WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.000 Welcome back to the Deep Dive, where we take 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:04.679 the vast ocean of information and distill it 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:07.620 down to the essential, fascinating current. Today, 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:10.240 we are charting the unparalleled career of an 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:12.519 artist who didn't just adapt to pop culture. 00:00:12.660 --> 00:00:14.740 No, she engineered it. I mean, she really set 00:00:14.740 --> 00:00:17.059 the template for the modern pop star as we know 00:00:17.059 --> 00:00:19.640 it today. Absolutely. We are diving into the 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:22.640 truly unprecedented career of Janet Jackson. 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:24.320 And when you look at the source material, you 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:27.480 realize this is a complex story. The mission 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:30.239 here is to understand how this singular singer, 00:00:30.500 --> 00:00:33.579 songwriter, actress, and dancer. And you can't 00:00:33.579 --> 00:00:36.310 forget dancer. Never. how she established this 00:00:36.310 --> 00:00:39.229 innovative identity that was completely separate 00:00:39.229 --> 00:00:41.710 from her incredibly famous family. That's right. 00:00:41.850 --> 00:00:45.429 Her story is really a high -stakes study in creative 00:00:45.429 --> 00:00:48.549 autonomy. It's about pioneering music video artistry, 00:00:48.590 --> 00:00:51.210 tackling social and sexual politics, all while 00:00:51.210 --> 00:00:53.950 navigating these immense external corporate pressures. 00:00:54.250 --> 00:00:56.710 Our sources give us such a full picture, a 360 00:00:56.710 --> 00:00:59.289 -degree view, really, from her earliest roles 00:00:59.289 --> 00:01:01.770 as a child performer all the way up to her latest 00:01:01.770 --> 00:01:05.310 chart feed in 2025. It's a career spanning four 00:01:05.310 --> 00:01:08.430 distinct decades. It's kind of staggering. It 00:01:08.430 --> 00:01:11.069 is. And in that time, she managed to consistently 00:01:11.069 --> 00:01:14.189 break gender and racial barriers, often through 00:01:14.189 --> 00:01:16.629 what seems like just sheer force of will and 00:01:16.629 --> 00:01:19.629 some very savvy business moves. And the numbers 00:01:19.629 --> 00:01:22.329 alone are just, they're mind boggling. We're 00:01:22.329 --> 00:01:24.950 talking about an artist who has sold over 100 00:01:24.950 --> 00:01:28.709 million records globally. 100 million. Earned 00:01:28.709 --> 00:01:32.310 five Grammy Awards and was, I think, very deservedly 00:01:32.310 --> 00:01:34.480 inducted in. to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:37.599 in 2019. But beyond the awards, beyond the numbers, 00:01:37.780 --> 00:01:41.079 her real legacy, I think, lies in the blueprint 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:43.480 she created. Yeah. This intersection of dance, 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:47.340 R &B, and pop. Right. And critically, she established 00:01:47.340 --> 00:01:49.420 this core reputation that's really defined by 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:51.640 three major pillars, according to our material. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:54.269 Okay, what are they? First, she was relentlessly 00:01:54.269 --> 00:01:56.189 innovative, both in her sound and her visuals. 00:01:56.450 --> 00:01:59.109 Second, she was deeply, deeply socially conscious. 00:01:59.349 --> 00:02:02.090 And third, she was definitely willing to be sexually 00:02:02.090 --> 00:02:04.269 provocative. She owned her maturity at a time 00:02:04.269 --> 00:02:06.829 when very few of her peers dared to. Exactly. 00:02:06.930 --> 00:02:09.449 And what's truly fascinating, I think, is how 00:02:09.449 --> 00:02:12.310 quickly she transitioned from being, you know, 00:02:12.310 --> 00:02:15.310 part of the family machine to becoming this. 00:02:15.870 --> 00:02:18.449 industry force who was completely controlling 00:02:18.449 --> 00:02:22.129 her own destiny. So I think our first major stop 00:02:22.129 --> 00:02:24.969 has to be understanding those early years, those 00:02:24.969 --> 00:02:29.710 formative, often constrained years, and the critical 00:02:29.710 --> 00:02:31.710 decision she made to separate her professional 00:02:31.710 --> 00:02:33.939 life from the family structure. That's where 00:02:33.939 --> 00:02:35.500 it all begins. Let's start at the very beginning. 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:38.979 She was born Janet Demita Jo Jackson on May 16th, 00:02:38.979 --> 00:02:42.340 1966 in Gary, Indiana. And I mean, given the 00:02:42.340 --> 00:02:44.580 success of the Jackson 5, entering the entertainment 00:02:44.580 --> 00:02:47.449 industry wasn't just in... No, it was basically 00:02:47.449 --> 00:02:49.289 the family business. He was almost preordained. 00:02:49.330 --> 00:02:51.969 She was integrated into this working show business 00:02:51.969 --> 00:02:55.449 ecosystem so early. She was performing in the 00:02:55.449 --> 00:02:57.689 Jackson 5 Review at the MGM Casino on the Las 00:02:57.689 --> 00:03:00.129 Vegas Strip. At what age? At age seven. She was 00:03:00.129 --> 00:03:02.050 a performer before she, you know, even fully 00:03:02.050 --> 00:03:04.009 understood what she wanted in life. And the sources 00:03:04.009 --> 00:03:06.229 confirm her dreams were actually quite different. 00:03:06.449 --> 00:03:08.969 She reportedly wanted to be a horse racing jockey. 00:03:09.110 --> 00:03:17.840 A jockey, yeah. Or an entertainment lawyer. Her 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:21.219 early career, though, was so heavily tied to... 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:24.939 television and that family network, it often 00:03:24.939 --> 00:03:26.879 felt like just an extension of her brother's 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:29.300 legacy. It really did. She acted in the variety 00:03:29.300 --> 00:03:32.479 show The Jacksons in 1976, and then she secured 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:34.979 that starring role as Penny Gordon -Woods on 00:03:34.979 --> 00:03:37.180 the sitcom Good Times. Right, starting in 1977. 00:03:37.819 --> 00:03:40.840 And later, she had the recurring role of Charlene 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:43.300 Dupre on Different Strokes. She also appeared 00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:46.039 as Cleo Hewitt on the fourth season of Fame, 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:48.360 which was a role she apparently was pretty open 00:03:48.360 --> 00:03:51.060 about not really caring for. It sounds like this 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:53.500 whole period, the early 80s, really paints a 00:03:53.500 --> 00:03:55.460 picture of a young woman who's trying to navigate 00:03:55.460 --> 00:03:58.599 a career while under just intense personal pressure. