Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Janelle Monáe‘s 2023 Free the Nipple campaign continues.
The singer’s previously been scantily clad in music videos, album promos and release parties, but she’s still having fun with it.
The latest came while she was performing at the 2023 Essence Festival in New Orleans. She took to the stage rocking a black and white bikini top, and while singing her song “You” featuring Jidenna, she lifted up her top. Of course, she exposed her breast while ironically singing the lyrics, “You cannot police me, so get off my areola.”
The crowd cheered as Monae pulled the stunt, but the backlash was swift online as people attempted to do what she said they couldn’t: police her.
One tweet that got a lot of interaction read, “She’s lowkey becoming a weirdo in real time right before our eyes lol.”
Many disagreed with the sentiment and appreciated Monáe showing off her body, one tweeting, “love when Black artists that exist outside the boxes ruffle the feathers of Black people that want to uphold them. Exhibit A being Janelle Monáe, Lizzo, and Lil Nas X. They do not play into that respectability politics bullsh!t. She showed her chest. SO WHAT. men do 24/7.”
Since Monáe changed up her style and ditched her signature suits to show off her body, she’s never felt better.
“I’m much happier when my titties are out and I can run around free,” Monáe told Rolling Stone when she covered the magazine in May… where she was also topless.
See how Twitter’s reacting to Monáe flashing the 2023 Essence Fest crowd below.
