#186: Dirty Computer
Ranking The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far (2025)
Janelle Monáe, 2018
In the opening track off Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe sings “I’m not that special,” but it’s immediately clear that she absolutely is special, and this album is something special, too. She has incredible talent - as a singer, a rapper, songwriter, and performer.
This album features a ton of great guest appearances. While this isn’t normally exceptional for pop/hip-hop albums, Monáe brings in several remarkable legacy artists, namely Brian Wilson & Stevie Wonder. If you had to name two preeminent songwriters of the 60s & 70s, these two would come up first; to hear them on an album from 2018 is incredible. Brian Wilson sounds fantastic singing backing vocals on “Dirty Computer” and “Take a Byte,” and Stevie lends his wisdom to the spoken work piece “Stevie’s Dream.”
Aside from the legendary guests on this album, the style is a tribute to legendary artists. While it’s completely and entirely her own, there are reminders of 80s and 90s R&B legends - “I Like That” has whispers of “Human Nature” from Thriller, “Americans” opens with a “Vogue”-like introduction, and “Make Me Feel” sounds like a 21st century “Kiss.” In fact, the album could be a tribute to Prince - she exudes sexuality and passion, and nearly every song embodies that confidence and boldness that Prince conveyed in his songs. The album title brings to my mind “Computer Blue” from Purple Rain, which, if you recall, is immediately followed by “Darling Nikki.”
Several of Monáe’s songs are very much like “Darling Nikki” in their blunt expressions of sexuality and sex, from “Screwin’” (the title is the least explicit part) to “I Got The Juice,” “Pynk” and the title track. The fact that Brian Wilson sings backup on a song called “Dirty Computer” must have delighted him to no end. I’m just glad he didn’t sing “Oh can’t you see that it’s only me / Your dirty computer.” She sings about a “Crazy, Classic, Life,” being free to enjoy life and live in the moment, live for today and be free of judgement. This album is blunt and direct, and fantastic.
My favourite moments on the album are in the second half. While the first half was more pop-oriented, the second half is more reflective, with songs like “Don’t Judge Me” and “So Afraid.” “I Like That” is a low-key banger, which starts with a confession:
Sometimes a mystery, sometimes I’m free
Depending on my mood or my attitude
Sometimes I wanna roll, but stay at home
Walking contradiction, guess I’m factual and fiction
And on “Don’t Judge Me” she sings “Even though you tell me you tell me you love me / I’m afraid that you just love me disguise.” This is my favourite track on this album - just a quiet, vulnerable song with acoustic accompaniment. Of course, Monáe is an actor too, and these songs are not autobiographical, but the emotion is there throughout.
I really enjoyed this album, and the only negative thing I can really say about it is that Sean Combs served as executive producer. As for my experience with the album, and my analysis, Monáe doesn’t let me forget that I really don’t know anything about anything: “Mansplaining, I fold ‘em like origami / What’s a wave, baby? This is a tsunami.”