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.719 And that's highlighted by her secret, very brief 00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:04.199 marriage to the R &B singer James DeBarge, which 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:06.419 was annulled after only a year. So her initial 00:04:06.419 --> 00:04:09.159 foray into music was maybe the clearest example 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:12.020 of her career being dictated by others. Oh, absolutely. 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.620 Her father, Joseph, managed her career and he 00:04:15.620 --> 00:04:18.000 secured her first contract with A &M Records 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:21.290 when she was just 15. 15. She was marketed as 00:04:21.290 --> 00:04:24.250 the newest star in the Jackson Galaxy, but she 00:04:24.250 --> 00:04:26.769 didn't have her own artistic identity yet. And 00:04:26.769 --> 00:04:29.329 these early albums, they barely made a ripple 00:04:29.329 --> 00:04:31.509 compared to the behemoth hits she would soon 00:04:31.509 --> 00:04:34.189 produce. Not at all. Her self -titled debut, 00:04:34.529 --> 00:04:37.790 Janet Jackson from 1982, it peaked pretty low 00:04:37.790 --> 00:04:41.370 at number 63 on the Billboard 200. And her second 00:04:41.370 --> 00:04:44.300 album. Dream Street in 84 did even worse on the 00:04:44.300 --> 00:04:47.319 main chart. It only hit number 147. And critically, 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:49.980 both of those records were stamped with that 00:04:49.980 --> 00:04:52.879 label of bubblegum pop. Right. They were musically 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:55.920 kind of bland. They received minimal, unfocused 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:58.360 promotion. They were relying entirely on that 00:04:58.360 --> 00:05:00.959 recognizable last name. There was one single, 00:05:01.100 --> 00:05:03.420 Don't Stand Another Chance, that did okay on 00:05:03.420 --> 00:05:05.220 the R &B charts. It did. It peaked at number 00:05:05.220 --> 00:05:08.060 nine. But overall, these albums really represented 00:05:08.060 --> 00:05:10.439 a professional dead end for an artist who was 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:12.709 clearly looking for... substance so she's got 00:05:12.709 --> 00:05:15.230 two albums under her belt both managed by her 00:05:15.230 --> 00:05:17.730 father and both are failing to launch her into 00:05:17.730 --> 00:05:20.410 true stardom this brings us to the pivotal moment 00:05:20.410 --> 00:05:25.149 the conscious choice to seize control that decision 00:05:25.149 --> 00:05:28.149 that decision to terminate all business affairs 00:05:28.149 --> 00:05:30.970 with her family was the necessary prerequisite 00:05:30.970 --> 00:05:33.149 for everything that came next it sounds like 00:05:33.149 --> 00:05:36.149 an incredibly difficult almost radical act for 00:05:36.149 --> 00:05:38.870 a teenager in that kind of famous family structure. 00:05:39.209 --> 00:05:42.629 It was. And the quote perfectly sums up the struggle. 00:05:42.810 --> 00:05:45.350 She said, I just wanted to get out of the house, 00:05:45.410 --> 00:05:47.170 get out from under my father, which was one of 00:05:47.170 --> 00:05:49.370 the most difficult things that I had to do. That 00:05:49.370 --> 00:05:52.829 quote suggests this huge emotional and probably 00:05:52.829 --> 00:05:55.290 financial hurdle. What was the immediate impact 00:05:55.290 --> 00:05:57.970 of that break? The sources indicate it was a 00:05:57.970 --> 00:06:00.410 really clean, dramatic break that forced her 00:06:00.410 --> 00:06:02.750 to immediately find her own voice and her own 00:06:02.750 --> 00:06:04.769 footing. So she didn't just find a new manager 00:06:04.769 --> 00:06:06.949 in the family circle. No, not at all. Instead, 00:06:07.209 --> 00:06:10.430 she chose to empower herself through a new creative 00:06:10.430 --> 00:06:13.129 direction. She shifted the focus from management 00:06:13.129 --> 00:06:16.110 to production. And that act of independence signaled 00:06:16.110 --> 00:06:18.470 to the entire industry that she was no longer 00:06:18.470 --> 00:06:21.569 a child novelty act. She was a serious, self 00:06:21.569 --> 00:06:24.430 -directed artist. And the end of that arrangement. 00:06:24.889 --> 00:06:27.430 marks the true beginning of janet jackson the 00:06:27.430 --> 00:06:31.129 revolutionary icon absolutely that act of independence 00:06:31.129 --> 00:06:34.290 leads directly into the third major phase of 00:06:34.290 --> 00:06:37.949 her career starting in 1986 with the album control 00:06:37.949 --> 00:06:41.670 and this was it was a seismic shift that fundamentally 00:06:41.670 --> 00:06:45.009 reshaped both r b and pop music at the same time 00:06:45.009 --> 00:06:47.790 central to this reinvention was her partnership 00:06:47.790 --> 00:06:50.250 with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the legendary 00:06:50.250 --> 00:06:52.649 production duo from Minneapolis. And this collaboration 00:06:52.649 --> 00:06:55.990 was very strategic. Oh, their goal was surgical. 00:06:56.329 --> 00:06:59.290 They wanted to achieve massive crossover pop 00:06:59.290 --> 00:07:01.850 appeal, which means, you know, white mainstream 00:07:01.850 --> 00:07:04.670 radio play while keeping this unimpeachable foundation 00:07:04.670 --> 00:07:07.060 in the urban market. And they succeeded. They 00:07:07.060 --> 00:07:09.600 succeeded by crafting a new sound that felt both 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.560 tough and sophisticated. And the entire album 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:15.279 was reportedly created in just a six -week hyper 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:18.259 -focused burst of energy. And the album's thematic 00:07:18.259 --> 00:07:20.480 core was just as radical. It wasn't just about 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:23.040 breakups and romance. No, it was explicitly rooted 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:25.959 in empowerment and self -defense. And that was 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:29.000 a response to a deeply personal experience. Right. 00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:30.939 She channeled personal trauma into commercial 00:07:30.939 --> 00:07:33.600 art. Yes, she's talked about an incident of sexual 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:36.000 harassment in a hotel hallway while they were 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.639 recording. That feeling of needing to protect 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:42.160 herself, of establishing clear boundaries, that 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:45.040 fueled the assertive lyrics of songs like Nasty 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:47.759 and What Have You Done For Me Lately. She made 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:49.819 it clear that those tracks were born out of a 00:07:49.819 --> 00:07:52.160 sense of self -defense. Which was a remarkably 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:54.860 mature and potent stance for a young pop star 00:07:54.860 --> 00:07:58.259 in the mid -80s. Commercially, control was just. 00:07:58.970 --> 00:08:01.689 It was unstoppable. It shot to number one on 00:08:01.689 --> 00:08:04.310 the Billboard 200, sold over 10 million copies 00:08:04.310 --> 00:08:06.769 worldwide, and established her as a global force. 