Janet Jackson

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary ^{Gary, Indiana} , Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians. She first performed on stage with her family beginning at the age of seven, and later started her career as an actress with the variety ^{variety show} television series The Jacksons ^{The Jacksons (TV series)} in 1976. She went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times and Fame ^{Fame (1982 TV series)} .

At age sixteen in 1982, she signed a recording contract with A&M ^{A&M Records} , releasing her self-titled debut album the same year. She faced criticism for her limited vocal range, and for being yet another member of the Jackson family to become a recording artist. Beginning with her third studio album Control ^{Control (Janet Jackson album)} (1986), she began a long-term collaboration with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Her music with Jam and Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, disco, funk, and rap ^Rapping with sample loop ^{sampling (music)} , triplet swing ^{Swung note} and industrial ^{industrial music} beats, which led to crossover appeal in popular music. In addition to receiving recognition for the innovation in her albums, choreography, music videos, and prominence on MTV, Jackson was acknowledged as a role model for her socially conscious lyrics.

In 1991, she signed the first of two record-breaking, multi-million dollar recording contracts with Virgin Records, which established her as one of the highest paid artists in the music industry. Her debut album under the Virgin label, janet. (1993), saw Jackson develop a public image as a *** symbol as she began to explore ***uality in her work. That same year, she appeared in her first starring film role in Poetic Justice ^{Poetic Justice (1993 film)} ; since then she has continued to act in feature films. By the end of the 1990s, she was named the second most successful recording artist of the decade. All for You ^{All for You (album)} (2001), became her fifth consecutive studio album to hit number one on the Billboard 200 ^{Billboard 200} album charts. In 2007, she changed labels, signing with the Island Def Jam Music Group and released her tenth studio album Discipline ^{Discipline (Janet Jackson album)} the following year.

Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, Jackson is ranked as one of the best-selling artists ^{List of best-selling music artists} in the history of contemporary music. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists her as the eleventh best-selling ^{List of best-selling music artists in the United States} female artist in the United States, with 26 million certified ^{RIAA certification} albums. Her longevity, records and achievements reflect her influence in shaping and redefining the scope of popular music. She has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers.

 
1966–82: Childhood and career debut

Janet Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, the youngest of nine children, to Katherine Esther ^{Katherine Jackson} (née ^{married and maiden names} Scruse) and Joseph Walter Jackson ^{Joseph Jackson (manager)} . Jackson was later listed in the 2007 edition of Guinness World Records as "Most Searched in Internet History" and the "Most Searched for News Item". Her single, "Feedback ^{Feedback (song)} ", peaked at number nineteen on the Hot 100. In the fourteen months she was associated with Island, her record had sold 415,000 copies and did not receive RIAA certification. Billboard reported that because of Jackson's dissatisfaction with her album's promotion, "the label agreed to dissolve their relationship with the artist at her request." In an exclusive interview with Harper's Bazaar, she revealed she had first learned of her brother's death while filming on location in Atlanta for Why Did I Get Married Too?. Amidst the public and private mourning with her family, she focused on work to deal with the grief, avoiding any news coverage of her sibling's death; she stated "[i]t's still important to face reality, and not that I'm running, but sometimes you just need to get away for a second." She worked with several world renowned choreographers, with her personal creative director, Gil Duldulao, coordinating the performance. Later that month, Jackson chaired the inaugural benefit of amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, held in Milan in conjunction with fashion week. CEO Kevin Robert Frost commented, "[w]e are profoundly grateful to Janet Jackson for joining amfAR as a chair of its first event in Milan ... She brings incomparable grace and a history of dedication to the fight against AIDS." One of the signature pieces sold for the auction was a pair of crystal-studded boots her brother Michael had intended to wear for the This Is It ^{This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)} concert tour, which sold for $14,650. The event raised a total of $1.1 million for the nonprofit organization. She stated, "I'd just like to thank everyone here in the global fashion community who've done so much to help amfAR and to support HIV/AIDS research." Her second greatest hits compilation, Number Ones ^{Number Ones (Janet Jackson album)} —titled The Best outside of the United States—was released in November, 2009 as a joint venture between Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) and EMI Music ^EMI . Her original label, A&M Records reportedly signed her to a new contract, making her future release a top priority. She performed as the opening act for the 37th annual American Music Awards ^{American Music Awards of 2009} and as one of the performing acts of the Capital FM ^{95.8 Capital FM} December 2009 Jingle Bell Ball at the London O2 arena ^{The O2 arena (London)} .


