Summer Fun with Janelle Monáe @ Afro-Punk

A while back I wrote an open letter to Summer ’08 and listed Janelle Monáe’s music as a source of inspiration and adventure. Little did I know at the time that it was a self-fulfilling prophesy.

This past weekend I was at BAM in Brooklyn shooting performances and holding interviews with the artists at the 4th annual Afro-Punk festival. I was able to meet and interview Africa Bambaataa, The Apes, Millsted, Sweetie, The Smyrk… and Janelle Monáe!

You can read the blog entry that I wrote for work on the MTV Newsroom blog.

While searching for other coverage this morning, I came across this video shot from the audience. You can see me up on the left hand side of the stage shooting Janelle Monáe (at 9:08 in).

At one point she dove down from the stage and for a moment latched on to my shotgun mic. You can see what I saw (and shot) here:The crowd LOVED her and I, while working, experienced my ultimate definition of summer fun.Janelle Monáe is one of the few artists around who I think should have either a daily vlog going on or some sort of weekly episodic series about her life and the Wondaland Artists Society. I say this purely as a fan of her music and her message.

I hope that in August she brings a shooter with her on her trip to Norway for the Oya Festival where she will be playing with N.E.R.D. I also hope that eventually she will release a live performance DVD. Her stage presence is electric and I should know, as I was inches away from her and was almost knocked off the stage when she flung herself into the crowd this past weekend ^_^. Awesome!

iwant: METROPOLIS, SUITE I OF IV: THE CHASE

– via joe_focus

I am aware that Janelle Monáe‘s EP came out last year, but sometimes I am a late bloomer. So here in the present, I am an enthusiastic fan who doesn’t want to wait until the June 10 re-release…

The official site states that the EP is available for purchase, but when you click on the store it isn’t listed. Teases! Copies aren’t showing up on eBay or amazon.com. Tracks from The Chase are not on itunes either. I suppose I will have to wait after all. hmph.

In the meantime, I’ve been watching our recent coverage on Janelle Monáe and listening to songs on her MySpace page while resisting the urge to download bootlegs…

I hear from the kids that there are a lot of great new bands out there. The reality is that with all of my book reading and Squidbillies watching, I have very little time left for anything else. My ipod and other assorted mobile devices are filled with timeless face-melting jams provided by Heart and Led Zeppelin. I also listen to more freestyle than I care to admit. Yeah, I am a bit dated, musically speaking.

So unless you, hot band of the moment, get passed on to me through friends or coworkers, I probably haven’t heard of you. As usual, The Barnes was already onto Janelle Monáe “a long ass time ago” and ridiculed me once again for sleeping on someone dope.

Whatever, Barnes. I’m never making you a burrito again (unless you have a copy of The Chase, then I will make you a lifetime supply of burritos and not force you to adopt my future children so I can travel the world solo-bad-mommy-style).

Besides Janelle Monáe, here’s a list of other “new” (to me, ok?) artists who 1) make me remember I have a pulse and 2) inspire me to obsessively track their albums down and buy them because a download is not good enough:

– The LK (discovered this week – thanks, Tara)

I have been listening to them everyday on Last.FM. I will buy their CD as soon as I can find my card (oops)

– Yelle (discovered last month via Buzzworthy)

French electro hip-hop. What’s not to like? Pop-Up + My French Coach for Nintendo DS = classe de français on the subway.

Bat For Lashes (discovered last year)

I love her magical, eerie music and lyrics. I appreciate that a lot of her songs are inspired by her dreams. There’s a recent interview with her in the latest issue of Preen Magazine.

– Girl In A Coma (discovered last year)

I cannot accurately describe in a mere blog post how excited I am that these ladies are playing a show at The Knitting Factory on April 15th. See their MySpace page for details. I will be there!