00:08:06.930 --> 00:08:09.589 And it spawned five top five singles, including 00:08:09.589 --> 00:08:12.269 her first ever Hot 100 number one hit, When I 00:08:12.269 --> 00:08:14.540 Think of You. But the musical innovation is where 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:16.779 the deep dive truly starts to get interesting. 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:19.860 Control is universally credited as a seminal 00:08:19.860 --> 00:08:22.339 album in the new jack swing genre. This wasn't 00:08:22.339 --> 00:08:25.079 just R &B. No, it was this highly produced fusion 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:28.399 of industrial dance pop, you know, think sharp 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:31.420 synthesized bass, layered beats with the rhythmic 00:08:31.420 --> 00:08:33.919 sensibility and sampling techniques of hip hop. 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:36.799 Can we break that down a bit? What specific production 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:39.740 elements made the sound of new jack swing so 00:08:39.740 --> 00:08:42.720 distinct from what came before? Well, the signature 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:45.600 element was the use of the digital sampler and 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:48.639 the drum machine, specifically the Lindrum. That 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.299 was combined with massive amounts of reverb and 00:08:51.299 --> 00:08:54.039 syncopation. Jammin' Lewis introduced what we 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:56.779 now call the Minneapolis sound. It's characterized 00:08:56.779 --> 00:08:59.460 by these synthesized stabs, heavy kick drums, 00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:02.460 and specific sound effects like gunshots, glass 00:09:02.460 --> 00:09:04.940 breaking, mechanical clanks, all layered over 00:09:04.940 --> 00:09:07.019 the beats. So it sounds aggressive, futuristic. 00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:10.700 Exactly, metallic. It perfectly matched Janet's 00:09:10.700 --> 00:09:13.299 tough... assertive voice. And this was a crucial 00:09:13.299 --> 00:09:15.720 step in blending Black Street music with white 00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:18.679 mainstream pop. And visually, this was her baptism 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:21.659 into MTV superstardom. The videos were just, 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:24.100 they were everywhere. Oh, yeah. They establish 00:09:24.100 --> 00:09:26.460 her as this instantly dominant figure talked 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:28.700 about in the same breath as Madonna and Michael. 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:31.000 The visual language was so synchronized and athletic. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:33.620 And that was thanks to the choreography by a 00:09:33.620 --> 00:09:36.990 then unknown Paula Abdul. The precision, the 00:09:36.990 --> 00:09:40.610 sharp movements, the highly stylized looks, it 00:09:40.610 --> 00:09:42.830 all established her as the definitive singer 00:09:42.830 --> 00:09:45.210 -dancer. And the success of those control visuals 00:09:45.210 --> 00:09:48.870 literally launched Paula Abdul's career. It led 00:09:48.870 --> 00:09:51.690 directly to her own record deal. It did. So following 00:09:51.690 --> 00:09:55.110 that foundational success, we move to 1989 and 00:09:55.110 --> 00:09:57.990 Janet Jackson's Resumption 1814. This wasn't 00:09:57.990 --> 00:10:00.250 just a pivot. This was an artistic statement 00:10:00.250 --> 00:10:02.870 of epic proportions. It was a conscious rejection 00:10:02.870 --> 00:10:05.409 of the easy path. Her record label desperately 00:10:05.409 --> 00:10:07.830 wanted Control Part 2. Just a straightforward 00:10:07.830 --> 00:10:11.570 dance sequel? Exactly. And Jackson refused. She 00:10:11.570 --> 00:10:14.230 chose instead to create this socially conscious 00:10:14.230 --> 00:10:17.669 concept album that was rooted in unity, responding 00:10:17.669 --> 00:10:21.429 to media reports of crime, illiteracy, and tragedies 00:10:21.429 --> 00:10:23.950 that were so prevalent during that era. So she 00:10:23.950 --> 00:10:25.970 used the full force of her fame for a mission. 00:10:26.210 --> 00:10:28.539 She did. She stated she knew an album couldn't 00:10:28.539 --> 00:10:30.659 change the world, but the goal was to use the 00:10:30.659 --> 00:10:33.220 powerful, hypnotic pull of her music and dance 00:10:33.220 --> 00:10:35.360 to hold the audience's attention long enough 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:37.899 for the lyrics to actually sink in. And Rolling 00:10:37.899 --> 00:10:41.159 Stone praised this artistic growth, noting that 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:44.879 powerful shift from personal freedom to universal 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:47.299 concerns. And commercially, it was a massive 00:10:47.299 --> 00:10:50.100 triumph. It proved that depth could sell. Rhythm 00:10:50.100 --> 00:10:52.919 Nation 1814 was certified six -fold platinum, 00:10:53.100 --> 00:10:56.559 selling over 12 million copies. highest selling 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.700 album of 1990. It was. And the chart longevity 00:10:59.700 --> 00:11:02.080 of this album is just staggering. I mean, it 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:04.539 sets records that speak to its broad appeal across 00:11:04.539 --> 00:11:06.980 every demographic. It set two major records. 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:09.480 First, it became the only album in the history 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:11.980 of the Billboard Hot 100 to produce seven top 00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:15.460 five singles. Seven. From one album. Seven. A 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:17.500 remarkable achievement of just sustained quality. 00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:20.259 And second, it was the first album ever to produce 00:11:20.259 --> 00:11:22.200 number one hits across three separate calendar 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:26.299 years, 1989, 1990, and 1991. With singles like 00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:28.720 Miss You Much, Escapade, and Love Will Never 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:32.059 Do Without You. And visually, the Rhythm Nation 00:11:32.059 --> 00:11:35.100 music video is instantly iconic. That stark black 00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:37.000 and white aesthetic, the intense synchronized 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:39.600 warehouse choreography, her military ensemble. 