Monday, Feb. 14, 2011
Bruno Mars, B.o.B. and Janelle Monáe; 'Nothin' on You,' 'Grenade,' 'Cold War' (Medley)
Bruno Mars, B.o.B and Janelle Monáe had 14 Grammy nominations between them this year. You'd think that such highly acclaimed musicians would create mind-blowing music together, but I'm not feeling it. I like the 1960s throwback thing that Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe have going on, with the James Brown pompadours, wing tips and black-and-white film stock. Mars leans a little too heavily into lounge-singer territory, and Monáe keeps it clean, fresh and exciting. But amid all this B.o.B.'s raps seemed out of place, causing the whole thing to fall oddly short.
Janelle Monáe: A+ Everyone else: B-