Metropolis: The Chase Suite

Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) is the first installment of Monáe's seven-part Metropolis conceptual series, inspired by Fritz Lang's science fiction classic film, Metropolis (1927). It follows a fictional tale of android Cindi Mayweather who is mass-produced in the year 2719 for a market filled with severe social stratification.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} Mayweather falls in love with a human, and is sentenced to disassembly.

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = About.com

|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}Nero, Mark Edward. [http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/gr/MonaeMetropolis.htm Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411195039/http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/gr/MonaeMetropolis.htm |date=April 11, 2014 }}. About.com. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

|rev2 = AllMusic

|rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}Kellman, Andy. [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1240464|pure_url=yes}} Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]. AllMusic. Retrieved on December 18, 2018.

|rev3 = Art Nouveau Magazine

|rev3score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}Columnist. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200801/http://artnouveaumagazine.com/JanuaryFebruary/jannelemonae.html Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]. Art Nouveau Magazine. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

|rev4 = The Boston Globe

|rev4score = favorableCapobianco, Ken. [http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2008/08/12/her_rb_is_out_of_this_world/ Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]. The Boston Globe. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

|rev5 = HipHopDX

|rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}Burgess, Omar. [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.1015/title.janelle-monae-metropolis-the-chase-suite Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702224145/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.1015/title.janelle-monae-metropolis-the-chase-suite |date=July 2, 2010 }}. HipHopDX. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

|rev6 = The Kansas City Star

|rev6score = favorableColumnist. "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=KC&p_theme=kc&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=122857CDD6BD3290&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]". The Kansas City Star: F3. August 12, 2008.

|rev7 = Newsday

|rev7score = BGamboa, Glenn. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121102085824/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/1529453751.html?dids=1529453751:1529453751&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:FT&type=current&date=Aug+12,+2008&author=Glenn+Gamboa&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=DROPS:+Extending+their+appeal&pqatl=google Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]. Newsday. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

|rev8 = PopMatters

|rev8score = 8/10Wikane, Christopher John. [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/49118/janelle-monae-metropolis/ Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]. PopMatters. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

|rev9 = Robert Christgau

|rev9score = {{Rating-Christgau|dud}}Christgau, Robert. [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Janelle+Monae Robert Christgau: CG: Janelle Monae]. Retrieved on October 28, 2013.

|rev10 = Seattle Times

|rev10score = favorableMatson, Andrew. [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2008130150_monae22.html Review: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]. Seattle Times. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

}}

Metropolis received critical acclaim upon its release. Mark Nero from About.com gave the EP a positive review saying "Though she's new to the mainstream, the quirky, highly-talented singer Janelle Monae has been putting out music for years. ... If you've heard the original version of the EP, there's no need to pick this up unless you're a diehard fan, but if this is your first exposure to Janelle's music, you're in for a treat.{{cite web |url=http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/gr/MonaeMetropolis.htm |title=Janelle Monae – "Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)" |publisher=Randb.about.com |date= |accessdate=April 5, 2011 |archive-date=April 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411195039/http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/gr/MonaeMetropolis.htm |url-status=dead }} Hip-Hop DX gave the EP a positive review saying, "Even without the random interplanetary references and notions of forbidden robot love, Metropolis has the type of production that takes its cues from something made in the past, as well as the future. The drums hit hard, and when combined with the synth keys, strings and the occasional electric guitar, they make for an oddly enjoyable mix."{{cite web|last=Burgess |first=Omar |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.1015/title.janelle-monae-metropolis-the-chase-suite |title=Janelle Monae – Metropolis: The Chase Suite |publisher=HipHop DX |date=September 25, 2008 |accessdate=April 5, 2011}} The Kansas City Star gave the EP a positive review.

