Recently in Janet Jackson Category

Today is an historic day for me. Tonight I'm going to see one of my favorite artists, Janet Damita Jo Jackson in concert for the first time. I've seen her do live performances for TV such as "Good Morning America" back in '04 and again earlier this year, "The Today Show" in '06, and TRL earlier this year but never a full on tour concert so I'm excited.

I'm checking out her "Rock Witchu Tour" as it rolls into the Izod Center at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, the same place I saw Madonna two weeks ago. I'm hoping that the show goes off without a hitch. As we all know Janet had been diagnosed with vertigo but hopefully everything's alright as far as that's concerned. She performed in Washington, DC the other night and the "feedback" from that show was positive (forgive the pun). So I'm confident that tonight will be great as well.

I'm really excited about her adding songs from her first two albums, her 1982 debut and her 1984 release "Dreamstreet" to the set list as she's never performed songs from these albums on her big tours. I have no idea what the set list is like or what order it's in I wanna be totally surprised. I know Janet's gonna rock my world and LL Cool J is opening for her. Yeah, this is gonna be a really good concert.

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Playing In The Background...
"Young Love"
by Janet Jackson
from the album "Janet Jackson"
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A still from the video I recorded of Janet Jackson performing her new single "Rock With U" live in New York for a taping of "Good Morning America" this morning. That little cute thing in the middle, That's Janet.
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Alright, alright, alright, I know, I know, I know. This is the third of my Janet Jackson related postings here. It is also the last of the trilogy. Tomorrow we go back to our regularly scheduled programming (that is unless Janet does something really amazing tomorrow). I know that I'm probably driving my two non-Janet loving gay readers ('cuz literally there has to be only like two of y'all, all the gays love Janet) crazy with all of this but y'all know how much I love me some Janet. I love her so much that I have spent the past 24 hours totally and completely inundated with her.

Just in case you're new to the blog, don't watch TV, or have been living under a rock for the past week, Janet Jackson's new album came out today. It's called "Discipline" and it's actually good this time, I swear (read my review of it here). Like for her past few album releases, a huge media and promotion blitz around the release date here in New York. And for these past few albums me and my hard core Janet fanatic friends come in from all over the country, buses, trains, and aeroplanes to celebrate. Because I'm Adam Benjamin Irby, your favorite blogger I'm gonna take you along for the ride, in style.

Things started yesterday with Janet's appearance on BET's "106 & Park", which is actually now taped at CBS Studios on 57th & 11th, but that's a whole 'nother story. Even though I was there, if you watched the show you wouldn't have seen me because I wasn't in the audience. Thanks to my homie at BET (thanks homie) I was able to get backstage access to the show, which not only had an appearance by Janet, but by Andre 3000 and Will Ferrell, there to promote their new movie, the basketball comedy "Semi-Pro". Thank God for friends in high places.

I got a tour of the studios and saw all the people there doing what they do. It almost felt like I was back in the 7th grade and this was career day or something. Even with all the business there was a certain expectancy in the air. Word had spread that Janet was in the building and even the people who worked at BET, who were used to seeing celebrities day in and day out were starstruck. I won't give any names though.

During Janet's segment on the show there was a part where one of the co-hosts Rocsi invted a fan on stage who was crying uncontrollably at the sight of Janet. That fan was Tirza (who reads the blog, hey girl, if I spelled your name wrong, holla at me). As I watched her from backstage meeting and hugging Janet I told my homie that if there was anybody who deserved to meet Janet Jackson it was her. Every time Janet does something in New York she's there, rain, shine, wind, cold, standing outside all night, homegirl is dedicated. I love me some Janet but that girl LOVES Janet. I was so happy for her.

The funniest part of the whole thing was the part that you didn't get to see on TV. During one of the commercial breaks the warm up people had kids (literally kids, the median age of the whole "106 & Park" audience in person and at home is like seventeen, I'm getting too old for this shit) from the studio audience dancing on one of the stages. One group of kids started doing that new 5000 dance, I think it's called. It's basically a total ripoff of the dipping that they do in the black gay ballroom scene, except now the straight kids do it. So as the music is playing of the boys does a dip. When he hit the floor, Janet who's sitting on the couch, watching from the other side of the studio extended her right hand down across torso and to her left, crossing her other arm and did an ol' nasty, ballroom queen snap! It was funny as hell. Only the gays got into it, the straight people didn't even notice. I love Janet, she's such a queen.