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:42.340 It cemented her as a fashion icon and a visual 00:11:42.340 --> 00:11:45.409 standard bearer. And this era really solidified 00:11:45.409 --> 00:11:48.450 her status as a global role model. She put her 00:11:48.450 --> 00:11:50.830 profits into purpose, establishing the Rhythm 00:11:50.830 --> 00:11:53.909 Nation scholarship using tour funds for educational 00:11:53.909 --> 00:11:56.230 programs. The Rhythm Nation World Tour itself 00:11:56.230 --> 00:11:59.629 set a record as the most successful debut tour 00:11:59.629 --> 00:12:02.669 in history. And it achieved the fastest sellout 00:12:02.669 --> 00:12:05.639 of Japan's Tokyo Dome. She wasn't just performing. 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:08.399 She was building an empire rooted in discipline 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:11.700 and purpose. So by the early 1990s, the sources 00:12:11.700 --> 00:12:14.500 confirmed she was in the absolute elite tier. 00:12:14.700 --> 00:12:17.299 She was being talked about in the same league 00:12:17.299 --> 00:12:20.080 as Michael, Madonna, Tina Turner. Right. Ebony 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:22.440 magazine even remarked on her stunning style 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:24.879 and dexterity. And all that success provided 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:27.399 leverage for the ultimate demonstration of professional 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:30.600 control. Exactly. When her A &M contract was 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:32.559 up, she signed her landmark deal with Virgin 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:35.870 Records in 1991. It was estimated between $32 00:12:35.870 --> 00:12:39.509 and $50 million. A deal that fundamentally changed 00:12:39.509 --> 00:12:42.470 the game for female artists. What did it specifically 00:12:42.470 --> 00:12:44.889 confirm about her standing in the industry? it 00:12:44.889 --> 00:12:46.950 made her the highest paid recording artist in 00:12:46.950 --> 00:12:49.429 the world at the time she surpassed previous 00:12:49.429 --> 00:12:52.830 deals for major male rock stars this wasn't just 00:12:52.830 --> 00:12:55.570 a reflection of her past sales it was an investment 00:12:55.570 --> 00:12:58.049 in her creative freedom and her business acumen 00:12:58.049 --> 00:13:00.990 so it confirmed her reputation as the queen of 00:13:00.990 --> 00:13:03.289 pop and it established her as a financial power 00:13:03.289 --> 00:13:06.049 player on par with the industry's biggest moguls 00:13:06.049 --> 00:13:09.090 it granted her unprecedented creative latitude 00:13:09.090 --> 00:13:12.250 for what was to come next and that kind of institutional 00:13:12.250 --> 00:13:15.250 power allowed her to push boundaries even further, 00:13:15.409 --> 00:13:18.269 which leads us into the album Janet in 1993, 00:13:18.610 --> 00:13:21.929 which coincided with her film debut. The album 00:13:21.929 --> 00:13:24.549 itself debuted at number one, making her the 00:13:24.549 --> 00:13:27.190 first female artist in the verifiable Nielsen 00:13:27.190 --> 00:13:29.809 sound scan era to achieve that. And that sound 00:13:29.809 --> 00:13:32.169 scan detail is really important. Before the early 00:13:32.169 --> 00:13:35.250 90s, charts relied on estimates. Sound scan introduced 00:13:35.250 --> 00:13:38.120 accurate point of sale data. So that first week 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:40.360 number one was a verified overwhelming public 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:43.200 demand. It was. It went on to sell over 14 million 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:45.960 copies globally. And the thematic shift was profound. 00:13:46.299 --> 00:13:48.500 She moved into these frank, mature discussions 00:13:48.500 --> 00:13:51.679 of sexuality. She embraced a larger role in songwriting 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:54.240 and production, noting she felt it was necessary 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:58.200 to write all the lyrics and half of the melodies 00:13:58.200 --> 00:14:01.259 she took absolute ownership of that intimate 00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:03.779 subject matter this was the public declaration 00:14:03.779 --> 00:14:06.159 of her sexual maturity rolling stone called it 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:09.139 a cultural moment it was a complete aesthetic 00:14:09.139 --> 00:14:11.360 departure from the militaristic discipline of 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.860 rhythm nation she was now embodying this soft 00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:18.240 sensual power and the imagery cemented that change 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:21.120 we have to talk about the iconic topless rolling 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:23.639 stone cover photograph i mean everyone remembers 00:14:23.639 --> 00:14:26.500 that cover the image shot by Patrick Demarchelier 00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:29.200 shows her topless with her breasts strategically 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:32.000 covered by her then husband, Rene Elizondo Jr. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:34.879 And that image became widely recognizable. It 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.889 was an undeniable symbol of her new. daring image 00:14:37.889 --> 00:14:40.429 and confidence the vancouver sun noted that she 00:14:40.429 --> 00:14:43.169 had fully merged the identity of role model with 00:14:43.169 --> 00:14:45.850 sex symbol which is very difficult balance that 00:14:45.850 --> 00:14:48.389 few artists ever achieve musically the album 00:14:48.389 --> 00:14:50.470 delivered both rhythmic hits and these tender 00:14:50.470 --> 00:14:52.730 ballads that's the way love goes was an eight 00:14:52.730 --> 00:14:55.250 week number one smash eight weeks and it won 00:14:55.250 --> 00:14:58.860 the best r b song grammy And it showed her versatility. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:01.539 The ballad, again, which was written for her 00:15:01.539 --> 00:15:05.179 film debut, also hit number one and got Golden 00:15:05.179 --> 00:15:07.200 Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:10.259 Original Song. Prestigious nominations. And that 00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:12.899 film debut was in John Singleton's Poetic Justice 00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:16.710 in 1993. How was her performance received? It 00:15:16.710 --> 00:15:19.289 was generally well received. Her acting was described 00:15:19.289 --> 00:15:23.269 as beguiling and believably eccentric. And beyond 00:15:23.269 --> 00:15:26.409 the reviews, her look in the film, The Box Braids, 00:15:26.450 --> 00:15:29.389 became a massive cultural movement. Oh, instantly 00:15:29.389 --> 00:15:32.149 known as the Janet Jackson Braids, they influenced 00:15:32.149 --> 00:15:35.289 fashion and artists for decades to come. It's 00:15:35.289 --> 00:15:37.350 important to contextualize this career peak, 00:15:37.429 --> 00:15:39.529 though, against immense personal difficulty. 