Janet Jackson's documentary is a brutally honest take on a legendary career
Janet Jackson's documentary is finally out and it provided a refreshing account of the iconic pop star's tumultuous life.
Pop music owes Janet the world, and that still wouldn't be enough.
Praise is long overdue for the iconic singer and fans couldn't stop gushing over the two-part documentary that debut over the weekend.
Both exceptionally raw and heartbreaking, the documentary gave the world a glimpse at one of the most private women in the music industry.
Her brother may have been King of Pop, but the Lifetime film aptly reminds fans that she's the Queen – or Miss Jackson, if ya nasty.
Janet puts rumors to rest with honest documentary
Just how much the music world owes the Jackson family was one of the many topics touched upon in the riveting four-hour doc.
For two nights, Lifetime and A&E aired the Control artist's film which spilled the exclusive tea on her early days, her two failed marriages, and the Nipplegate scandal that nearly – and unfairly – destroyed her career.
But it all started with her brothers, which is where her story began. Recounting her early days as the baby of the family, Janet makes sure to pay respect to the Jackson 5 and her late father, Joe, for her start in the business. In fact, her family is heavily referenced, and seen throughout the piece, as the singer blessed viewers with never-before-see footage of herself and her loved ones.
The rare clips alone were enough to make viewers emotional, and though there's plenty of Michael Jackson in them, this is Janet's story.
Touching on another integral part of her early days, she finally addressed the long-running rumor that she had a secret baby with her first ex-husband, James DeBarge.
Long story short, that wasn't true. But the heartbreak behind the failed marriage and the decision to fire her father as her manager eventually led to the creation of her groundbreaking album Control, which made her a superstar.
Never a victim, despite the scandals and heartbreak
It was at the height of her success that she met and secretly married her second ex-husband, René Elizondo Jr.
Though many credited Renee and Janet's relationship as part of her success in the late 90s, the relationship became toxic and the two split.
It wasn't long after this that the Velvet Rope artist had to deal with another painful situation.
The fallout from the controversial 2004 halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVIII, during which Justin Timberlake exposed her breast, led to her being blacklisted.
Years later, Janet suffered another lost.
Her brother Michael – whom she expressed her loved for in the doc – passed away in 2009 while she was on set shooting the movie Why Did I Get Married Too?
And yet, despite the setbacks, scandals, and heartbreak, the 55-year-old continued to push on.
Her resilience is what led her friends in the industry to fight for her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which finally happened in 2019.
It was belated recognition for a decades-long career that made history.Ms. Jackson's flowers are long overdue – and nobody can deny this anymore.
Cover photo: imago/PA Images