GaydarNation

"A lot of people thought that I was a black artist before they saw my videos,” Madonna told an interviewer all the way back in 1984.

Don't laugh - I’m one of those people. When I first heard 'Borderline' on the radio in 1984, I thought I was listening to a black girl. It wasn’t until I saw the video on MTV that I realized Madonna was a blue-eyed, blond-haired white chick with a penchant for black jelly bracelets.

No one makes that mistake anymore, of course, which probably explains the eye-rolling reaction the 49-year-old singer received when she announced last year that she was working on an R'n'B record with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West.

Take a look at Madonna’s extensive back catalog, though, and you’ll see this is hardly the first time she’s taken a stab at 'black music'. Here are a few noteworthy examples:

Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
Considering the big hits from Madonna’s debut album were dance-pop ditties like 'Holiday', 'Borderline' and 'Lucky Star', it’s a bit shocking that she decided to cover this 1978 Rose Royce classic on her second album, Like a Virgin. The choice didn’t sit well with critics - 'Rolling Stone' called it “awful” - but the singer herself must have been happy with it, as she hauled it out of the vaults and released it as a single to promote her all-ballad album, Something to Remember, in 1996.

Love Song
Madonna threw critics and fans for another loop when she teamed with Prince for 1989’s 'Love Song'. The tune, which appeared on the Like a Prayer album, isn’t really R'n'B, but it’s not a pop song either, thanks to the scattershot percussion and funky guitar riffs provided by Prince. Whatever you call it, Madonna holds her own against 'The Artist' and proves she has the chops to do more than dance songs.

Justify My Love (Hip-Hop Mix)
So much has been said about the original version of this Lenny Kravitz-penned song that no one seems to remember this rather interesting remix, which appeared on the 'Justify My Love' maxi-single released in 1990. Madonna coos the chorus like a contender—“Oooh, justify my love”—over a skittering backbeat and a bevy of samples. Who’s that girl, indeed!

Waiting
Madonna spliced a few vocals from 'Justify My Love' to come up with the chorus for this bass-heavy song, a standout on 1992’s Erotica. It shares other similarities with its predecessor, too: spoken verses, a chorus sung with a bluesy bend and lyrics aimed at a lackadaisical lover. Despite being a fan favourite, 'Waiting' wasn’t released as a single, though a remix of the song (featuring rapper Everlast) appeared on another of the album’s singles, 'Rain'.

Forbidden Love
Anyone who doesn't believe Madonna has taken the R'n'B route before needs to pick up a copy of her 1994 album, Bedtime Stories. Except for the disco-rific 'Don’t Stop' and the trippy one-two punch of 'Sanctuary' and 'Bedtime Story', every song on this under-appreciated album has a “new jill swing” vibe. 'Forbidden Love' sticks out because it’s one of two tracks the Material Girl wrote with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, though others, like singles 'Secret' and 'Human Nature', display a similarly soulful side of the dance diva.

American Life
Madonna reportedly asked Missy Elliott for advice while penning the rap that appears partway through 'American Life'. Unfortunately, the resulting stream-of-consciousness - Madonna raps about soy lattes, mini coopers and even the number of nannies she employs - was seen by many as an unintended joke. Still, Elliott gave the effort a thumbs up and even performed a rap of her own on a remix she produced for the maxi-single.

Want more? Buy Hard Candy, Madonna's latest R'n'B offering, online now. You'll save money to put towards Christopher Ciccone's new book, Life With My Sister Madonna.