of music is this album. If I am consumer of her music for the first time and I am a lover of pure hiphop music, I will be disappointed with her 1970 songs because they make no sense to me and vice versa. What she did is not new but she kind of overdid it that it may sound like noise to someone who does not listen deep to music. I didn’t start enjoying the album not until I have played all fourteen track like thirty times which is one a far cry from how long a normal music person will play an album.
Talking Sense with bad language
As said earlier that the album is about girl power and would have been a wonderful album to play for female teenagers and kids but the lack of control of language used in some songs rendered those song useless. A song like “screwed” can’t be mistakenly played in the presence of thirteen year old because is real cool. It may be no problem in the USA but in some other parts of the world kids are restricted in the type of music they listen to. Jango Jane is another song with so much motivation but a very high level of funny language. I believe she and the team of song writers where not thinking of the very wonderful message they were passing. They allowed creativity to get the best of them which relatively reduced the life line of this album. Some of the motivational song which she made had some very strong language and she is trying to pass a message to ladies in general which is not always going to be an above 18year old .
Conclusion
Janelle did put in some major works for her album which has very good songs but she has to be careful not to mix up her very well baked food with a little sand. Humans as we are people work on a first impression basis. Nobody will listen to a song that is bad on a first hearing section unless the person is a critic like me. Get the album because the song “so afraid” is a real good song.
