Janelle Monae, Santogold, Res: New(1st) School Leaders of Soulfunk?Afropunk?Alt?

[newworldafro]

I saw Janelle Monae (Kansas City, Kansas originally) on 106 today. Her personal style is unforceful, punctual, and authentic :thumbsup:, like the video she called and pretty accurately a short film. So that was interesting. Then she taked about how she was basically discovered by Big Boi from Outkast (Purple Ribbon) who introduced her to Diddy (Bad Boy) who basically gave "HER" label (The Wondaland Arts Society), which includeds her associates/producers called Deep Cotton their "big time" into the music industry. Video was bonkers, music was just as classic in an uncanny "wow" way. Kinda Andre 3000esque really, and she was in Outkast's "Morris Brown" video and an Idlewood album song.

POINT IS........is this unique alternative? soul? funk? rock? wikipedia even says futuristic? music...genre traversing and shattering.

Being a fan of Res for the past 8 years, waiting for her to drop a sophmore album, I feel kinda villified cause I remember being like a musical Paul Revere trying to get everybody I knew an "opportunity" to listen to this black chick singing Tina Turneresque over rockn'roll and other genres. Again I'm talking about Res. Now I hear she has a supposed collaboration going with Talib Kweli - Idle Warship I think is the name of the group. She's been in several of his songs and few with GZA in the past.

So now today I saw someone bring up Santogold. I'd heard the name. But I wasn't really sure what it was....probably thought it was some youngins trying to bring back the 80s over some Scandanavian melodies :laugh: Listened to her only album today as well. Its rather classic as well. Another black chick from Philly like Res who composes an 80ish vibe ocassionally in styles and music in a few songs, but is overall rock and rolling and trip hopping and other genre dismantling along the way. Plus she wrote some of the music for Res' album.

So now that I've gotten that across. What do yall thing about black women in this case with the obvious talent to take over Rock n' Roll stations with their music? Crash the formulaic hip hop/R&B stations potentially or not a chance? Some love from the pop stations with a black chick rock n' out....or is this just good music that'll fizzle when the next cornball mindless rap song comes around or is their fanbase potentially so diverse they could pull it off wthout getting certain demographics?

I'm a black guy that loves all kinds of music and I hate to see good sounds not replenish the ears of people if I'm really enamored by the music.

Post numero 1 :cool:

[Free Agent]

I like all 3 of these artists. I saw Monae in concert. it was AMAZING. The thing is though I think it's tough for artists like this to get radio play other than on college radio because of the fact that they don't fall into any genre really and radio stations are afraid of that. That's why I think the net is beneficial to them because bloggers and mags will big them up. I think Janelle Monae just might become big because she's signed to Bad Boy and he's letting her do her own thing and hopefully she gets some momentum other than just online. BTW go get her cd...it's great. It's like 6-8 bucks everywhere.

[Pooh630]

Don't forget J Davey

A lot of those artists I would consider a kind of electronic(a) funk. Some call themselves Afropunk but I think the title I used works best. Janelle Monae has a retro style on top of her other stylings

I doubt those artists will get play on rock stations because I think their futuristic/funk sounds don't really fit with rock or punk. I think they'll find a good base but they won't be a particularly heavy presence in the popular genres.

Whoa I'm listening to Janelle Monae's the Audition and she def switched up her style. That sounds like straight up R&B on some Jonelle tip.

[badguy901]

Truth be told, one would love to see alternative acts such as these find a market in public radio, but i have very little faith in that happening because, as was stated earlier, the radio works with very select markets and there just isn't the fan base for music like the type they produce. I love santogold, and i was at a function and this high school dance group bust out a routine to "creator" and i was like !! but aside from those in the know, the general public (i think) won't feel the music simply because they're used to a certain thing from musicians, and especially black female musicians.

it would be sad if this movement/trend faded into obscurity like so many other revolutionary art forms though.

[newworldafro]

Santogold's "Shove It" sample gets the ear of Jay-Z on new song "Brooklyn Go Hard".
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5208999987c7650f/