2010-present: Why Did I Get Married Too?, new album, new book


On April 2, 2010, Jackson will reprise her role in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? sequel, Why Did I Get Married Too? A new album is due in 2010,Jackson has a mezzo-soprano 3 octave vocal range. She has also named other socially conscious acts, such as Tracy Chapman and U2 as sources of inspiration.


Jackson's music has encompassed a broad range of genres, including R&B, soul, disco, hip hop, rap, pop, rock, and dance music. Qadree EI-Amin, Jackson's former personal manager, commented, "[s]he's bigger than Barbra Streisand because Streisand can't appeal to the street crowd, as Janet does. But Streisand's rich, elite crowd loves Janet Jackson." She continued her musical development by blending contemporary urban sound with hip hop in the 1990s. This included a softer representation of R&B, articulated by lush soulful ballads and up-tempo dance beats. Her material from the 2000s has been viewed less favorably, as Sal Cinquemani comments that "[e]xcept for maybe R.E.M., no other former superstar act has been as prolific with such diminishing commercial and creative returns." Much of her success has been attributed to "a series of powerful, metallic grooves; her chirpy, multi-tracked vocals; and a lyrical philosophy built on pride and self-knowledge." David Ritz stated: "The mystery is the low flame that burns around the perimeters of Janet Jackson's soul. The flame feeds off the most highly combustible elements: survival and ambition, caution and creativity, supreme confidence and dark fear." Gillian G. Gaar, author of She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll (2002), described Control as "an autobiographical tale about her life with her parents, her first marriage, and breaking free." Jackson explained the recurring themes on her later albums by saying, "I love love and I love ***." She stated during promotion for janet., "I love feeling deeply ***ual—and don't mind letting the world know. For me, *** has become a celebration, a joyful part of the creative process." Stephen Thomas Erlewine comments "[w]hile *** indisputably fuels much great pop music, it isn't an inherently fascinating topic for pop music—as with anything, it all depends on the artist. Throughout her career, Jackson has worked with numerous professional choreographers such as Paula Abdul, Michael Kidd, and Tina Landon. Landon also took part in the choreography for Michael and Janet Jackson's 1995 music video Scream. Janine Coveney of Billboard observed that "Jackson's musical declaration of independence [Control] launched a string of hits, an indelible production sound, and an enduring image cemented by groundbreaking video choreography and imagery that pop vocalists still emulate."

Chris Willman of Los Angeles Times stated the "enthralling" choreography of Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour "represents the pinnacle of what can be done in the popping 'n' locking style—a rapid-fire mixture of rigidly jerky and gracefully fluid movements." The Independent writer Nicholas Barber commented in his review for The Velvet Rope Tour that "Janet's concerts are the pop equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie, with all the explosions, special effects, ersatz sentimentality, gratuitous cleavage and emphasis on spectacle over coherence that the term implies." When Los Angeles Times reporter Robert Hilburn asked Jackson "[d]o you understand it when people talk about [The Velvet Rope Tour] in terms of Broadway?", she responded, "I'm crazy about Broadway ... That's what I grew up on." Richard Harrington of The Washington Post observed, "[s]ince the advent of MTV and the proliferation of dance-oriented singers like Milli Vanilli, Madonna, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, George Michael, M.C. Hammer, Michael Jackson and the New Kids on the Block, audience expectations have been drastically redefined" noting that few entertainers are capable of recreating the spectacle of elaborately choreographed music videos while delivering studio precision vocals. Michael MacCambridge of the Austin American-Statesman, who reviewed Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour, described lip-syncing as a "moot point", stating, "Jackson was frequently singing along with her own pre-recorded vocals, to achieve a sound closer to radio versions of singles." MacCambridge also observed "[i]t seemed unlikely that anyone—even a prized member of the First Family of Soul Music—could dance like she did for 90 minutes and still provide the sort of powerful vocals that the '90s super concerts are expected to achieve." Similarly, Chris Willman commented, "[e]ven a classically trained vocalist would be hard-pressed to maintain any sort of level of volume—or, more appropriately, 'Control'—while bounding up and down stairs and whipping limbs in unnatural directions at impeccable, breakneck speed."The baby sister of the "precious Jackson clan", Janet Jackson has strived to distance her professional career from that of her older brother Michael and the rest of the Jackson family. Phillip McCarthy of Sydney Morning Herald noted that throughout her recording career, one of her common conditions for interviewers has been that there would be no mention of Michael. Joshua Klein wrote, "[f]or the first half of her recording career, Janet Jackson sounded like an artist with something to prove. Emerging in 1982 just as big brother Michael was casting his longest shadow, Jackson filled her albums not so much with songs as with declarations, from 'The Pleasure Principle' to the radical-sounding 'Rhythm Nation' to the telling statement of purpose, 'Control'." Klein argued that "stardom was not too hard to predict, but few could have foreseen that Janet—Miss Jackson, if you're nasty—would one day replace Michael as true heir to the Jackson family legacy." Musicologist Richard J. Ripani identified Jackson as a leader in the development of contemporary R&B, as her 1986 album Control and its successor Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 created a unique blend of various genres and sound effects while ushering the use of rap vocals into mainstream R&B. Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge (2000) documented that Jackson, along with other prominent African-American women, had achieved financial breakthroughs in mainstream popular music, receiving "superstar status" in the process. Her business savvy has been compared to that of Madonna, gaining a level of autonomy which enables "creative latitude and access to financial resources and mass-market distribution." In March 2008, Business Wire reported "Janet Jackson is one of the top ten selling artists in the history of contemporary music; ranked by Billboard magazine as the ninth most successful act in rock and roll history, and the second most successful female artist in pop music history." The magazine ranked her at number seven on their Hot 100 50th Anniversary ^{Billboard Hot 100 50th Anniversary Charts} "Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists", making her the third most successful female artist in the history of the chart, following Madonna and Mariah Carey. She is one an elite group of musical acts, such as Madonna, Aerosmith, Garth Brooks and Eric Clapton, whom Billboard credits for "redefining the landscape of popular music."

