Music, Videos

Janelle Monáe Releases Two New Songs: ‘Make Me Feel’ and ‘Django Jane’

It’s officially Janelle Monáe season. The Grammy-nominated singer makes a strong return with two new songs and accompanying visuals — “Make Me Feel” and “Django Jane.”

The visual for “Make Me Feel” was directed by Alan Ferguson (who is married to Solange). The colorful clip captures the spirited, celebratory voice of Monáe as she affectionately nods to the ripe sounds surrounding the 1980’s music and dance revolution. “It’s like I’m powerful with a little bit of tender / An emotional, sexual bender / Mess me up, yeah, but no one does it better / There’s nothing better,” she sings.

“Django Jane” shows Monáe in another light. The singer switches up her style for a more conscious, rap-inspired tune. The video was directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning with additional vagina monologue footage directed by Lacey Duke. The song is a powerful black girl magic womanifesto that celebrates the strength of black women and black culture while addressing the trials and tribulations of identity in the 21st Century.

Both tracks will appear on Monáe’s upcoming album, Dirty Computer, which is set to arrive on April 27. Monáe opened up about her new album in an interview with Beat 1’s Zane Lowe. “You know I always knew that I had to make this album,” she revealed. “I actually had this title on this concept before my first album The ArchAndriod and it scared me because a lot of the things that I knew that I needed to say were very deep, very personal, from the heart. You know this is an extremely vulnerable album and it took me a while to make it because I’m a self editor.

She continued, “I self-edit myself a lot. I’m like I don’t want to talk about this, I don’t want to talk about that. I had to kind of have people at Wonderland on my team to hold me accountable to it. They were like OK, you said you wanted to make this album before your first album, this is the opportunity for you to just really choose honesty over mystery. I know that there are a lot of things that I haven’t discussed and I think this is the album that you’ll get an opportunity to get a closer glimpse into my mind and into my heart.”

“Make Me Feel”

“Django Jane”

Keithan is the founder/editor-in-chief of Rated R&B

Eric Bellinger and Ne-Yo Sport Spandex in ‘Dirty Dancin’ Video

Let’s get physical.

Eric Bellinger and Ne-Yo burn a few calories teaching “Dirty Dancin'” in their humorous new video.

In the Arrad-directed clip, Bellinger fills in as a dance instructor after meeting a sexy student downstairs who was about to leave the canceled class. The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter suits up in fitting attire — tight sports leggings and matching head band — and starts off class alone until Ne-Yo joins him for the workout fun.

“I remember sending the song over to Ne-Yo and just remember hoping he’d jump on it,” Bellinger said about enlisting Ne-Yo for the record. “One night he hit me and told me to come by the lab but didn’t say for what. When I walked in he said, ‘Surprise.’ He pressed play and he had recorded his verse for ‘Dirty Dancing,’ I couldn’t believe it!”

“Dirty Dancin'” is lifted from Bellinger’s latest album, Eazy Call, which dropped in April. Last month, he released an calming EP titled Mediation to bring awareness to National Mediation Day.

Watch Eric Bellinger’s “Dirty Dancin'” video below.

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R&B Group Next Shares ‘Want It’ Video

Legendary R&B trio Next has released a video for their steamy new single “Want It.”

Directed by Leo Marshall, the video shows the each group member receiving explicit messages from their woman early in the morning. Instead of ignoring the texts, and going to sleep, the crooners find their way to their lover’s bedroom for some adult action.

“Want It” will appear on Next’s comeback album, Next Rated, which is similar to the name of their multi-platinum selling debut album, Rated Next. The LP will mark the group’s first joint album since 2002’s The Next Episode.

Watch Next’s “Want It” video.

Macy Gray Announces Tenth Album ‘Ruby’ and Shares New Song ‘Sugar Daddy’

Macy Gray satisfies her sweet tooth on her new single “Sugar Daddy.”

On the sassy trap record, co-written by Meghan Trainor, the raspy vocalist tells her sugar plug to supply her needs in candy; not dollars. “And I know I got it bad, I got a problem,” Gray sings, “But I’ll take them cavities long as I get them from you.”

Along with releasing “Sugar Daddy,” Gray shares its accompanying visual. The Christian Lamb–directed video, which stars Kevin Ross, is an ode the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues, which starred music icon Diana Ross as the lady of the hour.

“Sugar Daddy” is the lead single off Gray’s new album, Ruby, which is set to arrive on September 7. The album will mark her first release since 2016’s Stripped jazz covers album. In addition to Trainor, the Tommy Park Lumpkins co-produced record will feature Gary Clark Jr., Johan Carlsson and Tommy Brown.

Call on your “Sugar Daddy” below.