From Dirty Mind to Dirty Computer: Prince’s Profound Influence on Janelle Monáe

Abstract

I argue that the groundwork Prince laid in his first decade created a foundation for queer and gender expansive Black artists like Janelle Monáe to be successful. First, I explore how Prince and Monáe center sex positivity and pleasure in their respective work. Second, I highlight their shared belief in artists’ responsibility to reflect the times politically, as Nina Simone so famously stated. Third, I illuminate how both artists insist upon navigating society through pathways grounded in opposition to racial capitalism, with a vision of how we can collectively build a more just world. In this third section, I focus on adrienne maree brown’s book Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good. Regarding methodology, I analyze lyrics, imagery, and historical context from both artists’ albums. This interdisciplinary exploration is valuable to artist-activists within critical race studies, media studies, gender and sexuality studies, and anyone dedicated to preserving the legacy of Prince.