00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:42.559 This was the same period in 1993 when her brother 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:45.279 Michael was embroiled in his first child sex 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:47.879 abuse scandal. Her resilience here is key. She 00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:50.139 maintained her focus, but she publicly offered 00:15:50.139 --> 00:15:52.580 her brother unwavering moral support, defending 00:15:52.580 --> 00:15:55.220 him against intense media scrutiny. And this 00:15:55.220 --> 00:15:58.519 solidarity culminated in their 1995 duet. Scream. 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:01.259 A single written by both siblings as a direct 00:16:01.259 --> 00:16:04.120 and very angry response to the toxic media scrutiny 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:06.360 they felt they were under. And the cost of that 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:09.120 defiance was enormous. The Scream music video 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.659 cost $7 million. Which earned it the Guinness 00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:15.120 World Record as the most expensive music video 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:17.879 ever made. It was an expensive dramatic statement 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:20.659 of shared rage and frustration. Her institutional 00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:24.019 power was just undeniable at this point. In 1996, 00:16:24.340 --> 00:16:26.960 she renewed her contract with Virgin Records 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:31.019 for a reported $80 million. $80 million, which 00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:34.600 set a new historical benchmark. She surpassed 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:37.460 the $60 million contracts of both Michael Jackson 00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:39.919 and Madonna. So she secured her place as the 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.360 then highest paid recording artist in history 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:45.320 for the second time. She was dictating the terms 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:47.740 of the entire industry. But the next artistic 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:51.370 phase, the Velvet Rope in 1997, wasn't driven 00:16:51.370 --> 00:16:54.250 by defiance or financial muscle. It was driven 00:16:54.250 --> 00:16:56.350 by a profound personal struggle. That's right. 00:16:56.450 --> 00:16:58.549 This album chronicled her experience with severe 00:16:58.549 --> 00:17:01.029 depression and anxiety. It's a testament to the 00:17:01.029 --> 00:17:03.870 power of artistic therapy. She debuted a dramatic 00:17:03.870 --> 00:17:06.869 nude look, red hair, nasal piercings, tattoos 00:17:06.869 --> 00:17:09.109 reflecting these dark, introspective themes. 00:17:09.289 --> 00:17:12.089 And the album centered on the intrinsic need 00:17:12.089 --> 00:17:14.869 to belong. She was searching for connection through 00:17:14.869 --> 00:17:17.230 themes previously untouched by mainstream pop. 00:17:17.410 --> 00:17:20.450 The themes are heavy. Sadomasochism, homophobia, 00:17:20.710 --> 00:17:23.309 domestic violence in the track What About? And 00:17:23.309 --> 00:17:26.170 same -sex relationships in Free Zone. How did 00:17:26.170 --> 00:17:28.390 she manage to present these dark topics in a 00:17:28.390 --> 00:17:31.690 way that was palatable for a mass audience? She 00:17:31.690 --> 00:17:34.230 did it by using sophisticated, nuanced production 00:17:34.230 --> 00:17:37.519 and just... powerful sincerity. The track What 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.779 About is this wrenching address of domestic violence 00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:44.000 where she sings both the victim's and the perpetrator's 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:47.400 lines. And Free Zone was hailed for subtly introducing 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:50.460 discussions of sexual identity outside of heteronormativity 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:53.599 into black pop. The New York Times called The 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:56.380 Velvet Rope her most daring, elaborate, and accomplished 00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:59.359 album. This work fully established her as a cultural 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:02.200 commentator and a gay icon. It earned her the 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:04.430 Outstanding Music Album Award that the Glee and 00:18:04.430 --> 00:18:07.009 media awards. She also donated portions of the 00:18:07.009 --> 00:18:08.930 proceeds from the massive global hit Together 00:18:08.930 --> 00:18:11.609 Again, which was her eighth number one Hot 100 00:18:11.609 --> 00:18:13.970 hit to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. 00:18:14.309 --> 00:18:16.809 So the velvet rope really demonstrates the true 00:18:16.809 --> 00:18:19.930 purpose of her control. The freedom to express 00:18:19.930 --> 00:18:23.390 painful, intimate truths and use her platform 00:18:23.390 --> 00:18:26.190 to advocate for social issues. Turning personal 00:18:26.190 --> 00:18:29.009 darkness into a universal connection. Moving 00:18:29.009 --> 00:18:32.450 into the 2000s, Janet enjoyed this brief period 00:18:32.450 --> 00:18:35.529 of sustained success, right before the controversy 00:18:35.529 --> 00:18:38.210 that would irrevocably alter her public narrative. 00:18:38.410 --> 00:18:41.190 In 2000, she starred opposite Eddie Murphy in 00:18:41.190 --> 00:18:44.329 her second major film, Nutty Professor II, The 00:18:44.329 --> 00:18:47.150 Clumps. It opened at number one, grossed $170 00:18:47.150 --> 00:18:50.269 million worldwide. And the film's single, Doesn't 00:18:50.269 --> 00:18:52.450 Really Matter, became her ninth number one hit. 00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:54.980 Her status as an industry veteran was formalized 00:18:54.980 --> 00:18:57.799 in 2001 when MTV honored her with the inaugural 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:01.079 MTV Icon Ceremony, a celebration of her enormous 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:03.380 contributions to music, video, and pop culture. 