When the taping was over I met the rest of my Janet friends from the audience who rushed in a cab to get over to Best Buy to wait outside, in the cold, all night to get wristbands in order to gain entry back into the store the next day to get an autographed CD from Janet. Now y'all know good and damn well my black ass was not tryna stand outside in the motha fuckin' cold (it was like 30 degrees last night) all motha fuckin' night for no damn wristband. I did that shit once in 2004. I met Janet, she signed my CD and I'm good. Matter fact, where the hell is that CD? See, I probably done went and lost the shit. I'm good.

The next morning I arrived to the Nokia theatre for the taping of Janet's performance on "Good Morning America". While some people were waiting out there half the night or possibly all night last night. I arrived only fifteen minutes before the doors opened. Thanks to another friend in a high place I got my hands on some guaranteed admission passes. Once I arrived inside it was like a damn family reunion. Was every homo in the New York Metropolitan Area at this place. I hear my name being called out here, an "I see you" text message from over there and not to mention having to cringe at the sight of ex dates. Ugh, sometimes our pink little world is entirely too small. I ended up on an aisle seated by fellow blogger and Janet fanatic Darian Aaron. The performance was hot, lip-synched, as expected but the dance moves were awesome, especially on "Feedback". She performed "Feedback", "That's The Way Love Goes" and "Rock With U". All three are available on my YouTube Channel.

Later that day after a quick run home for a wardrobe change I joined my homegirl Mika from Baltimore on the front of the line for entry to MTV's "TRL". She, and her guest, me were on the list to get in. When I looked at the confirmation email Mika had from MTV it said that to be let into TRL you have to be between the ages of 16 to 24. Damn, I really am too old for this shit! Anyway, we and a select few others were given black wristbands while the remainder of the audience was given yellow ones. Our minds spun at the speed of light wondering what exactly the difference in wristbands meant. While we waited, out of nowhere Matthew Knowles (the music industry executive better known as Beyonce's daddy) strolled casually by us down 45th Street, on his cell phone unbothered. That's New York for ya.

Once we finally entered into MTV Studios at 1515 Broadway and were processed and stripped of all of our worldly possessions, even our hats (I was on national TV today without my Yankee fitted! Only for Janet). We learned of our black wristbanded fate after we watched Janet perform "Feedback" in the main studio. As soon as she was done we were all whisked out into the hallway where a MTV staffer told us that we were selected as VIPs. We as VIPs, the sixteen or so of us were going to spend the remainder of the show in a smaller studio, just us and Janet. Of course were all excited at that news.

Once we were all seated in the studio Janet walked in and took her place on the plush red couch in the center of the room. During the commercial breaks there were yells of "I love you Janet!" "Icon!" "Werq Miss Janet!" and "The face is sitting Miss Janet!" among other things from the fans. She graciously thanked us for all the compliments while continually flashing her world famous, high voltage, kazillion dollar smile. At one point LA Reid (chairman of her record label, Island/Def Jam) peeked his bald head in the room. We thanked him for everything he's been doing involving promotion for the album. TRL did their whole broadcast about Janet and the album. He definitely pulled some major strings and/or spent some major bucks to make that happen. Hopefully it all generates some major sales for the album.

After the TRL taping was over my out of town friends raced over to Best Buy for the album signing that they stood outside all night for. I walked them over and made my rounds on the line saying hello to people, putting faces to the screen names of people I had been talking to on the Janet Jackson Message Board for the past six years. All in all it was a great day. I'd only do all of this for Janet and some of it I don't plan on ever doing again.

So I spent the day with Janet and I'm gonna spend my night with Cheri Dennis. Her album released today too.

I have uploaded all three "Good Morning America" performances on the A. Benjamin Irby YouTube Channel for your viewing enjoyment. Two of them "Feedback" and "Rock With U" are also embedded here. Check out the rest on the channel.

There are seven more videos from this concert and even more live concert footage of Rihanna, Amerie, Teedra Moses, Vivian Green, and more on the A. Benjamin Irby YouTube Channel.

