Blast from The Past! [Sci-Fi music underground] (ESSENCE)

When Black Music Goes Sci-Fi
By Marcus Scott
Essence Magazine

In 2005, producer Rich Harrison reintroduced a 70s funk style that established song-of-the-summer cuts like “Get Right” and “1 Thing” for some of the world’s hottest artists including stylista J. Lo and go-go diva Amerie. These songs, backed by great dance music videos, proved that when something’s good, it deserves a comeback. In the heyday of Earth, Wind & Fire, the Ohio Players and P-Funk, in a land where tinfoil spaceships hovered on platforms and where skimpy plastic bodysuits were chic, science fiction themes saturated the music scene. Here are those men and women who embrace sci-fi chic:

1. Unrivaled dance pop vet Janet Jackson released futuristic videos before with “If,” and the state-of-the-art “Scream” with her brother Michael, but it was her roller disco Æon Flux masqurade that really gave us “Feedback” in 2008.

2. From razor-sharp and sleek quiffs to fun and frizzy Mad Max Mohawks, superstar Rihanna went in a new direction when she debuted her summer supernova “Disturbia.” Clad in the music video, donning a dominatrix space cadet style, she cements the sci-fi trend.

3. This year, we saw a transformation in R&B empress Beyoncé. With her megahit “Single Ladies,” she debuted the now-infamous Lorraine Schwartz robo--glove, and then the sassy metallic dangle shades in “Diva.” Rocking Thierry Mugler ‘s disco-ball Barbarella designs on her world tour, Beyoncé is truly “Fierce.”

4. Bad Boy upstart and afropunk princess Janelle Monáe—with her pompadour hair, slim-cut leisure suits and intergallatic roar on her critically acclaimed Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase—is beaming us to the nearest to clothing and music stores!

5. Shingai Shoniwa is delivers the noise with her africana Blade Runner fashion sense, that mixes 60s Hollywood glitz and Year 3000 thrills, especially in videos “Never Forget You,” and “Scratch Your Name.”

6. Gone are the days of Hollywood starlet pin-up sparkle, now are the times of bad girl glam. With her kledioscopic flair, Kelis (as seen in “Bossy”) is head-to-toe—from zig-zag hair cuts, automaton designs to her eccentric shoe game—the lovechild of George Clinton and Grace Jones.

7. With her 80s afrocentric ladytron glam, up-and-comer Santigold took the world by storm with her critically-acclaimed “L.E.S. Artistes,” and knack for mixing Road Warrior-type animal prints with neon tribal accessories.

8. Sci-fi chic is not only for women. Justin Timberlake is, by far, one of the most exciting stars of the Y2K era. With FutureSex/LoveSounds in 2006 and then the debut of his William Rast fashion line which is part James Bond casanova /part Clockwork Orange, he solidified his influence with the catchy tunes “SexyBack” and “Lovestoned.”

9. Before there was Justin, there was the fluorescent glitterati Pharrell Williams. His b-boy meets Star Trek cybernetic spaceman appeal has lit up red carpets since his iconic “Frontin’.” Making a cameo with robo-swagger in Common’s “Universal Mind Control” music video, he shows no signs of slowing down.

10. He gave swagger to legends Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs always gives a bit of a futuristic metallic “Tin Mannish” suit tinge of excitement in his videos, just look at Maxell-like “Tell Me,” and the legendary “Mo Money Mo Problems.”

11. This Hollaback Girl from Orange County has always been a trendsetter, from her unique Tomboy fashion in the early 90s to her Mafioso glamour in “It’s My Life,” but it was her post-apocalyptic surf punk Matrix look in “Hella Good,” that made us stand and salute while giving Gwen Stefani street cred.

12. Borrowing P-Funk’s Mothership Connection influences and mixing them with a fabulous ragtime Roaring 20s sensibility, André 3000 is perhaps at the forefront of the moment, making his mark with jams “Ms. Jackson,” “B.O.B.” and “Prototype.”

13. Kanye West is the quintessential icon of sci-fi cool. With his clean cosmonaut glam, this suave playboy created the biggest fashion craze since Beyoncé’s gold pumps when he donned a pair of Alain Mikil shutter shades in “Stronger.”

14. Cool kid Lupe Fiasco slid into the spotlight and never left a bad taste in our mouth when he strutted his neo-soul meets Mace Windu finesse in his landmark hits “Superstar” and “Daydreamin’.”

15. Crowned prince of Pop and R&B Usher, from fitted Sucka emcee bubble jackets to white Vanilla Sky-influenced tuxedos, from his sensual “U Remind Me,” to songs “Yeah” and “Love in This Club,” has become the staple of sci-fi swag.

16. Way before the youngins began the trend, there was His Purple Majesty or His Royal Badness, better known as Prince. From 1999 to Sign O’ the Times and everything after, Prince’s flower child rockstar meets sex pistol Eraserhead is still working his magic.

17. Then there was one. The fabulous and feral Grace Jones, with her wire armor, gaudy-glittered gowns, tribal patterns, and iconic Flat Top were immortalized on her hit albums “Nightclubbing” and “Slave to the Rhythm,” above all—this maneater scared and enticed us.

18. Lady Gaga, from her stunning debut in “Just Dance,” she helped kicked off a sci-fi revolution with her Running Man meets Minority Report fashion attentiveness. Viewed as the go-go version of Grace Jones, this pop diva gives us chills with her PVC body suits and avant-garde love of fabric.

19. College radio fave Kid Sister, flaunted her unique flamboyance in her video “Pro Nails,” with her Conehead-like bouffant up do, Harajuku make-up and mod look.

20. While his urban gear is not considered futuristic, rap legend Busta Rhymes arguably revolutionized the video world with his stunning visuals. Look at the Grace Jones-esque “Put York Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” and his liquid metal duet with Janet Jackson on “What’s It Gonna Be?!”

21. Self-decapitation. Check. Transforming into mythological creatures. Check. Missy Elliot, the lady with cartoon mind, has done it all and with her videos like “Sock It To Me”—full of Megaman references—makes her more than a pioneer, but trailblazer.

22. Who is that girl Teyana Taylor? Coining the phrase “Google Me,” she lept headfirst into the music game, inspiring the fashion world with her frizzy afropuff curl, smooth as spider’s silk skirts and eccentric color scheme.

If you're interested to see who made the list, go to: http://photos.essence.com/galleries/black_music_goes_scifi

This was written some time ago over the summer. Expect new updates with interviews of Mehcad Brooks, Columbus Short, Benjamin Patterson and other Guys To Watch, as well as a few music reviews and a countdown of best & worst of the year! Stay tuned.