00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:07.019 And her album All For You in 2001 saw the highest 00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:11.019 first week sales of her entire career, 605 ,000 00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:13.519 copies. And the title track secured her a Grammy 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:15.970 for Best Dance Recording. By the end of 2001, 00:19:16.130 --> 00:19:17.849 she joined her brother Michael as one of the 00:19:17.849 --> 00:19:20.089 few artists to score 10 number one singles on 00:19:20.089 --> 00:19:22.650 the Billboard Hot 100. She was at the absolute 00:19:22.650 --> 00:19:25.750 height of her power. Which brings us to 2004. 00:19:26.609 --> 00:19:29.650 The Super Bowl XC8 halftime show controversy. 00:19:30.269 --> 00:19:33.750 A moment of pure cultural chaos. This was the 00:19:33.750 --> 00:19:36.470 incident that was instantly dubbed Nipplegate. 00:19:36.529 --> 00:19:38.690 During her performance with Justin Timberlake. 00:19:39.049 --> 00:19:42.230 An intended move went wrong. Very wrong. Timberlake 00:19:42.230 --> 00:19:45.430 tore away a portion of her costume, briefly exposing 00:19:45.430 --> 00:19:48.549 her right breast to an estimated 140 million 00:19:48.549 --> 00:19:50.769 viewers. And the immediate responses were just 00:19:50.769 --> 00:19:52.970 contradictory, aimed at minimizing corporate 00:19:52.970 --> 00:19:55.470 liability. Right. Jackson apologized, stating 00:19:55.470 --> 00:19:58.390 it was accidental. Timberlake called it a wardrobe 00:19:58.390 --> 00:20:02.309 malfunction. CBS, the NFL, and MTV all denied 00:20:02.309 --> 00:20:05.069 any prior knowledge, despite the controversial 00:20:05.069 --> 00:20:07.130 nature of the performance leading up to that 00:20:07.130 --> 00:20:09.769 final moment. The fallout for Janet was immediate 00:20:09.769 --> 00:20:12.529 and asymmetrical. Completely. She was forced 00:20:12.529 --> 00:20:14.450 to withdraw from the Grammys while Timberlake 00:20:14.450 --> 00:20:16.730 was permitted to attend. Plans for her to star 00:20:16.730 --> 00:20:19.089 in the Lena Horne biographical film were abruptly 00:20:19.089 --> 00:20:21.910 halted. And a Mickey Mouse statue honoring her 00:20:21.910 --> 00:20:24.339 at Walt Disney World was removed. The industry's 00:20:24.339 --> 00:20:26.539 punishment was swift and incredibly targeted. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:29.819 But the most damaging consequence, by far, was 00:20:29.819 --> 00:20:32.019 the systemic blacklisting that followed. This 00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:34.119 was corporate retribution. Orchestrated at the 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:36.960 highest echelons of media power. It was largely 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:39.440 driven by Les Moonves, who was the CEO of CBS 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:42.819 at the time. He felt personally humiliated by 00:20:42.819 --> 00:20:45.000 the controversy and saw Jackson as the target 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:47.140 for their punishment. So what were the specific 00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:49.880 mechanisms of this blacklist? How did they directly 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:52.680 affect her career? The boycott was terrifyingly 00:20:52.680 --> 00:20:56.240 effective. Powerful Viacom CBS subsidiaries, 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:59.819 which included MTV, VH1, and crucial radio broadcasters 00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:01.779 like Clear Channel and Infinity Broadcasting, 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:05.000 instituted a near -total blackout. A blackout. 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:07.599 It meant her songs weren't added to rotation 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:10.420 on major radio. Her videos disappeared from MTV 00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:13.200 and VH1. And since radio and video play are the 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:15.819 primary engines for promoting new music, this 00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:18.640 drastically reduced her visibility and her ability 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:21.799 to compete. Viacom executive later confirmed 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:23.480 the pressure was so great they couldn't risk 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:25.920 aligning with anything Janet related. And this 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:28.500 boycott was instituted just before the release 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:31.640 of her eighth studio album, Demita Joe, in 2004. 00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:35.240 So the timing was just devastating. It was. Demita's 00:21:35.240 --> 00:21:37.720 show still debuted strongly at number two, and 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:39.740 it went platinum within a month, which shows 00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:42.240 the underlying strength of her fan base. But 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:44.779 its chart performance was severely affected by 00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:47.259 that lack of airplay. Right. And critics noted 00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:49.799 that album reviews often focused on the Super 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:52.099 Bowl incident rather than on the music itself. 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:55.299 The control she had fought so hard to gain was, 00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:58.500 just like that, usurped by corporate decree. 00:21:58.759 --> 00:22:00.980 And the lack of airplay continued to cripple 00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:04.980 her next releases, 20 Wild in 2006 and Discipline 00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:07.680 in 2008. Both albums debuted well, but suffered 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:10.480 from that limited promotion and airplay. 20YO 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:12.980 even got a Grammy nomination, but both albums 00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:15.259 failed to achieve the massive success they would 00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:18.160 have in a fair promotional environment. Her frustration 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:20.339 must have been palpable. It was. She eventually 00:22:20.339 --> 00:22:22.920 parted ways with Island Records, dissatisfied 00:22:22.920 --> 00:22:25.180 with the promotion of Discipline. She was still 00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:27.339 fighting the institutional fallout years later. 00:22:27.769 --> 00:22:30.029 It's an incredible story of institutional power 00:22:30.029 --> 00:22:32.789 clashing with artistic freedom. And of course, 00:22:32.789 --> 00:22:35.730 the technological legacy of the incident is undeniable. 