Our artist of the month Janelle Monae performs “Dance or Die” live in Paris at La Maroquinerie. I know it’s early but you may have to get up and shake a leg on this one. Enjoy!

Big Boi and GFM’s Artist of the Month? You know we had to put the fam up on this one! Enjoy!

GFM is proud to feature one of the most exciting artists on the scene today as our Artist of the Month for May. In a musical landscape that often celebrates homogeny over individuality Janelle Monae is a streak of red in an often gray soundstage. This Kansas City Kansas native continues to win over audiences around the world through her futuristic genre-defying musical output. But don’t take my word for it just check out one of our favorite live performances of Janelle on none other than David Letterman.

Make sure to join us on our Facebook Page where we will celebrate the music of Janelle Monae all month with hopefully a few surprises thrown in for good measure.

Absolutely gorgeous cover of Janelle Monae’s composition “Say You’ll Go”. The recommendation is definitely press play and then head here for the download. More about the artists after the jump.

New York, NY (April 2011) Anais Aida and Daniel “DannyBe” Bazan are two students in the prestigious Clive Davis Department Of Recorded Music in New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. A typical day at school for either includes mastering various production techniques, practicing stage performance with R&B legend and Recorded Music professor Nona Hendyrx, or meeting with super producer and fellow Recorded Music professor Swizz Beatz to craft a business plan. Their respective worlds revolve around one thing: Music. Each invested in their own solo projects (Anais is slated to release an EP at the end of the year as well as Dannybe, who is also producing for various upcoming artists), the two collaborated with only a few hours to spare in the studio. Danny and Anais decided to cover a song by an artist whom both of them hold in reverence: Janelle Monae.

The two took the lush “Say You’ll Go” from Monae’s The ArchAndroid and transformed it into an intimate acoustic version with simple yet warm piano (played by Bazan) and vocal duties in the care of Anais. The cover is gaining new fans everyday,from regular music lovers to established artists like Indie.Arie, who raved on Twitter that Anais has “it”.

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Amazing video (mini-movie) from Cee-Lo featuring Kerry Washington, Janelle Monae, and Karl Lagerfeld. And if you missed his Grammy performance with Gwyneth Paltrow, hit the jump and enjoy!

So dope! Sometimes I guess you just gotta rock for yourself (check the audience response). Be sure to check her out on the 53rd annual Grammy Awards this weekend.

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Janelle Monae – Live In Atlanta

RAHBI is the soul of Rock and Roll, a revolving energy that continues to produce Legends, Statements, Superstars & Icons. Musical Goddess Erykah Badu has dubbed RAHBI as “Pure Light” while Janelle Monae says his fearlessness inspires her. RAHBI’s new single “ROLLERCOASTER,” produced by Grammy award winning artist PJ Morton, encourages the world to live life on the fun side… A lovely prelude to his forthcoming studio album “GoldenChild.”

Future/Past, New/Familiar: “Rollercoaster” is an electronic musical cine-play that contains flourishes of Newcleus, Laid Back and Linn Drum era Prince coupled with a multi-layered vocal ensemble that is reminiscent of the “Wall of Sound” that doesn’t make its way into many of today’s production. If you would like to be transported on a ride that is equal parts aural and cerebral stimulation, press play. You can purchase the EP on iTunes here.

Rollercoaster by GrownFolksMusic

Prince Announces New Concert Series with Janelle Monae, Cassandra Wilson and more. Be there!

She definitely flipped the script on this one, but I like it. Yet another reason why we love her. Props to Pitchfork.

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