Posted by | Ray Cornelius
The newly crowned King and Q.U.E.E.N. of R&B Robin Thicke and Janelle Monae are holding court on the cover of VIBE Magazine’s 20th Anniversary Issue.
Thicke has the no.1 album in the country right now with his smash hit record, Blurred Lines while Janelle Monae is gaining momentum as one of the leading female voices of this generation. The CoverGirl’s new album, Electric Lady boasts a number of hot collaborations with Erykah Badu, Miguel, Solange and his royal badness, Prince.
According to VIBE, this cover is one of three that will be released in honor of the celebration. The magazine was founded in 1993 by legendary music producer Quincy Jones and has been a cornerstone in Black entertainment covering everything from hip-hop to Hollywood to fashion and politics.
Check out some behind-the-scenes photos of Robin and Janelle and excerpts from their interview below.
Cheers!
Robin Thick on how he defines his music…
The ebb and flow of music means if one person dominates a certain style or sound, then somebody else is going to come and give you a whole new alternative. With music and entertainment, what you always want—what’s fresh, what’s new, what feels like you’re lucky to be hearing it.
Janelle Monae on labels…
One of the things I always say is, ‘Categorize me and I’ll defy every label.’ I think we just love great music. I think regardless, if Mick Jagger is doing it, or Stevie Wonder, or Prince, or somebody at church, that’s the soul. I think that we both represent a very diverse palette for music.
Janelle Monae on sexuality and image in music…
I’m in a unique position, because I came into the music industry owning my own record label, so when I met Puff, I came into it with a set of core values. I said if you want to work with me, this is where I am. I’m not changing my hair. This is the image that I want the world to see. I’m a young black girl with natural hair. I’m not playing into the whole marginalization of women. I’m not singing songs that don’t move me. I’m writing my own music, take it or leave it.
Click here to read the rest of the interview!