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Playing In The Background...
"2Nite"
by Janet Jackson
from the album "Discipline"
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Janet Jackson's releasing a new album, her tenth, "Discipline" on Tuesday. Along with being a milestone and a red circle on the calendar of every gay man's life it's also a big day for Ms. Janet. Many are saying that after the disappointing sales of her last two albums that this is her last chance to prove that she's still relevant to the world (outside of the gays that is). Others are much more hopeful, counting on whatever LA Reid and Def Jam has up their sleeve, saying that if Mariah could get signed to Def Jam and comeback after "Glitter" and the emotional breakdown that followed it, that anything's possible.

What do you think? Take the poll below.

Read my review of the album here.

Comment and let us know whether you will be buying the album?

Every week I will update the blog with a new poll question.
Click here to check out all the previous Adam's Web Log Polls.

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Playing In The Background...
"What's Ur Name"
by Janet Jackson
from the album "Discipline"
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Janet Jackson
"Discipline"
2008 Island/Def Jam Records
4.5/5

More and more I'm noticing that my undying love for Janet, a Taurus, born Janet Damita Jo Jackson in Gary, Indiana on May 16th year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-six is based more on my childhood memories, nostalgia and her groundbreaking achievements as a black woman than her music, especially as of late. This, her third album since that terrible thing that happened in 2004. The thing that has seemingly marred the sales and promotion of her last two albums, okay more the first one of those two, that second one just wasn't all that great. Well, it's a brand new day and like Mariah she gotten the Virgin Records monkey off her back and has signed a new deal with Def Jam. Let's see if the third time is the charm.

Janet didn't exactly explode back on the scene with her first single from this, her tenth album, the D'Mile and Rodney Jerkins-produced "Feedback". The sparsely promoted song, which in my opinion is her hottest in years was received well by critics, but wasn't the radio smash it deserved to be and is still fighting it out on the charts. The response to the accompanying video though has been lukewarm, even from fans. These early events did not giving me confidence of a looming "MiMi-like" comeback for Ms. Janet. Her lack of visibility for the last month or so, having performed the single basically nowhere doesn't help either, but I'm not giving up yet. At the end of the day it's all about the music right, so let's get to it.

The album starts off with the "I.D." interlude. Yes, the interludes are back, but they are back a la "The Velvet Rope", so they actually make sense and are listenable, unlike the ones from every album since then. Again like "The Velvet Rope" the this album is almost like a movie or a theatrical show, the interludes like movements, unifying the songs, all flowing one into another. They all have a basic theme which I won't give away here. Also like "The Velvet Rope", this album is also best when listened to as a whole.

Next is the first single, "Feedback" which flows directly into "Luv", the third single from the album, tailor made for urban radio. The crunk, bouncy number which at times seems a little more Ciara, than Janet, smartly uses the metaphor of a car crash, litigation and all, for falling in love:

"...I should sue ya.
I shoulda stopped at the red light cuz,
Now I'm like a deer caught in headlights, oh
He hit me with his love, la-love, la-love, love...
Got me caught in a wreck I'm a mess...
He crashed into my heart..."

Then there's "Rollercoaster", an upbeat number featuring Janet's world famous robotic layered vocals over a busy Darkchild beat. The second single, the electronic "Rock With U", co-written and produced by Jermaine Dupri & Ne-Yo is tailor made for pop radio and can be best described as Kylie-lite, a surprising feat from that particular writing and production team. Being Kylie-lite is hardly a bad thing here though as Kylie is Janet-lite on "All I See" from her latest album "X", coincidentally Kylie's tenth as well. I see it as returning the favor. Even with that Janet makes this track all her own with her trademark layered "oohs". "2Nite" produced by Stargate adds a little 80's throwback flavor to the album. The best parts are the bridge and short the breakdown at 3:27. Janet, I love that part, why didn't you make that part longer?

This time around Janet decided to slow things down in the middle of the album and not toward the end like she usually does. The next three songs, "Can't B Good", "Never Letchu Go", and "Greatest X", produced by Ne-Yo, Johnta Austin & Jermaine Dupri, and The Dream respectively, seemingly drag the album down at first but upon a second listen they contain small bits and of pieces raw soul and vocal progression from the small-voiced diva, especially at 2:58 on "Never Letchu Go". Even with all that, the only single-worthy track out of the three is "Can't B Good", no "Again's" or "I Get Lonely's" here.