Metropolis: Suite I had minor success in the United States where it peaked at number 115 on the US Billboard 200 chart and fared much better on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at number 20. The album also charted on the Top Heatseekers chart at number two. The EP spent one week on the Billboard 200, but spent 9 weeks altogether on both the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the Top Heatseekers chart.{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=janelle monáe|chart=all}} |title=Metropolis: The Chase Suite [Special Edition] - Janelle Monáe |magazine=Billboard |date=August 30, 2008 |accessdate=August 22, 2012}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Suite I

| extra_column =

| total_length = 17:30

|title1 = The March of the Wolfmasters

|writer1 = Charles Joseph II (Chuck Lightning), Nathaniel Irvin III (Nate Rocket Wonder)

|length1 = 1:27

|title2 = Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!

|note2 = featuring The Skunks

|writer2 = Janelle Monáe Robinson, Joseph II, Irvin III

|length2 = 3:13

|title3 = Many Moons

|writer3 = Robinson, Joseph II, Irvin III

|length3 = 5:34

|title4 = Cybertronic Purgatory

|writer4 = Robinson, Joseph II, Irvin III

|length4 = 1:40

|title5 = Sincerely, Jane.

|writer5 = Robinson, Joseph II, Irvin III

|length5 = 5:36

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Special edition

| extra_column =

| total_length = 26:10

|title6 = Mr. President

|writer6 = Robinson, Joseph II, Irvin III

|length6 = 4:59

|title7 = Smile

|writer7 = Charlie Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons, John Turner

|length7 = 3:58

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Vinyl hidden bonus track

| extra_column =

| total_length = 29:22

|title8 = Violent Stars Happy Hunting!!!

|note8 = Cyber-Hop Mix

|length8 = 3:12

|writer8 = Janelle Monáe Robinson, Joseph II, Irvin III

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Fantastic edition

| extra_column =

| total_length = 44:10

|title8 = Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!

|note8 = The Jetson's Mix

|length8 = 3:10

|title9 = Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!

|note9 = live from The Blender Theater) (video

|length9 = 3:30

|title10 = Sincerely, Jane.

|note10 = live from The Blender Theater) (video

|length10 = 4:56

|title11 = Many Moons

|note11 = extended version) (video

|length11 = 6:24

}}

Credits for Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) adapted from AllMusic.[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1240464|pure_url=yes}} Credits: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)]. AllMusic. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.

{{div col|colwidth=35em}}

• Terrence Brown – piano, strings
• Control_z – engineer, drum programming, mastering, mixing
• Cutmaster Swift – scratching, cut
• Brian Davis – graphic design, concept, layout design, creation
• Provi Fulp – concept, stylist, creation
• Bernie Grundman – mastering
• Jaspects – horn section, trumpet, alto sax, tenor sax
• Chuck Lightning – concept, story, creation
• Lord Of The Cybersoul Patrol – executive production
• Lord Mitchell A. "MitchOW!ski" Martian – mastering, mixing, concept, assistant, creation
• Janelle Monáe – hammond organ, vocals, background vocals, production, executive production, concept, soloist, creation, voiceover
• Emily "Widget" Parker – concept, creation
• Kellindo Parker – concept, creation
• Kellis Jr. Parker – guitar, soloist
• Antwan "Big Boi" Patton – executive production
• Donna Permell – photography, concept, creation
• George "Rico" Rodriguez – concept, creation
• Ben Rose – photography, concept, creation
• Skunks – snaps
• Chris Stanford – photography, concept, creation
• Delvin Stanklin – concept, creation
• Sweetfish – bass
• Wolfmaster Lightning – arranger, vocals, production, associate production, associate arranger
• Wolfmaster Z – organ, synthesizer, guitar, piano, arranger, keyboards, electric piano, programming, vocals, production, artwork, graphic design, mastering, mixing, concept, layout design, instrumentation, creation
• Wolfmasters – executive production
• Wondaland Arts Society – creative director, concept, creation

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.discogs.com/Janelle-Mon%C3%A1e-Metropolis-The-Chase-Suite-Special-Edition/master/202777 Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)] at Discogs

{{Janelle Monáe}}

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Category:2007 debut EPs

Category:Bad Boy Records EPs

Category:Metropolis (album series)

Category:2007 debut albums

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