There are many things to be said about Janelle Monáe's discography. The tales of a woman living in a world where she's seen as different, doesn't have the same rights as everybody else, is used, undervalued, discarded, revered, in danger, and yet has the strength and the resilience to lead and holds the key to solutions. Jane 57821 was an avatar for Janelle, which became far more synonymous with Janelle with Dirty Computer, which was Janelle's coming out album in every sense. Not just sexually but in what she stood for. If the message wasn't clear before about the oppressive world that Janelle is singing stories about, it was made abundantly clear in Dirty Computer and it's lead song "Classic Crazy Life".
Because fuck subtly and ambiguity.
"Classic Crazy Life" was released in 2018. The Black Lives Matter movement, protests, riots, fights for gender equality, political transparency, police brutality, Pride - all of these very current things are wrapped up into this video. It's easy to say 'This is SO timely and relevant now'. But the truth is that it's always been. Regardless of a zeitgeist, a trend or those with the luxury to turn away; the sentiment, the message and the heart of this music video is always relevant - because this is life as a Black queer woman has always known it.
What's being shown aren't depictions of yesterday. It's the now. The past and the present are one and the same.
Nina Simone sang of racial inequality the 60s. Stevie Wonder sang of racial inequality in the 70s. Bob Marley sang about racial inequality in the 80s. Michael Jackson sang of racial inequality in the 90s. And here we are in the 2000s only now at a point where an artist feels that they can sing and show ALL of the inequalities which pertain to her experience as a Black queer woman.
Whilst you could say that things aren't as bad as they used to be, things haven't changed enough. The goalposts have shifted. Tolerance has lowered. But the same battles are begin fought and the same songs are being sung.
Crazy 'cos a bitch still can't believe it. Classic 'cos it's all we've known. Life as we been knowing it.
📝 Album reviews: Metropolis | The ArchAndroid | The Electric Lady | Dirty Computer
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