Janelle Monáe- "Tightrope (Wondamix feat. B.o.B and Lupe Fiasco)" VIDEO

As our five devoted readers know, all of us at TWS cannot get enough of Janelle Monáe. She can sing, dance, and when she bats those fake eyelashes and straightens her ubiquitous bowtie, I start searching travel websites for airplane tickets to Atlanta to declare my love for her in person. Her face makes baby seals look like, well, Seal. It's simply unfair.

The original "Tightrope" is voluptuous and sexy. The Wondamix is as if the original took up Tae-Bo. It's sleek and toned, with just a bass, break and distorted riff to support Lupe, Bobby, and the woman herself. B.o.B, himself an Dirty Dirty upstart, goes first and the urgency in his voice is counterbalanced by Lupe's smoothness, a vibe that perfectly underpins his role as the relatively elder statesman in the song. This all supports Janelle, as she confidently tears through bars like a young Queen Latifah.

In the end, the video isn't anything like the first "Tightrope," but it's totally worth it just to see Ms. Monáe rap in jodhpurs. It's an exhilarating experience to see three of the most exciting young bucks in hip-hop trade verses over this muscular beat, and it leaves me hungry for the next banger.

Heavy Rotation: Janelle Monáe

After arguing incessantly about the best albums of 2010 thus far with several friends, this seems to be the artist everyone can agree on. It's a shame that I perpetually discover people sleeping on Janelle Monáe. She conquers everything from soul, hip-hop, bubblegum pop, psychedelic rock, funk, folk and all that's in between. The ArchAndroid ties all these genres together in two suites seamlessly, showcasing clever songwriting, scream fests and subtle ballads together like the breakfast club at a cocktail party. Check her out in a major city near you this September.

This track reminds me of Lauryn Hill mixed with Donovan. Yeah seriously.

Janelle Monáe - Oh, Maker

Janelle Monáe

The new album from Janelle Monáe drops May 18. Her songs brim with wailing vocals and attitude and a couple tracks even get that special touch from collaborators Big Boi and Of Montreal. Monáe's first single off The ArchAndroid showcases her eccentric hybrid of jazz and soul style. She takes a hurried soul beat and exchanges back and forth between sassy and maniacal on the vocals, only briefly relinquishing the spotlight for a spastic horn soli and a smugly casual few bars from Big Boi.

Janelle Monáe - Tightrope feat. Big Boi