YOUR FAVORITE LOGO TV SHOWS ARE ON PARAMOUNT+

Happy Birthday, Janet Jackson! 19 Reasons We Are A Part Of The Rhythm Nation

We miss you much.

A pregnant Janet Jackson has stepped away from her Unbreakable tour, but that doesn't mean we love Miss Jackson any less.

In honor of Janet's 50th (!) we're listing the reasons it's "all for you."

Janet's braids in Poetic Justice

The early '90s is wrapped up in Janet's iconic braids, which she sported in her cinematic debut against the late, great Tupac Shakur. The movie's closing song, "Again," became her eighth Number One single and earned Jackson an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.


Her nipple spawned YouTube

In 2004, 25-year-old whiz kid Jawed Karim wanted to make it easier to find Janet's "wardrobe malfunction" and other in-demand videos online. One year later, he and a few friends founded YouTube, the largest video-sharing site of all time.


Janet Mock chose her first name in honor of Janet Jackson.

"I would veg out in my room,  listening to Janet Jackson’s The Velvet Rope on loop while reading novels like Madame Bovary and A Room with a View.”


Janet married billionaire tycoon Wissam Al Mana in 2012, but not for his money.

With profits from tours, movies, music rights, endorsements and more, she's a billionaire in her own right.


"Together Again" pays tribute to those lost to the AIDS epidemic.

"I lost a lot of friends and people that I worked with to this disease," she told NewNowNext back in 2008. "I told some of the people at the label the concept for the song, and they didn’t think it was a good idea…  I thought, ‘You know, this is really stupid.’ It was in my heart."


She made "Rock With U” for the gays

"Honestly the song was created for the gay community," Jackson admitted. "I kept stressing to Jermaine, ‘I got to do something for the kids.’"


“Scream”

When brother Michael was knee-deep in his sex-abuse scandal, Janet stood by him and recorded this Grammy- and VMA-winning duet from 1995.


"Love Will Never Do (Without You)"

She got to play with Antonio Sabato AND Djimon Hounsou in this pared-down video from Herb Ritts, which reminded us that even without a big dance number and costumes, Janet is iconic.

"She is fresh, sensual, womanly and vulnerable as she reveals herself to the camera," said Ritts at the time. "We wanted to show this intimate and more personal side of Janet."


Rhythm Nation 1814 is a perfect album from start to finish

Upon its release, Rhythm Nation cemented Janet as a bona fide superstar in her own right, racking up a record-setting seven Top 5 Billboard hits, selling over 14 million copies worldwide and earning nine Grammy nominations.

Also, that key-earring-on-one-side look needs to come back. ASAP.



Her support for the LGBT community.

Janet has been one of the most visible allies to the LGBT community for over 20 years, donating her time and funds to important causes like amfAR. "I can relate [to gay youth] because I was one of those kids who held everything inside—all of my pain," she said in an It Gets Better video recorded in 2010.


She was Penny on Good Times

Though her singing career brings in the coins, Janet started out as an actress. We first fell in love with Damita Jo as the abused Penny Gordon Woods on the classic 70s sitcom.


She dated Willis on Diff'rnt Strokes

JJ continued to stretch her acting muscles, playing Willis's girlfriend, Charlene Duprey, for two years on Diff'rent Strokes—and looking flawless the entire time.


"Cause my swag is serious/Something heavy like a first day period." 'Nuff said


She made this outfit look sexy

And that's no easy feat. There's a mix of Road Warrior meets Predator meets Tron happening here, but Janet could wear a hazmat suit and still kill it.


Nutty Professor II: The Klumps

While NP2 won't make any critic's choice lists, it did give us yet another great Janet soundtrack cut: "Doesn't Really Matter."

"Dammn Baby"

Janet's still got it. Also, she's gonna make one hell of a mom.


The "Corksoakers" skit on SNL

After Nipplegate, JJ went on her redemption tour, which of course included a stint hosting SNL. The Corksoakers sketch remains the highlight of that episode and probably the entire season, if only because of how hard Janet tries to keep from breaking down in laughter.


"What's It Gonna Be"

"Gonna make your body cream/Make ya have wet dreams." Another sick music video from Janet, this time with rapper Busta Rhymes. We're wet just thinking about it.


"Nasty"

Our first name ain't baby, either.

Latest News