Janelle Monae caught an unfortunate bit of backlash for some slightly dark humor the other day, as they posted a video reenacting Michael Jackson's infamous balcony-baby incident (if you don't know what we're talking about, you've got some serious pop culture history to learn). They didn't address some fans' controversial reactions to it, but they did seem to quietly take it down from their page, so we'd assume that they regret the decision to at least share the clip. It's a pretty odd way to pay tribute to the King of Pop, but then again, maybe it was to highlight the controversies held in that career as well. Nevertheless, it looks like it won't be a hot debate topic any longer.
Furthermore, this is especially curious because Janelle Monáe is a big fan of Michael, and especially of his sister, Janet Jackson. "We gather all around the world with your music as our soundtrack," they introduced the Rhythm Nation icon for her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, calling her the "legendary queen of Black girl magic." "We applaud you for your commitment to excellence [and] we celebrate you for giving us memories we wish we could bottle up and save for the next lifetime. History is not complete without you, Janet."
Janelle Monae Seemingly Takes Down Controversial Michael Jackson Video
Meanwhile, Janelle Monáe recently commented on how they pick out movie roles, and their explanation was quite curious. "Really, I love to get to know the characters and feel with anything I’m doing," they told The Guardian. "I really have to feel it in my pubic hairs -– they have to vibrate. My underarm hairs definitely tingled when I got the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery script."
As for Michael Jackson, Janelle Monae's odd reenactment wasn't the only questionable "tribute" to him from artistic collaborators that raised fans' eyebrows as of late. Janet Jackson herself caused a commotion when she chose to pose with someone dressed as her brother for a meet and greet with her. While many folks found this disrespectful, it also stands to reason that Janet sees this kind of thing often. As such, maybe she can see it from a more appreciative and respectful point of view than our Internet-influenced perspective.
