Monáe uses various terms and phrases from LGBT slang in the beginning of the song . She opens the song with , " I ca n't believe all of the things they say about me , walk in the room they '' ' throwin ' shade ' '' from left to right . They be like ' ooh , she '' ' servin ' face ' '' , ' and I just tell 'em cut me up and get down . " Both phrases '' throwing shade '' and '' serving face '' are phrases used by many in the LGBT community , especially in the African-American gay community . She also alludes to lesbianism later in the song when she sings , " Hey , is it weird to like the way she wears her tights ? " and , " Am I a freak because I love watchin ' Mary ? " Monáe then juxtaposes these references with religion by asking , " Hey brother can you save my soul from the devil ? " and , " Hey sister am I good enough for your heaven ? Will your God accept me in my black and white ? Would he approve the way I 'm made or should I deprogram , reprogram and get down ? " A music video for the song , directed by Alan Ferguson , was released on May 1 , 2013 . It features Janelle Monáe as herself in the future . She , along with her band members and Badoula Oblongata ( Badu ) , have been frozen in time and placed on display in the Ministry of Droids museum . They are all described as " rebels who time travel , " by a representative for the Ministry of Droids at the beginning of the video . Two women dressed in black arrive to the museum and knock down the guards . They then put on Monáe 's song , " Q.U.E.E.N. " and within seconds , Monáe and her band begin to reanimate . As well as portraying herself in the video , Monáe also portrays her android persona Cindi Mayweather . Cindi along with her android sisters dance and question each other throughout the song . Towards the end of the video , Monáe delivers her climactic rap wearing her tuxedo " work uniform . " The camera focuses in on her as she raps and then cuts to black immediately after she finished . < ! -- Deleted image removed : Writing for Billboard , Gregory DelliCarpini Jr. said of the music video , " Channeling the retro swagger of Elvis 's " Jailhouse Rock " video , Monae jams while surrounded by six dancing ladies rocking bold black-striped looks . Janelle contrasts the backup dancers in a solid look while getting her groove on in a puffy sleeved white shirt and black second skin pants paired with fierce metallic Givenchy heels . " Critics wrote positive reviews of the song . Will Hermes of Rolling Stone gave 3.5 stars saying it was " an anthem of self-determination with a funkadelicious bass line , it downshifts into soul jazz midway through , with Erykah offering Badu-ist perspective ( " Booty do n't lie ! " ) . Then Monáe transforms into a superhero MC to take it home . " Afropunk wrote " Q.U.E.E.N. does a good job of breaking free of the duality of the black and white Janelle wears proudly . " Monáe first performed the song live at the 2013 BET Awards along with Erykah Badu to critical acclaim . She has also performed the song at the 2013 iTunes Festival in London
2013 BET Awards
BET Awards 2013
Q.U.E.E.N. (Janelle Monáe song)