{"id":1930,"date":"2019-04-18T04:17:29","date_gmt":"2019-04-18T04:17:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/?p=1930"},"modified":"2019-04-18T04:19:28","modified_gmt":"2019-04-18T04:19:28","slug":"django-jane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/uncategorized\/django-jane\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Django Jane&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First things first: if you\u2019ve never heard of Janelle Mon\u00e1e, you need to check out her \u201cEmotion Picture\u201d entitled \u201cDirty Computer.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Janelle Mon\u00e1e - Dirty Computer [Emotion Picture]\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/268498567?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The entire video is around 49 minutes long, and it&#8217;s worth every second. The music and lyrics are paired with rich, thought-provoking visuals, including the infamous \u201cpussy pants\u201d from the song \u201cPYNK.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Janelle Mon\u00e1e - PYNK [Official Music Video]\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PaYvlVR_BEc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The music and visuals work together to empower the female body,  focusing in particular on the black, queer, female body. The title, &#8220;Dirty Computer,&#8221; sets up a theme throughout the &#8220;Emotion Picture&#8221; of a futuristic world where white &#8220;cleaners&#8221; attempt to &#8220;cleanse&#8221; Mon\u00e1e and her friends of their &#8220;dirty&#8221; memories. I interpreted this as a reflection of white society&#8217;s ongoing efforts to suppress blackness; to &#8220;whitewash.&#8221; As the video progresses, it becomes clear that the &#8220;cleaners&#8221; are trying to erase Mon\u00e1e&#8217;s individuality and suppress her intersectional identity.  Mon\u00e1e says, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/content\/2018-04-20-janelle-mone-reveals-important-dirty-computer-messages-meanings\/\">&#8220;This album is about celebrating other&nbsp;<\/a><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/content\/2018-04-20-janelle-mone-reveals-important-dirty-computer-messages-meanings\/\">Dirty Computers<\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/content\/2018-04-20-janelle-mone-reveals-important-dirty-computer-messages-meanings\/\">&nbsp;who have been pushed to the margins of society. This album is about reckoning what it means to have your rights trampled on and to face opposition, perseverance.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One video from &#8220;Dirty Computer&#8221; that stood out to me was that which accompanied the song &#8220;Django Jane.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Janelle Mon\u00e1e \u2013 Django Jane [Official Music Video]\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mTjQq5rMlEY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, the musical style, lyrics, and visuals work together in this piece to promote Mon\u00e1e&#8217;s intersectional identity. She says Django Jane is, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/2018\/feb\/22\/you-dont-own-or-control-me-janelle-monae-on-her-music-politics-and-undefinable-sexuality\">&#8220;a response to me feeling the sting of the threats being made to my rights as a woman, as a black woman, as a sexually liberated woman, even just as a daughter with parents who have been oppressed for many decades. Black women and those who have been the \u2018other\u2019, and the marginalised in society \u2013 that\u2019s who I wanted to support, and that was more important than my discomfort about speaking out.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div>It would be impossible for me to understand every visual reference in this video, there were three aspects that stood out to me:<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>First,<\/strong> the video visually explores the idea of power. One website interprets this visual depiction as follows: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/janelle-monae-django-jane-make-me-feel-stand-out-moments\/\">&#8220;Janelle sits atop a throne reminiscent of West African royalty, surrounded by black women in studded leather jackets and shades&#8230; It&#8217;s a marriage of African and African American\u2014shared blackness interpreted in a rap song.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"518\" src=\"http:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.07.28-PM-1024x518.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2046\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.07.28-PM-1024x518.png 1024w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.07.28-PM-300x152.png 300w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.07.28-PM-768x389.png 768w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.07.28-PM.png 1758w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 89vw, (max-width: 767px) 82vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This visual theme compliments lyrics like,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azlyrics.com\/lyrics\/janellemone\/djangojane.html\">We gave you life, we gave you birth<br>We gave you God, we gave you Earth<br>We fem the future, don&#8217;t make it worse<br>You want the world? Well, what&#8217;s it worth?<\/a>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Second<\/strong>, another prevailing visual theme was Mon\u00e1e&#8217;s outfit: the tuxedo. At one point the lyrics say, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azlyrics.com\/lyrics\/janellemone\/djangojane.html\">&#8220;Remember when they used to say I look too mannish, Black girl magic, y&#8217;all can&#8217;t stand it&#8230;&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"520\" src=\"http:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.16.13-PM-1024x520.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2049\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.16.13-PM-1024x520.png 1024w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.16.13-PM-300x152.png 300w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.16.13-PM-768x390.png 768w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.16.13-PM.png 1756w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 89vw, (max-width: 767px) 82vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Monica Miller writes in the Journal of Contemporary African Art, <a href=\"https:\/\/learn.rochester.edu\/bbcswebdav\/pid-1748743-dt-content-rid-21008706_1\/courses\/ANT235.2019SPRING.85422\/project_muse_605640.pdf\">&#8220;Described by Mon\u00e1e variously as a \u201csuperhero uniform,\u201d&nbsp;a \u201cweapon,\u201d&nbsp;\u201carmour,\u201d&nbsp;and essential for her \u201ctime travel,\u201d&nbsp;the tuxedo seems, above all, to be a vehicle for promulgating progressive ideologies of race, gender, and sexuality.