Things perk up with the Jermaine Dupri produced "So Much Betta" which features a fun chopped and screwed vocal on the chorus and a soaring layered vocal channel. At only two minutes and fifty-three seconds as soon as you start getting into it's over, prompting many rewinds. Next is "The 1" which features two witty rap verses by Missy Elliott. Though produced by Dupri as well the beat sounds a lot like something Rich Harrison would do. This Harrison jacking though isn't as blatant as frequent Janet collaborators Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis' last year on "Disrespectful", the first single from Chaka Khan's last album. 2:47 into the song Missy exclaims "This is crazy!" referring to the beat I guess. Unfortunately, I can't fully agree with Missy. Yes the beat is indeed crazy, but it would have been crazier in 2005. If there was such a great need for the Harrison sound why didn't they resurrect "Pops Up!" or "Speed It Up (Put It On You)", which are Janet tracks actually produced by Harrison that were cut from the "Damita Jo" album. Another Dupri joint, the mid-tempo, summer single-worthy "What's Ur Name" is a favorite of mine on the album with Janet's vocals riding the beat perfectly. Even the reference to the T-Mobile Sidekick smartphone in the chorus is non-obtrusive enough to not be cringe inducing. The shortest track on the album at a meager two minutes and thirty-four seconds, also prompted multiple rewinds. They should shoot this and "So Much Betta" together as a dual single video a la the videos from Missy Elliot's "Miss E..." album, but more than likely if this is miraculously chosen as a single the label will more likely throw in the rapper du jour of the moment to lengthen things.

Next is the title track, "Discipline", the only "baby making" track on this album and unlike some of the ones from the last two albums this one is actually sexy and very soulful, it's right up there with "Any Time, Any Place". Yes, even though there is a little moaning on this one, it's tasteful. There are no swear words and the song rather than being blatant and explicit is filled to the brim with cleverly written double entendre. As you guessed this song is sort of a bondage S&M metaphor, think "Rope Burn" 2.0, except with whips and things. At 0:52 Janet coos:

"Daddy, I disobeyed you,
Now I want you to come punish me..."

with such conviction that I feel like I'm in her bedroom with a whip in my hand. That was some of her best acting since Chip Fields burned her with the iron on "Good Times" back in the day. Closing my eyes listening to this I can almost see Janet tying up and disciplining some lucky audience member, whipping him on stage in front of 80,000 screaming fans. Or better yet having that lucky guy whip her. The chorus almost melted my speakers with the lyrics:

"I need some discipline tonight
Don't hold back
I've been very bad
Make me cry
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Daddy make me cry..."

The song ends with eerie chants of "Take out your frustrations on me..." which is sexy, but a little scary. In fact at 2:00 Janet actually exclaims "I'm scared..." and you know what Janet I'm scared too, but I'm also turned on. I've got some disciplining to do.

To end the album is "Curtains", a midtempo number laden with guitar and horns especially dedicated to the fans, another of Janet's more soulful tracks. I cant wait to see this one on tour. I could see her closing things out with this one.

If you haven't figured it out already, this is Janet's best album in years and even though it's probably not gonna pull in "MiMi" numbers the first week especially since they just started promoting it yesterday. But it's a quality record that I actually believe in. Hopefully LA Reid and Def Jam nurture properly because it has the potential to be a huge hit. Because Janet needs it, scratch that, I need it, for my own sanity. If this record doesn't go #1 I'm gonna lose it.

If you must download, download: "Feedback", "Luv", "Rock With U", "What's Ur Name", "Discipline"

ALBUM IN STORES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26th, 2008!

GO BUY IT!

Buy the album from Amazon.com here.

Website: JanetJackson.com

LISTENING SESSION:
Listen to "What's Ur Name" below:

Listen to "Discipline" below:

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Playing In The Background...
"Discipline"
by Janet Jackson
from the album "Discipline"
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This is Janet Jackson's official "Discipline" Album cover. I effing love it! It's so edgy, artsy and European. Wow Janet is really back. I really feel it this time y'all. I'm about to get excited. All of the promotion and the single and the buzz is really seeming to pop off with this record. MTV even played the "Feedback" video on TRL yesterday. The stars are really aligned for my girl Jan Jan this time. Thank God, 'cuz Lord knows my heart can't take another floppish record.

Janet Jackson's 10th album "Discipline"
featuring the smash single "Feedback" that's bumping in all the clubs right now.
In stores Tuesday, February 26th!

You are officially not gay anymore unless you buy this record!

For more info on the album and exclusive downloads click here.

