Issue date: 10/25/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Monáe may be too advanced for this world, so she lives in one of her own, Metropolis.
Janelle Monáe possesses an imagination far beyond her years, 711 years to be exact. The year is 2719, the city is Metropolis and Alpha Platinum 9000 android, Cyndi Mayweather has committed the ultimate crime. No, this is no alter ego of Janelle Monáe, but an android that she believes really exists. Androids of her prototype are programmed not to possess nor exhibit any form of emotion. Mayweather, on the other hand, is like no other and has fallen deeply in love with a human. For this, she will be disassembled...that's if bounty hunters can catch her first. The Chase begins.
Hailing from Kansas City, Kansas, Janelle Monáe emerges from rough beginnings laced with the inescapable presence of drug use and poverty. Monáe, feeling stifled by these surroundings, followed her love of the arts to New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts. While in New York, she dreamed of a vibrant, more colorful alternate universe that she knew couldn't be tapped into by the teachings of the Big Apple. Like she did in Kansas before, Janelle packed her bags and escaped, this time headed to The Netherlands. Before her flight was complete, a layover in Atlanta completely altered any plans of a trip to the Netherlands. With a conscience full of intuition and a best friend at Clark Atlanta, Monáe decided to stay in Atlanta. After an open-mic session at Diddy's restaurant, Justin's, Antwan "Big Boi" Patton of Outkast stops Janelle and invites her to work with him. She gets two guest spots from Big Boi, one on his "Got Purp?" mixtape and the other on 2006's "Idlewild" movie soundtrack. Sean "Diddy" Combs catches wind of Monáe and her movement, and is so excited by what she was doing that he offered a helping hand in getting her to the masses. Diddy initially contacted her through her MySpace page but she, like most people would ignore his messages. Ever persistent, Diddy tracked down Janelle via Big Boi and signs her to a deal where she maintains complete creative control. Her music goes wherever her mind allows, even if it's 7 centuries away.
In late summer of this year, Janelle Monae re-released her epic EP "Metropolis, Suite I: The Chase". The first single "Many Moons" is a funky, futuristic tune equipped with sick horns, insane vocal arrangements and pounding drums. Earthlings are dared to try categorizing Monae's music style. From punk to soul, R&B to rock, "The Chase" dips into multiple genres, all without skipping one beat. "Sincerely, Jane" is an open letter to a girl who left her hometown and is warned never to return by her mother. The urgency of this track is almost haunting as a city of zombies is described while Monae asks "are we really living, or just walking dead now?". The stand-out track here is clearly "Violet Stars, Happy Hunting" where Cyndi Mayweather rapidly introduces herself. She boldly exclaims "I-I-I-I I'm an alien from outer space!", demanding attention while describing blaring sirens and being chased by Droid Control. "The Chase" is part one of Cyndi's 4-part adventure and where Monáe takes her next will leave listeners on the edge of their seats. Dorothy, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. "Metropolis, Suite I: The Chase" is in stores now.

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