Jan Michael

Don’t Judge Me

“I’m afraid of it all, afraid of loving you.” Janelle Monáe croons on So Afraid, the penultimate song of her Grammy nominated LP, 2018’s Dirty Computer. In a rare moment, specifically reserved for special records, I find myself welling up with tears. Monáe’s Dirty Computer album is full of charm, wit, sass, political satire, racial inequality, queerness, and more. But, this lyrical moment is a beautiful display of what makes Janelle Monáe so special and such an influential figure in music and Black culture. She perfectly encapsulates the feelings and frustrations of those society labels as outcasts.