What do y'all think of the cover?
Comment and let us know.

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Playing In The Background...
"Feedback"
by Janet Jackson
from the album "Discipline"
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It's official. Janet Jackson is back with a new album and a new label. I know I already gave my thoughts on the new single a few days ago but I was just emailed the official press release from Def Jam Records. I was asked to post it so I'll post about Janet again, usually I wouldn't post about someone again so soon but I did because it's Janet and she's my favorite. Def Jam really is not playing this time as they're seeking out bloggers like me to help push the record.

Along with the press release, they sent me a high quality digital copy of Janet's infamous new promo pic and an official copy of the radio version of "Feedback". Of course I have made them available for you to download. Consider it an early Christmas gift to you, all of my lovely Janetalia out there. All I know is that they betta remember my black ass when the advance copies of the album go out.

Hmmm, maybe the record labels are finally getting it, getting the fact that they've gotta go the extra mile to reach people nowadays. They can't just throw a record out there with no promotion and expect it to sell. This ain't the 90's, it don't work like that no more. I'm loving the direction the label is going with the promotions for "Discipline" and I'm starting to get really excited about this project. Here's the official press release:

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JANET JACKSON TO RELEASE "FEEDBACK" – DEBUT SINGLE AT ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC GROUP, IMPACTS JANUARY  7th 

 

LEAD TRACK FROM DISCIPLINE –  IDJ DEBUT ALBUM, SET FOR FEBRUARY 26 ^th RELEASE

 

"Feedback" produced by Rodney Jerkins – other producers on new album include Jermaine Dupri,  Ne-Yo, Stargate, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream

 

Janet Jackson currently starring in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? , #1 box office smash

 

            (December  13, 2007 – New York, NY)  International megastar Janet Jackson, who has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and is the newest signing to the Island Def Jam Music Group, has completed her first new single for the label with hitmaking producer Rodney Jerkins.  "Feedback" will impact across-the-board at all radio formats on January 7th. 

 

            DISCIPLINE, Janet Jackson's new album – and the 10 ^th studio album of her career – is scheduled to arrive in stores on February 26^th.  In addition to Rodney Jerkins, the new album brings together an A-list of guest producers, including Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo, Stargate, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream.  DISCIPLINE was executive produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group.

 

            In a class all by herself, 5-time Grammy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated  Janet Jackson is currently starring in Why Did I Get Married?, the smash hit movie by Tyler Perry, which opened #1 at the box office.  This is the third motion picture of Janet's career, and her third to open at #1, following the success of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), and her leading title role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice (1993).

Click here to download the huge (3048x3273 1.8mb) high quality promo pic.

Play the official radio edit of Janet's new single "Feedback" below.

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Playing In The Background...
"Feedback (radio version)"
by Janet Jackson
from the album "Discipline"
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Special thanks to Derrick L. Briggs for his help in setting all of this up.

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With this post I'm starting something new. My "Listen To This" posts in the "Music" category will break new music and give you a chance to listen to the songs as well. Who better to kick it off with than the icon, Janet Jackson and her hot new single "Feedback". Get it. Got it. Good. Now let's dance.
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I know I'm two days late on this (I've been busy okay) but since Janet Damita Jo Jackson is my favorite musical artist of all time, late or not I had to take the time to weigh in on her new single "Feedback" from her upcoming March 2008 album, her tenth, entitled "Discipline".

This is the new promo picture for the single and I love it! Janet finally put some damn clothes on. You don't have to be naked to be sexy (Who am I to talk right? Yeah I can read you queens shady little minds now). If I saw one more picture of Janet holding her breasts I was gonna lose it. This new look is sexy, classy and becoming of a 40 year old woman who puts girls half her age to shame. Fashionistas, email me and tell me what designers she's wearing.

I love the song. The beat is crazy, very danceable. Fellow blogger B. Scott describes it quite eloquently as "Bitch, hold my purse music". The vocals on the verses are Janet's sung-spoken standard and are layered hypnotically on the choruses. This song is the brightest upbeat song from Janet since "All For You" (although I loved "All Nite (Don't Stop)" it was so damn dark) and has all the potential to be all the hit that "All For You" was. I really hope Janet brings it with a bright, upbeat dance video that shows all these bitches who the real icon is.

