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"Q.U.E.E.N."
Single by Janelle Monáe featuring Erykah Badu
from the album The Electric Lady
ReleasedApril 23, 2013 (2013-04-23)
Recorded2012
Genre
Length5:10
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Nate "Rocket" Wonder
  • GianArthur
  • Monáe
  • Chuck Lightning
Janelle Monáe singles chronology
"We Are Young"
(2011) 		"Q.U.E.E.N."
(2013) 		"Special Education"
(2013)
Alternative cover
File:Janelle Monáe - Q.U.E.E.N (Remixes).png
Remix EP cover
Erykah Badu singles chronology
"See Thru to U"
(2012) 		"Q.U.E.E.N"
(2013)

"Q.U.E.E.N." is a song by American recording artist Janelle Monáe featuring the singer Erykah Badu. It was released on April 23, 2013 as the lead single from Monáe's second studio album, The Electric Lady. Stylized in the form of question and response, each line of the song has Monáe expressing her thoughts on subjects ranging from sexuality to religion.[1] Prince, a mentor to Monáe, called the music video for "Q.U.E.E.N." the best music video of 2013.[2]

Song info

According to Monáe on her Twitter page, "Q.U.E.E.N." was inspired by "private discussions between her and Erykah Badu," and "is meant to make you jam, dance, funk out and dialogue later."[3] While the album focuses on the empowerment of women and the need for women to control their own images, the single "Q.U.E.E.N." focuses on the empowerment of other oppressed peoples as well as women. The title is an acronym for Queer, Untouchables, Emigrants, Excommunicated, and Negroid.[4] Throughout the song, Monáe uses a question-answer format to explain the stereotypes, misconceptions, and oppression of those in the LGBT community, untouchables (those in poverty), emigrants (those who were forced to leave their home countries due to dangerous/unlivable circumstances), the excommunicated (those who have served/continue to serve time in prison), and the negroid (black people of all origins).

Monáe uses various terms and phrases from LGBT slang in the beginning of the song. She opens the song with, "I can't believe all of the things they say about me, walk in the room they throwin' shade from left to right. They be like 'ooh, she servin' face,' and I just tell 'em cut me up and get down." Both phrases throwing shade and serving face are phrases used by many in the LGBT community, especially in the African-American gay community. She also alludes to lesbianism later in the song when she sings, "Hey, is it weird to like the way she wears her tights?" and, "Am I a freak because I love watchin' Mary?" Monáe then juxtaposes these references with religion by asking, "Hey brother can you save my soul from the devil?" and, "Hey sister am I good enough for your heaven? Will your God accept me in my black and white? Would he approve the way I'm made or should I deprogram, reprogram and get down?"[5]

Music video

A music video for the song, directed by Alan Ferguson, was released on May 1, 2013. The music video in length is 6:04. It features Janelle Monáe as herself in the future. She, along with her band members and Badoula Oblongata (Badu), have been frozen in time and placed on display in the Ministry of Droids museum. They are all described as "rebels who time travel," by a representative for the Ministry of Droids at the beginning of the video. One woman dressed in all black and the other one dressed in black and white arrive to the museum and knock down the guards.[1] They then put on Monáe's song, "Q.U.E.E.N." and within seconds, Monáe and her band begin to reanimate. As well as portraying herself in the video, Monáe also portrays her android persona Cindi Mayweather. Cindi along with her android sisters dance and question each other throughout the song. Towards the end of the video, Monáe delivers her climactic rap wearing her tuxedo "work uniform." The camera focuses in on her as she raps and then cuts to black immediately after she finished. [1] Writing for Billboard, Gregory DelliCarpini Jr. said of the music video, "Channeling the retro swagger of Elvis's "Jailhouse Rock" video, Monae jams while surrounded by six dancing ladies rocking bold black-striped looks. Janelle contrasts the backup dancers in a solid look while getting her groove on in a puffy sleeved white shirt and black second skin pants paired with fierce metallic Givenchy heels."[6] The music video features a prominent Black and White Theme. It is shown in the clothes, the background, the furniture, and even the people. Janelle Monae has four costume changes throughout the entire video. Other than the first outfit we see on her, the only colors that we see are Black and White. The first outfit has a black jacket with a white shirt and pants followed by a red sash over her and ended with black boots. The next outfit is a white ruffled shirt with black pants and silver heels. Then the third outfit is a dress that is striped with black and white. Followed by a black and white tuxedo at the end when she raps the last part of the song. As well as the furniture is a mix of black and white, there is also black and white people. It looks like in the music video they are dancing with each other and also teaching each other to dance. This theme seems to be important to Janelle Monae because of the lyric "Will your God accept me in my black and white, would he approve the way I'm made". This means that this aspect of Black and white is important to who she is as a person as she has discussed in the many interviews that she has done.[7]

