I always thought The Audition was an official indie release that she put out. I don't think it's a bootleg and/or a compilation of her early work.

I know Wiki is not always the best source of information but here's what it says about The Audition:
"The Audition is a demo album by American singer and songwriter Janelle Monáe, self-released and self-financed in 2003. Some versions of the album were later entitled Metropolis: Point Zero."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Audition_(album)

I was in college in the AUC during her latter of early years, pre-Bad Boy. My first concert in ATL was seeing Janelle, The Jaspects and Bilal. Right across the street at Morehouse's King's Chapel. She put on a damn good show although attendance was embarrassingly sparse. I remember being so mad that I didn't know about The Audition until right after I graduated. I figured I could have purchased a copy more easily in 2006. I just have the .mp3 I downloaded from the web. I would have gladly purchased it. I wish she'd give this a more formal release. Her newer/later fans would appreciate it.