People are tossed up between whether the song is produced by Danjahands (Britney Spears) or Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Toni Braxton, Tamia, Mary J. Blige, and too many more). The more I listen to it I'm leaning more toward Darkchild, the chopping and screwing of the ending is kinda Brandy "Full Moon" album-ish (except without all the robotic stuf), and in the beginning when a nod is given to Janet's "Control" album a male voice says "Gimme a beat!" it sounds a lot like him. I think that people are thinking Danja because a lot of people have said that the song sounds very Britney "Blackout" album-ish but the more I listen to it I don't think so. It's similar in tempo, but that's about it, Britney could sing this song (not as well) but many pop singers could do each other's songs. That didn't give Mandy Moore an excuse to totally ruin Rihanna's "Umbrella", but I don't think this is Danja. I could be wrong. It'd be easy to settle this if Janet had said or allowed them to say Danja or Darkchild on her track. Have you ever noticed that the truly big stars, the icons, never do that? I think that a producer will charge you less if you allow him to put his name all over your track. We all know Janet ain't hardly broke so for her that wouldn't be an issue.

One of my biggest issues with Janet is that I never felt she fully walked in her icon status. She's so timid and nice when it comes to dealing with her detractors. She was never diva enough for me, especially with the way she handled that thing that shall remain nameless that happened at that sporting event that shall also remain nameless back in '04. One of the best things on this track is the braggadociousness of the lyrics. Especially the bridge:

"You like it how I work my spine
Got you feelin' all hypnotized
I got a body like a CL5
Make a nigga wanna test drive
But I'm so on fire
Flyer than a pelican
Find another chick better than
I don't see her
'Cuz my swag is serious
Somethin' heavy like a first day period..."

YES! Finally bitch! Damn. You are the Janet 'Mother Effin' Jackson, you invented this shit. Mother of all these R&B/pop bitches. Put on some YSL pumps and walk in the shit already! I don't know whether she had a hand in writing this song, but it's very fitting, especially after the past few years she's been having. My advice to Janet, be bold, be brave, be a bitch, do a tour, it's time.

Menstrual reference aside (ugh), this is the hottest song I've heard from Janet in a minute. I can't wait for Mama Janet to come back and "Discipline" the music industry next year 'cuz it's been very very bad.

Play the official radio edit of Janet's new single "Feedback" below.

Comment and let me know what you think of the song.

And they betta play this shit in the motherfuckin' clubs, the whole fuckin' album when it drops. If they could prop dead, overplayed-ass "B'Day" up like "Weekend At Bernie's" every time I've been to a club for the past year and a half they betta give Janet the same respect!

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Playing In The Background...
"Feedback"
by Janet Jackson
from the album "Discipline"
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The Best Album Ever Made:
Janet Jackson
"The Velvet Rope"
1997 Virgin Records
6/5

"It's my belief that we all have the need to feel special and it's this need that can bring out the best in us yet the worst in us. This need created the velvet rope."
-Janet Jackson

Ten years ago today, October 7th, 1997 Janet Jackson released what is her most profound and thought provoking piece of work ever, "The Velvet Rope." In my opinion it is the best and will always be the best album ever made. There is probably not a professional music reviewer anywhere who will agree with me but that's okay. Beside the musical merits of the album it has a much deeper emotional resonance with me.

At the time this album came out I was fourteen years old, a freshman in high school. I had already been a casual fan of Janet's since "Rhythm Nation 1814" and all throughout the "janet." years but I was still a kid and I really didn't get into her until then. Even at that time I was still young and was only getting $1.75 a day spending money for school, needless to say I didn't buy this album when it was first released.

My first memory of hearing it in it's entirety was laying on the floor of my eldest sister's house one Saturday afternoon listening to it on her portable CD player. I was so enthralled by the sounds of the album and the amazing graphic design, photographs and imagery of the album booklet. That day was the day that I fell in love with music. Finally at 16 years old "The Velvet Rope" was the first CD I ever bought with my own money.

"The Velvet Rope" is an eclectic opus with touches of R&B, pop, rock, dance, and classical music. It plays out like a theatrical production and is best heard in full. Every interlude, every word of all twenty-two tracks of this CD are all important. They all work together to cohesively bring forth the message, to tell of your need, my need, our need, the need to feel special. The need that brings out the best and yet the worst of us, the need that created "The Velvet Rope." The velvet rope that helps us hide our feelings, holds back our public and binds us up for our lovers.