Virgin Records executive Lee Trink expressed "Janet is an icon and historic figure in our culture. She's one of those gifted artists that people look up to, that people emulate, that people want to believe in ... there's not that many superstars that stand the test of time." Pop music critic Gene Stout commented she "has so broadly influenced a younger generation of performers, from Jennifer Lopez ... to Britney Spears, who has copied so many of Jackson's dance moves." 'N Sync, who performed as the opening act for The Velvet Rope Tour, credits her for teaching them how to develop stage show into theatrical performance. Christina Aguilera recalled: "I remember watching MTV as a little girl. To me, Janet had it all; amazing videos, hot songs and the ***iest voice." R&B singer Cassie ^{Cassie (singer)} has referred to herself as a "die-hard Janet Jackson fan" and elaborated, "I'd love to emulate Janet's career—totally ... She's incredible, from her moves to her voice." The Chicago Tribune remarked, "Cassie isn't the first artist to be measured against Janet Jackson, and odds are she won't be the last." Ciara has acknowledged Jackson as one of her primary influences, stating, "It seems like just yesterday I was watching Janet Jackson on TV; now, some people compare me to her." Beyoncé Knowles holds deep reverence for her and she expressed, "I love Janet Jackson! ... I have nothing but positive things to say about her." Rihanna has commented that "[s]he was one of the first female pop icons that I could relate to ... She was so vibrant, she had so much energy. She still has power. I’ve seen her on stage, and she can stand there for 20 minutes and have the whole arena scream at her. You have to love Janet." Jackson's former backup dancer turned superstar Jennifer Lopez lauded Jackson's videography, stating her music videos "had such an impact on me as a fan but also as an artist."* Janet Jackson ^{Janet Jackson (album)} (1982)
* Dream Street ^{Dream Street (album)} (1984)
* Control ^{Control (Janet Jackson album)} (1986)
* Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
* janet. (1993)
* The Velvet Rope (1997)
* All for You ^{All for You (album)} (2001)
* Damita Jo ^{Damita Jo (album)} (2004)
* 20 Y.O. (2006)
* Discipline ^{Discipline (Janet Jackson album)} (2008)
Television series

* The Jacksons ^{The Jacksons (TV series)} (1976–1977)
* Good Times (1977–1979)
* A New Kind of Family (1979–1980)
* Diff'rent Strokes (1980–1984)
* Fame ^{Fame (1982 TV series)} (1984–1985)


Films

* Poetic Justice ^{Poetic Justice (1993 film)} (1993)
* Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
* Why Did I Get Married? (2007)
* Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010)