[youtube id=”gFNEkDvIpsw”] Watch Janelle Monaé in a new trailer for Antebellum. The horror film stars Monaé as a prominent author caught up in a nightmare she must escape. The plot is not clear but there are scenes from the antebellum period in the south and the current world. It is the first feature film from directors Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz. The movie also stars Gabourey Sidibe, Kiersey Clemons, Jack Huston and Jena Malone. The original release date was April 24th, but the pandemic has changed it to August 21st. 

[youtube id=”O6Rt06Xwl4w”] Watch Janelle Monáe perform “Come Alive” at The Oscars. She is joined by a troupe of dancers, horn players and Billy Porter. Her almost six-minute performance woke up the audience and brought them to their feet with a standing ovation when she was done. 

The 2019 Grammy Awards surprised many hip-hop fans when Cardi B became the first woman to win the Best Rap Album award. The unexpectedness continued with the award for Best Rap Song was a tie and went to anderson.paak and to Kendrick Lamar, Future and Jay Rock. Drake appeared to upset the event’s producers after he gave his acceptance speech for Best Rap Song and explained how Grammy awards are not the ultimate validator of one’s career and then his microphone cut off and a commercial was aired. It was reported before the ceremony that Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino had declined to perform at the show because of their ongoing lack of recognition for hip-hop artists. The Grammys have historically only presented hip-hop awards outside of the television broadcast but have still wanted the artists to bring ratings to the show as performers. Several online commentators complained about Jennifer Lopez’s Latin-inspired Motown tribute which was defended by Smokey Robinson who explained that Motown’s music was for everyone. Fans were happy with Yolanda Adams, Fantasia and Andra Day’s Aretha Franklin dedication with a performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” but they believed Franklin, who passed last year, was deserving of more than one song.

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Janelle Monáe received nominations for Album Of The Year for Dirty Computer and Best Music Video for “PYNK.” Her performance of “Make Me Feel” was one of the night’s highlights.

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Diana Ross celebrated her 75th birthday at The Grammys and performed “Best Years Of My Life” and “Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand).” Ross received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. Her actual birthday is March 26th and on that day 700 theaters will play Diana Ross Live In Central Park, a film of her 1983 two-night concert in Central Park. 

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H.E.R performed “Hard Place” and took home the award for best R&B Album and reminded everyone that she actually released an EP. 

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Cardi B’s performance of “Money” and her acceptance speech was considered one of the most entertaining segments of the evening. 

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[youtube id=”BLPV55zXwJM”]Janelle Monáe brings Dirty Computer into 2019 with the video for “Screwed.” The singer and her friends spend the performing in a club and the next day Tessa Thompson is the victim of an abduction. Zoë Kravitz appears on the song but not in the video. Monáe had a great 2018 with the success of Dirty Computer and she ended the year accepting the Trailblazer award at Billboard’s Women In Music Awards. So far, she has released six videos including the Emotion Picture film from the album and fans are wondering which song will be the next one to receive a visual.