Monáe, Janelle - Ghetto Woman Lyrics

This song deserved a good music video. The song is too good

Janelle + electric guitars = divine sound

im digging that 1973 Stevie-ish Vibe!!! Janelle Rocks!!!!

all of these sounds are from the past, but somehow it the end result sounds like the future? Janelle Monáe in a nutshell

This song is so Intense and Inspiring 😩

she is literally talking about her mother i think. i heard her mother was a janitor and her father a garbage man somewhere

This song is extremely dope sonically, melodically and vocally. It''s written and produced very well.

Trouble with this track is that the production is absolutely terrible. It's obviously trying to emulate that classic early 70's Stevie Wonder vibe but the mix is muddy, instruments and vocals lost in a wall of mushy bass, sequenced drums and synths. This needs the Moog bass upfront, real percussion and drums and the vocals need more space. I'm no audio engineer but I know what my ears tell me. The singer is good but she needs much better musicians around her and needs to decide where her strength lies as she is trying too hard to be a jack of all trades. She also needs to develop her songwriting skills and live life a little as nothing she has written is that memorable or meaningful. Shame as she is one of the better pop acts around but is being led up the wrong path.

@maccagrabme I'm trying to actually understand your criticism. What would you say is a well-produced song of Janelle Monae?

+leeardamer Well I think her best tracks are it's code and Can't live without your love also although its a bit commercial I think Tightrope is good visually and a good blend between 60's and modern r&b.

@maccagrabme What about her suites? They also sound somewhat muffled but I guess that's on purpose, right?... Like Suite IV Overture

+maccagrabme So in other words, you think she's pretentious? Hm maybe it's her song choices? Personally, I like them, but yeah I know where you are getting at. She doesn't necessarily have to live life a little; art can be inspired by the microcosm. If she sung about how she used to work at Home Depot like how Lauren Hill sung about working at Foot Locker, or sung about drinking the best glass of OJ on a Thursday morning, we would see a realer, grittier side of Monae. Better yet, listen to "The Audition", it was released in 2003 by Monae. You might prefer this album over her recent stuff.

Is this Anthony Fraudtano??

U must understand and bn through it with that woman

Great song writing.. I would love to do a song with you...ramo.

This is such a beautiful use of Stevie wonder's sound. It even sounds like an upbeat version of "boogie on reggae woman" with a hint of "ebony eyes" it's cuz of the synths!!!! I LOVE YOU JANELLE MONAE

EVERYBODY CLAP AND SHAKE UR HEAD LIKE STEVIE WONDER TO THE MUSIC!!!!

Sounds like one of his, I know janelle is a massive fan of his

without a doubt the best song on the album*

As soon as this song started playing I thought of stevie wonder. Scrolled down to find out many people also thought the same. Yay! Love janelle! And stevie of course!

Janelle Monae's freestyle or rap was fire! She is so amazing!

I love this song, reminds me of "Black Man" from Stevie Wonder's "Songs In The Key Of Life Album". The instrumentation has an heavy influence of that song :)

@Destiny Walther That's a fantastic catch - that's exactly what it sounds like.

@Mark Frieser awesome! Thought I was the only one that noticed it! I'm a huge Stevie Wonder fan as well. Does not exactly replicate it but the instrumentation, underlying bass & synthesizer styling that's used has a influence of it. Instead of her talking about "Black Man"/Men of other races she's speaking about good things about Women (black Women) from her perspective, just like Stevie did in Black Man.

How amazingly powerful is this song?! Potent message! Once again thank you, Miss Monae!

This is a song uplifting Black women, who are the most shat on people in our society. I love her <3.

@pureblackmist6x6 there needs to be more music with messages like this. She's such an amazing talent.

+Mark Frieser
we really do

BS native American Woman are so shat on people try and erase them

As a latino woman with light skin who lives in a hood in a third world country, I feel uplifted by this song.

Beautiful, inspiring and moving. I really love Janelle and I hope she always get this reflexive, The Electric Lady is such an amazing album. A masterpiece!

Wow! Wonderful message and great song :) The rapping part was also amazing!

The song is like a mix of living for the city (in lyrics) and another star (in instrumentation)

THIS DESERVES A MILLION VIEWS!

This has michael jackson's sound all over it!

I'm hearing more of a Stevie Wonder.

Totes songs in the key of life....

OMG you get it so much!!!!

Totes songs in the key of life....

LOVE THE RAP! That's some rapping there boy.

Jamiroquai vibe

This song reminds me of something Stevie Wonder would of sung, she's so underrated 

Oh my gawsh. I so agree!!!

EXACTLY!!!! I so agree

I totally agree too!

So true sister,so true.

Love to miss monae, thanks for writing such an awesome tribute to your mama.

Also mj I cant help it beat I hear it

Okay Janelle Monae but this song just stupid

Your comment is stupid and now saschay away

How is this song stupid? Because it's a uplifting song about the hardworking women who live in the hood? And the song is a tribute to her mother.

@Tee For REALLLLLLLLL!

Girl thats not constructive critisim

The title reminds me Stevie Wonder's Boogie on Reggae Woman

4 people are deaf :(

a nod to Stevie Wonder's Ghetto Land with 2014 third-wave feminist lyrics <3

I wonder if she's some kin to Rasheeda. They really favor.

I definitely hear the Stevie Wonder in this track. That girl is really doin' her thing. :)

This is my daily track workout preparation song I listen to before I go to indoor track practice. I especially rewind the part from 2:55 to 4:32 to get me pumped. At first, I couldn't quite understand why this song moved me in such a way, but the more I listen to it, the more I understand it... "Let it use you, let it use you. When the love is strong, it won't let you be alone. Let it use you, just let the spirit lead you." This has become my Track Anthem song...

First time I heard this, i was like: Carry oooon, get a woman! XD

Indeed - it's like "Bird of Beauty", "Ngiculela - Es Un Historia" and "Another Star" all merged into one

Stevie Wonder Inspired!!!!!!!!!!!!