&#8221; <\/a>She goes on, &#8220;[Mon\u00e1e] creates wildly inventive visual narratives for her music in which her body and its tuxedo are worked in the service of revising oppressive histories and creating alternative futures.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Third,<\/strong> the album in general celebrates and de-stigmatizes the female body. The image below appears only once in the video, accompanying the lyrics, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azlyrics.com\/lyrics\/janellemone\/djangojane.html\">&#8220;&#8230;And hit the mute button, Let the vagina have a monologue.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"529\" src=\"http:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-10.58.29-PM-1024x529.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2035\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-10.58.29-PM-1024x529.png 1024w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-10.58.29-PM-300x155.png 300w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-10.58.29-PM-768x397.png 768w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-10.58.29-PM.png 1760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 89vw, (max-width: 767px) 82vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lyrics themselves send the message that men need to listen to women; that women demand the space to be heard and acknowledged. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2018\/02\/janelle-monae-django-jane-a-fantastic-woman-1201932016\/\">The visual reference itself may come from from Sebastian Lelio&#8217;s film &#8220;A Fantastic Woman,&#8221;<\/a> about a transgender woman whose identity is at odds with the identity ascribed to her by society. However, an even earlier source for these references may be a photograph by Armen Ordjanian. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2018\/02\/janelle-monae-django-jane-a-fantastic-woman-1201932016\/\">Eric Kohn writes<\/a>, &#8220;Ordjanian\u2019s photograph is a feminist meditation on a woman seeing her identity reflected in her physicality, while the shot in Lelio\u2019s movie implies the feelings of a woman whose gender identity transcends the limitations society imposes on her, and Mona\u00e9 seems to be exhibiting a more explicit message of female empowerment in a vicious battle of the sexes.&#8221; Clearly Mona\u00e9&#8217;s use of this image, and previous meanings associated with this image  reinforce her dialogue on female identity, empowerment, and resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unsurprisingly, the Youtube comments for &#8220;Django Jane&#8221; are overwhelmingly positive:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"324\" src=\"http:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-4.01.30-PM-1024x324.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1948\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-4.01.30-PM-1024x324.png 1024w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-4.01.30-PM-300x95.png 300w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-4.01.30-PM-768x243.png 768w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-4.01.30-PM.png 1226w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 89vw, (max-width: 767px) 82vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"188\" src=\"http:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.55.27-PM-1024x188.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2056\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.55.27-PM-1024x188.png 1024w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.55.27-PM-300x55.png 300w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.55.27-PM-768x141.png 768w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-11.55.27-PM.png 1326w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 89vw, (max-width: 767px) 82vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"592\" height=\"186\" src=\"http:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-3.59.20-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1949\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-3.59.20-PM.png 592w, https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-17-at-3.59.20-PM-300x94.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mon\u00e1e says, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/content\/2018-04-20-janelle-mone-reveals-important-dirty-computer-messages-meanings\/\">&#8220;<\/a><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/content\/2018-04-20-janelle-mone-reveals-important-dirty-computer-messages-meanings\/\">Dirty Computer<\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/content\/2018-04-20-janelle-mone-reveals-important-dirty-computer-messages-meanings\/\">&nbsp;is a gift that I feel very honored and privileged to give. I hope that all the Dirty Computers around the world feel heard, feel seen, and feel celebrated.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First things first: if you\u2019ve never heard of Janelle Mon\u00e1e, you need to check out her \u201cEmotion Picture\u201d entitled \u201cDirty Computer.\u201d The entire video is around 49 minutes long, and it&#8217;s worth every second. The music and lyrics are paired with rich, thought-provoking visuals, including the infamous \u201cpussy pants\u201d from the song \u201cPYNK.\u201d The music &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/uncategorized\/django-jane\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;&#8220;Django Jane&#8221;&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[600,603,604,601,602],"class_list":["post-1930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-video-review","category-uncategorized","tag-empowerment","tag-female","tag-intersectionality","tag-janellemonae","tag-tuxedo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1930"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2066,"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1930\/revisions\/2066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gcornish.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/mhs123_spring2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}