Janelle Monae & Big Boi Walk the “Tight Rope” (Listen & Download)

These are the facts: Janelle Monae is 5 feet tall, tops. Maybe 5 foot 4 if you count the hair. Janelle Monae is fearsome live performer, a bundle of kinetic energy that puts on one of the best live shows you're ever going to see. And, last but certainly, Janelle Monae has a new single called "Tight Rope", featuring a verse from her Outkast mentor Big Boi and the kind of retro-soul production that's so retro it comes back full circle to become that new, new shit.

"Tight Rope" is the first single off Monae's upcoming album "The ArchAndroid", due out May 18 and sure to be one of the most creative works we've seen since, well, since Monae's "Metropolis" series. Oh, and because it's only appropriate given the circumstances, check out Monae way back in the day on Outkast's "Morris Brown". (Hint: she's the girl in the car that...um...looks exactly like Janelle Monae.) That's where it all started folks.

Download "Tight Rope" w/MediaFire.

Download "Tight Rope" w/UserShare

To start walking the right rope with Monae and Big Boi right now, check out the track below.