EMERGENCY Culture of the Week!

Last night I went to a Nas concert at the Highline Ballroom sponsored by Rolling Stone Magazine. It was a free event that was extremely well organized and well executed. The place wasn't overly packed, and the crowd was in a generally upbeat mood, despite waiting in line in the sub-40 degree weather for an hour or so. Inside, I was pleasantly surprised by a certain opening act. This woman rocked my world. Her name, you ask? Janelle Monae. Gorgeous, energetic, and painfully talented, she rocked the house as hard as Nas.




I can't really put her style in a box. She's afro-punk/soul/rock/jazz with a MidWest/Southern flavor. I guess I've just created a new box. She's got this futuristic feel (see: "we are not the same, I am an alien") which might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I ordered two cups of that chai, ya dig? Her set was fluid, and she turned most of the people in the audience who had never seen her perform into true believers. She's tiny, but somehow simultaneously takes over the entire stage. Highlights were "Many Moons" (see below) and "Smile".



As for Nasty Nas, I'll let Perf give his review when he gets a chance. In the meantime, check out her website, and listen to the song samples provided. You will be pleasantly surprised. Let me know what you think!

Looking for her on twitter as we speak.