00:22:36.109 --> 00:22:39.309 Yes. The Super Bowl incident is directly credited 00:22:39.309 --> 00:22:41.829 as a major inspiration for the creation of YouTube. 00:22:42.049 --> 00:22:44.990 Really? How so? Co -founder Jaud Karim stated 00:22:44.990 --> 00:22:47.029 he couldn't easily find videos of the incident 00:22:47.029 --> 00:22:49.650 online. And that inspired him and his partners 00:22:49.650 --> 00:22:52.109 to create a platform where anyone could upload 00:22:52.109 --> 00:22:55.170 and share video content. So an artist who was 00:22:55.170 --> 00:22:57.450 systematically silenced by traditional media 00:22:57.450 --> 00:23:00.950 inadvertently helped create the platform that 00:23:00.950 --> 00:23:02.890 would eventually circumvent traditional media 00:23:02.890 --> 00:23:06.619 entirely. Kind of a poetic... digital justice. 00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:10.220 Despite that decade of blacklisting. Janet Jackson's 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:13.099 artistry endured. So let's analyze her artistic 00:23:13.099 --> 00:23:15.259 choices, beginning with her vocal technique. 00:23:15.900 --> 00:23:18.740 As we mentioned, she often faced criticism for 00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:21.019 lacking the vocal firepower of contemporaries 00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:23.539 like Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey. And that's 00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:25.720 a fundamentally flawed comparison. Janet Jackson's 00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:28.140 vocal strategy was never about power. It was 00:23:28.140 --> 00:23:30.420 about rhythm, texture, and control. She has a 00:23:30.420 --> 00:23:33.119 mezzo -soprano range. Right. But her voice is 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:35.859 used as this highly sensual, percussive element 00:23:35.859 --> 00:23:38.579 within the production. Critics who really appreciate 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:41.539 her work, like the composer Louis Andresen, praised 00:23:41.539 --> 00:23:44.839 her for her rubato, sense of rhythm, sensitivity, 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:47.519 and the childlike quality of her strangely erotic 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:50.539 voice. She whispers, she breathes, she uses the 00:23:50.539 --> 00:23:52.640 microphone to create intimacy. Her production 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:55.160 team, Jam and Lewis, made sure her voice was 00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:57.660 seamlessly integrated into the track. Exactly. 00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:01.980 Transitioning effortlessly between rhythmic toughness 00:24:02.589 --> 00:24:06.750 to soulful emoting to a flirty softness. Her 00:24:06.750 --> 00:24:09.990 focus was on slamming beats, infectious hooks, 00:24:10.130 --> 00:24:12.650 and impeccable production values with her voice 00:24:12.650 --> 00:24:15.109 serving the beat. And that innovation was key 00:24:15.109 --> 00:24:17.750 to developing contemporary R &B by integrating 00:24:17.750 --> 00:24:20.390 rap vocals and sharp synthesized textures into 00:24:20.390 --> 00:24:23.309 the genre. Yes. Now let's talk about her unparalleled 00:24:23.309 --> 00:24:25.650 influence in choreography and visuals. Her impact 00:24:25.650 --> 00:24:28.569 there is just... Undeniable. Heavily influenced 00:24:28.569 --> 00:24:31.390 by musicals and figures like Fred Astaire, she 00:24:31.390 --> 00:24:33.789 established a new standard for synchronized cinematic 00:24:33.789 --> 00:24:36.630 pop videos. She brought professional choreographers 00:24:36.630 --> 00:24:39.049 like Tina Landon and Paula Abdul to prominence. 00:24:39.109 --> 00:24:41.289 The sources are clear. Her work serves as the 00:24:41.289 --> 00:24:43.990 blueprint for every major pop diva who came after. 00:24:44.230 --> 00:24:47.410 Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, the 00:24:47.410 --> 00:24:49.730 list goes on. The sheer physical demand of her 00:24:49.730 --> 00:24:53.049 choreography often led to that perennial controversy 00:24:53.049 --> 00:24:55.410 about lip syncing during her massive stadium 00:24:55.410 --> 00:24:57.940 tours. And critics offered a strong defense. 00:24:58.460 --> 00:25:00.960 It seems physically unlikely that any human could 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:03.579 perform her level of strenuous high -speed choreography 00:25:03.579 --> 00:25:06.799 for 90 minutes and still provide powerful expected 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:09.579 vocals. So the use of pre -recorded vocals was 00:25:09.579 --> 00:25:11.779 viewed as a pragmatic necessity. For the kind 00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:14.059 of demanding theatrical spectacle she produced, 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:16.579 yes. And we've seen her lyrical evolution shift 00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:20.539 from personal self -actualization to politically 00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:23.579 driven ideology and finally to deep emotional 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:26.819 and social commentary. She has consistently pushed 00:25:26.819 --> 00:25:29.500 cultural limits. The sociologist Shane Lee specifically 00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:31.859 highlighted Free Egg Zone from The Velvet Rope 00:25:31.859 --> 00:25:34.359 as a rare important instance of a popular black 00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:36.920 vocalist exploring romantic or sensual energy 00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:40.000 outside of heteronormativity. Making it a highly 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:42.799 significant song in black sexual politics. She 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:45.319 consistently used her platform to address sensitive 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:48.319 issues. And her ability to take control, which 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:50.980 began with control, continued into her modern 00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:54.339 business dealings. In 2015, she launched her 00:25:54.339 --> 00:25:57.349 own record label. Rhythm Nation. This was a landmark 00:25:57.349 --> 00:26:00.250 move. It established her as one of the few African 00:26:00.250 --> 00:26:03.450 -American female musicians to actually own her 00:26:03.450 --> 00:26:05.809 record label. Which ensures she controls the 00:26:05.809 --> 00:26:08.470 creative and financial masters of her own work. 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:11.579 Her 11th studio album, Unbreakable, was the first 00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:14.059 release on the label. And that album proved her 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:16.660 resilience. