History Music / JanetJackson

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in the UsefulNotes/LosAngeles suburb of Encino, UsefulNotes/{{California}}, she is the youngest child of the [[Music/TheJacksonFive Jackson family]] of musicians and the youngest sister of Music/{{Michael|Jackson}}. 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 television series ''The Jacksons'' in 1976. She went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including ''Series/GoodTimes'', ''Series/DiffrentStrokes'', and ''Fame''.

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in the UsefulNotes/LosAngeles suburb of Encino, UsefulNotes/{{California}}, 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 television series ''The Jacksons'' in 1976. She went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including ''Series/GoodTimes'', ''Series/DiffrentStrokes'', and ''Fame''.

* BigBrotherWorship: She's seen by many as the female version of Music/MichaelJackson, although that may be an oversimplification.

* ''[[Film/TheNuttyProfessor Nutty Professor II: The Klumps]]'' (2000) as Professor Denise Gaines

* OnlySaneWoman: She’s one of the few family members who wasn’t trying to sponge off of MJ’s fame.

** The video to "You Want This" is one to Russ Meyers' 1966 ExploitationFilm masterpiece ''Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!'', with hot women and car chases.

->''No, my first name ain't Baby.''
->''It's'' '''''Janet. Ms. Jackson if you're nasty!'''''

!!This singer provides examples of:

* LetsWaitAWhile: TropeNamer.

* TamerAndChaster: Her 2015 album "Unbreakable" was almost free of sexual content, and is very tame, especially when compared to her previous albums. She is also now fully clothed in concerts, with no real fanservice.
* TropeCodifier: She codified many tropes for female pop/R&B singers in the decades since she became popular, such as her performance style, fashion and even her ability to crossover into the mainstream from R&B music (which historically has been somewhat difficult for non-white artists).

* WardrobeMalfunction: The {{Trope Namer|s}}.

* BareYourMidriff: Janet originally was clothed from neck to toe in nearly all her videos ("Pleasure Principle" being the most notable exception). But she introduced [[NewLookSameGreatTaste a new, more revealing look]] with the "Love Will Never Do Without You" video and never looked back.

At age sixteen in 1982, she signed a recording contract with A&M, 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'' (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 with sample loop, triplet swing and industrial 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.

[[AC:Discography:]]

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, 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 television series The Jacksons in 1976. She went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including ''Series/GoodTimes'', ''Series/DiffrentStrokes'', and ''Fame''.

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 sex symbol as she began to explore sexuality in her work. That same year, she appeared in her first starring film role in ''Film/PoeticJustice'' opposite Music/TupacShakur; 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'' (2001) became her fifth consecutive studio album to hit number one on the Billboard 200 album charts. In 2007, she changed labels, signing with the Island Def Jam Music Group and released her tenth studio album ''Discipline'' the following year.

* ''Janet Jackson'' (1982)

* TheImmodestOrgasm: Seemed to become a habit (at ''least'' once per album) from "Throb" on 1993's 'janet.'' up to the title track off of 2008's ''Discipline,'' where this would occur at some point a song (or interlude). "Throb" and "My Need" off of ''The Velvet Rope'' even have her moaning and groaning looped throughout as part of the actual music. And even "Someday Is Tonight" off ''Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814'' and "Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)" off of ''Control'' both feature her either breathing in a sexual manner, or moaning suggestively, at some point.

* BareYourMidriff

** ''Unbreakable'' was a reflection on both losing her brother Michael and her breakup with R&B producer Jermaine Dupri. This time, there was no sex -- her marriage to Qatari business magnate Wissam Al Mana and reported conversion to Islam have toned that all down.

** Apparently, it was someone from her camp that asked Tupac to get tested with speculation being that it was either her then husband (Rene Elizando, who had a small role in the movie), or someone else from her camp.

* ''Why Did I Get Married Too?'' (2010) as Dr. Patricia Agnew

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Janet-Jackson-vi02_8203.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Ms. Jackson if you're nasty]]

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* Film/PoeticJustice (1993) as Justice
* [[Film/TheNuttyProfessor Nutty Professor II: The Klumps]] (2000) as Professor Denise Gaines

* Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010) as Dr. Patricia Agnew
* For Colored Girls (2010) as Joanna/Red

* NoEnding: The last track on ''The Velvet Rope'', ends abruptly after the second verse, with the music cutting out to Janet saying "work in progress", followed by several seconds of silence until the HiddenTrack "Can't Be Stopped".

* Why Did I Get Married? (2007) as Dr. Patricia Agnew

* BrainsAndBondage

** "Unbreakable" was a reflection on both losing her brother Michael and her breakup with R&B producer Jermaine Dupri. This time, there was no sex -- her marriage to Qatari business magnate Wissam Al Mana and reported conversion to Islam have toned that all down.

* DarkerAndEdgier: ''The Velvet Rope''

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: She reportedly refused to make out with Music/TupacShakur while filming ''Poetic Justice'' until he was tested for HIV, even though it was common knowledge by the early 90's that the virus is not transmitted that way.

* {{Scandalgate}}: Her WardrobeMalfunction during the 2004 SuperBowl halftime show was dubbed "Nipplegate" by the media.