Janelle Monae Moonwalks Through NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show [Video]
Janelle Monae lit up the stage at the 2014 NBA All-Star game halftime show. Joined by Trombone Shorty, Earth Wind & Fire, Gary Clark Jr., and Dr. John, the soul R&B singer gave the crowd an “electric” performance. The goal was to bring a New Orleans funk feel to the halftime show and most critics agree, they delivered.
Janelle Monae performed her song “Electric Lady” off of the album of the same title. The Kansas City native collaborated with Trombone Shorty to develop the album. On a very musical NBA All-Star weekend, the halftime show may have been the highlight. Kendrick Lamar performed on Saturday night, fresh off of his Grammy snub and incredible performance at music’s biggest night with Imagine Dragons.
Pharrell Williams received plenty of attention on Sunday as well, performing player introductions with a flair. In fact, the musical performances were so good, they were regarded by fans as better than the dunk contest. Not even Drake and Shaq could make the NBA All-Star slam dunk contest fun this year.
Janelle Monae may not have even been the best performer on the stage at halftime. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave ignited the crowd to get things kicked off trying “to have a big party, the way we do here in the Big Easy.” Their funky performance led into the legendary blues singer Dr. John on the keyboard, who was followed by national anthem performer Gary Clark Jr. While Clark was fantastic during the halftime show, he received backlash for failing to remove his hat while playing the national anthem on his guitar.
ICYMI: Gary Clark Jr performs the National Anthem at the NBA #AllStarGame. http://t.co/xZJW9wfdLC pic.twitter.com/EcT7Iq8MKl
— 8-bit Sports (@8bitSports) February 17, 2014
Janelle Monae then joined the crew onstage, moonwalking, dancing, rapping, and singing. Fans have grown accustomed to her upbeat dance and R&B style. It fit right in with the rest of the evening.
Monae was then joined on stage by the one and only Earth, Wind and Fire. Together they performed “Shining Star” and had the whole crowd getting that New Orleans dance party feel.
@JanelleMonae@EarthWindFire@GaryClarkJr and NOLA’s own @Tromboneshorty killin it at NBA All Stars halftime show! pic.twitter.com/UQxvgCEdoV
— Holly Perry (@examinerholly) February 17, 2014
The All-Star game itself was no slouch, setting a record for most points in a single game with 318. Kyrie Irving was also a big winner, leading the victorious Eastern Conference and becoming the game’s MVP.
Janelle Monae is gearing up for a big UK tour this Summer.
[Top Image Via Shutterstock]