Afro-Futurism

Afro-Futurism is described as works that mix the significance of African Diaspora qualities and pictures of technology to create a new future.[8] In the song Q.U.E.E.N., the song is set in the future and throughout the song she talks about all the important features to her of being black. One of the aspects to use for Afro-Futurism is to use Time Travel and in the video it is said right away. With the phrase, "it's hard to stop rebels who time travel".[1] The rebels that are being mentioned are Janelle Monae and her company. This mixes her and time travel together. By using the art of time and how she and her rebels are frozen in time, this is her stating that time is a way to bring back those narratives.[9] She also uses Afro-Futurism in other music videos such as "Tightrope" and "Screwed".[10]

Critical reception

Critics wrote positive reviews of the song. Rolling Stone gave 3.5 stars saying it was "an anthem of self-determination with a funkadelicious bass line, it downshifts into soul jazz midway through, with Erykah offering Badu-ist perspective ("Booty don't lie!"). Monáe transforms into a superhero MC to take it home.[11]" Afropunk wrote "Q.U.E.E.N. does a good job of breaking free of the duality of the black and white Janelle wears proudly.[12]" Another phrase that can be said about this song is by the Chicago Tribune that proclaims, "Yessssssssss! Honestly, that's all that needs to be said. This song kicks so much butt.[13]" Much of the reception presented here in this paragraph is praising Monae for her uniqueness which she tries to employ throughout the music video.

Live performances

Monáe first performed the song live at the 2013 BET Awards along with Erykah Badu to critical acclaim.[14] She has also performed the song at the 2013 iTunes Festival in London.[15]

Track listing/Charts

Q.U.E.E.N. – Single[16]
No.TitleLength
1."Q.U.E.E.N." (featuring Erykah Badu)5:10
Q.U.E.E.N. – Remixes[17]
No.TitleLength
1."Q.U.E.E.N. [Tradelove Remix]" (featuring Erykah Badu)5:25
2."Q.U.E.E.N. [The FatRat Remix]" (featuring Erykah Badu)3:30
3."Q.U.E.E.N. [ATFC's Return of the Boom Bap Remix]" (featuring Erykah Badu)6:56
4."Q.U.E.E.N. [Solidisco Remix]" (featuring Erykah Badu)4:22
5."Q.U.E.E.N. [Barjo Remix]" (featuring Erykah Badu)4:31
6."Q.U.E.E.N. [Vindata Remix]" (featuring Erykah Badu)6:18


Chart (2014) Peak
position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 47

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Janelle Monáe - Q.U.E.E.N. feat. Erykah Badu [Official Video]". YouTube. May 1, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  2. ^ Wochit (January 1, 2014). "Prince Declares Janelle Monáe Had The Best Album And Music Video Of 2013". Yahoo. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  3. ^ "Janelle Monae on Twitter". Twitter. April 22, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  4. ^ Benjamin, Jeff (September 18, 2013). "Janelle Monae Says "Q.U.E.E.N." Is for the "Ostracized & Marginalized"". fuse. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  5. ^ Sieczkowski, Cavan (September 12, 2013). "Janelle Monae Discusses Gay Rumors, Lesbian-Tinged Lyrics In 'Electric Lady'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  6. ^ DelliCarpini Jr., Gregory (May 2, 2013). "Janelle Monae's Erykah Badu-assisted "Q.U.E.E.N." Video: Style Breakdown". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  7. ^ "REVEALED: Why Janelle Monae Always Wears Black-And-White..." HuffPost Canada. 2013-04-05. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  8. ^ Bennett, M. (April 2016). "Afrofuturism". Computer. 49 (4): 92–93. doi:10.1109/MC.2016.99. ISSN 1558-0814.
  9. ^ Karanxha, Ina (2017-03-13). "Janelle Monáe: Reclaiming the History of the Future". Medium. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  10. ^ Romano, Aja (2018-05-16). "Janelle Monáe's body of work is a masterpiece of modern science fiction". Vox. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  11. ^ Hermes, Will (May 8, 2013). "Rolling Stone review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  12. ^ Sound Check (May 8, 2013). "Queen does a good job of breaking free". Afropunk.com. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  13. ^ Moran, By Dana. "Track review: Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu, 'Q.U.E.E.N.'". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  14. ^ "Janelle Monae Closes The 2013 BET Awards With Erykah Badu With "Q.U.E.E.N."". Theybf.com. July 1, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  15. ^ "Janelle Monáe - iTunes Festival 2013". jmonae.com. 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  16. ^ "Q.U.E.E.N. - Single by Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu". Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  17. ^ "Q.U.E.E.N. - Remixes by Janelle Monáe feat. Erykah Badu". iTunes. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
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