Coming off of the most successful album of her career 1993's "janet.," which sold over 17 million records worldwide and was the first record by a female artist to debut at #1 in the United States in the Nielsen SoundScan era. She released six singles off of this album and toured almost two years promoting it. This was her first album with Virgin Records the company with which she signed a 40 million dollar record contract, which at that time broke the record for the largest record deal ever. "janet." was largely a happy, R&B/pop record which was a mix between upbeat catchy songs and slower more seductive songs. "The Velvet Rope", released four years later was a much darker record, reflective of the sadness Janet was feeling at the time. The album was panned by critics for being too controversial but was a fan favorite. It was and actually still is Janet's most introspective record.

This album embodies so many feelings and emotions: happiness on "Go Deep", hope on "Together Again", regret on "Got 'Til It's Gone", loneliness on "I Get Lonely", anticipation on "Tonight's The Night", pride on "Can't Be Stopped", self realization on "You", horniness on "My Need", emptiness on "Empty", anger on "What About", fear on "Every Time." There are so many subjects that Janet touched on the this album that had been seldom talked about ever in popular music: spousal abuse on "What About", sado-masochism on "Rope Burn", masturbation on "Interlude - Speaker Phone", homosexuality, lesbianism and bisexuality on "Free Xone" and "Tonight's The Night."

My two favorite Janet Jackson songs ever are on this album. "I Get Lonely" and "Rope Burn" are in my opinion two of Janet's best vocal performances coupled with live instruments (I get chills every time i hear the piano come in on "I Get Lonely" at 4:34) and Janet's trademark background vocals that ooze sensuality. The title track "Velvet Rope" blends Janet's vocals with a most interesting array of background dings and tingles coupled with classical violinist Vanessa Mae's rousing violin solo that brings the song to its aural and emotional apex. "You" is brilliantly written song whose vamp remained an enigma to me for years until someone explained to me that she was spelling conscience backwards "e-c-n-e-i-c-s-n-o-c."

Besides being conceptually and audibly interesting the visuals for the album were dazzling. The album cover was different than that of her previous albums. It was hardly glamorous just a picture of Janet in a black shirt with frizzy red hair her her head hung slightly down, not looking into the camera. Her name isn't even conspicuously emblazoned across the picture. It is subtly spelled out in a blurred block formation embossed in the top half of the picture. You can only notice it if you tilt it and look at the picture in the light. The pictures inside of Janet sporting her nipple and septum piercings, covered in latex and tied up in bondage were indeed works of art themselves. The videos the Grammy winning, "Got Til' It's Gone" with it's African apartheid theme and "Together Again" set in the jungle in which she hugs herself and touches her own breast, "I Get Lonely" with it's almost futuristic feel and amazing transitions cemented Janet's status as not just a musical but a visual artist.

Many of the themes of the album hit home for me. "Empty", a song about finding love on the internet was quite timely due to the fact that the internet and instant messaging had just started to rise in popularity. The emptiness that she felt when the person she talked to wasn't there and the questioning whether what they had could be real resonated for me as a person who has dated via the internet before. Lyrics such as these spoke right to me:

"I'm rushin' home to turn you on
Sometimes you're there sometimes you're gone
Wait for hours for your return
So tell me please, am I wasting my time?
Your phrases, descriptive, and through the textured words
With beauty, you post it, and use such colored verbs

So tell me you think that maybe we've gone insane?
To find a, a lover and through the words of pain
We've never met, ooh

When I close my eyes, I can see your face
When I lick my lips, I can taste your smile
When I see your name, my heart starts to race
If I can't read your thoughts, then I feel empty"

Songs like "Velvet Rope" and "You" spoke to the self confidence issues I was having with lyrics that brought forth truth and clarity and let me know that I wasn't alone. If a mega superstar like Janet Jackson can wake up sometimes feeling unloved, unworthy and empty and make her way through it, so could I.

You never forget your first love and though many albums have come along since, some poppier, some bluesier, some edgier but "The Velvet Rope" will always be my favorite and have a special irreplaceable place in my heart.

THE ALBUM BEEN IN STORES FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS! WHERE YOU BEEN? IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT YOU NEED TO GET IT!

Buy the album from Amazon.com here.

Website: JanetJackson.com

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Playing In The Background...
"Velvet Rope" feat. Vanessa Mae
by Janet Jackson
from the album "The Velvet Rope
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