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 00:26:16.660 --> 00:26:19.819 200, becoming her seventh career album to top 00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:22.039 the chart. It demonstrated her enduring artistic 00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:24.539 relevance years after the blacklisting attempts. 00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:27.000 And her recent touring success is monumental. 00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:31.130 The Together Again tour spanning 2023 through 00:26:31.130 --> 00:26:33.970 2024, became the highest -grossing tour of her 00:26:33.970 --> 00:26:36.730 entire career. It proves her live draw is stronger 00:26:36.730 --> 00:26:39.089 than ever. And she continues to make chart history. 00:26:39.289 --> 00:26:42.130 In 2025, she was featured on Cardi B's track 00:26:42.130 --> 00:26:44.609 Principal. And this appearance made Janet Jackson 00:26:44.609 --> 00:26:47.369 the first Black female artist to chart new songs 00:26:47.369 --> 00:26:50.049 across five distinct decades on the Hot 100. 00:26:50.410 --> 00:26:53.509 Five decades. That is incredible longevity. Her 00:26:53.509 --> 00:26:56.410 legacy is just so multidimensional. She's recognized 00:26:56.410 --> 00:26:58.589 for playing a pivotal role in crossing racial 00:26:58.589 --> 00:27:01.170 boundaries in the recording industry, what the 00:27:01.170 --> 00:27:04.190 sources call racial transcendence. Where black 00:27:04.190 --> 00:27:07.859 artists like her Prince and Michael Jackson successfully 00:27:07.859 --> 00:27:11.160 moved from being siloed as black music into the 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:13.839 universal sphere of pop. She achieved superstar 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:16.380 status through financial breakthroughs, business 00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:18.720 savvy and this fierce commitment to creative 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:21.619 autonomy. It allowed her to test the limits of 00:27:21.619 --> 00:27:24.859 her transformative power across music, film and 00:27:24.859 --> 00:27:27.380 concert tours. And we circle back to the central 00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:30.940 theme of her entire career, control and her public 00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:33.660 voice, especially in the modern era of instant 00:27:33.660 --> 00:27:36.220 media consumption. That's the perfect note to 00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:38.480 conclude our deep dive on, because even an artist 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:40.799 who defined her career through meticulous control 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:43.359 still faces challenges in the contemporary landscape. 00:27:43.579 --> 00:27:46.220 Right. We have to address the very recent confusion 00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:48.920 surrounding a comment she made in a September 00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:52.059 2024 interview with The Guardian regarding a 00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:54.559 political figure. Yes. During the interview, 00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:57.559 Jackson made a statement about U .S. Vice President 00:27:57.559 --> 00:28:00.359 and presidential candidate Kamala Harris. She 00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:03.339 claimed she heard that Harris was not black and 00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:06.019 stated, quote, Her father's white. That's what 00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:07.980 I was told. I mean, I haven't watched the news 00:28:07.980 --> 00:28:09.660 in a few days. I was told that they discovered 00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:12.799 her father was white. For the record, Harris's 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:16.660 father is black and her mother was Indian. Facts 00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:18.839 Janet Jackson seemed to misunderstand in that 00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:20.819 interview. A statement that was quickly followed 00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:23.559 by confusion regarding a retraction, complicating 00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:26.130 her public voice. That's right. Some media outlets 00:28:26.130 --> 00:28:28.349 reported a subsequent statement from a man named 00:28:28.349 --> 00:28:30.910 Moe Almazri, who claimed to be Jackson's manager, 00:28:31.069 --> 00:28:34.009 and stated that Jackson was apologizing and retracting 00:28:34.009 --> 00:28:35.990 the remarks. However, the source material notes 00:28:35.990 --> 00:28:38.009 it was later found that this individual, Moe 00:28:38.009 --> 00:28:40.730 Almazri, was not actually authorized to speak 00:28:40.730 --> 00:28:42.730 on her behalf when he issued that statement. 00:28:43.049 --> 00:28:46.170 So we have an icon who defined her career through 00:28:46.170 --> 00:28:49.130 radical control, releasing albums inspired by 00:28:49.130 --> 00:28:51.980 self -defense and self -determination. And then 00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:54.319 she finds her public voice confused and potentially 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:56.779 mismanaged by an unauthorized source regarding 00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:59.279 a sensitive political comment. It raises a powerful 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:01.960 question that encapsulates her entire journey, 00:29:02.099 --> 00:29:06.759 from nasty to owning her own label. What does 00:29:06.759 --> 00:29:09.259 Janet Jackson's journey, this constant fight 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:11.599 for autonomy, this ability to redefine herself 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:14.640 time and again, ultimately teach us about the 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:16.980 ongoing challenge for even the most established 00:29:16.980 --> 00:29:19.859 icons to fully manage their public narrative 00:29:19.859 --> 00:29:22.980 versus the reality of public perception in the 00:29:22.980 --> 00:29:25.380 modern entertainment complex? A challenge that, 00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:28.119 even after charting new music across five decades, 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:31.650 remains inescapable. That's a profound note to 00:29:31.650 --> 00:29:34.329 end our deep dive on the unbreakable legacy of 00:29:34.329 --> 00:29:36.250 Janet Jackson. Thank you for joining us as we 00:29:36.250 --> 00:29:38.130 unpacked one of pop culture's true architects. 00:29:38.430 --> 00:29:40.589 We hope this deep dive helps you appreciate the 00:29:40.589 --> 00:29:43.109 full, complex, and incredibly innovative genius 00:29:43.109 --> 00:29:45.430 of Janet Jackson. Until next time.