The belittling of her standing has reared its head in many forms over the years. Perhaps most noticeably though, has been the need journalists have felt to overshadow Janet with the mention of family members or other popular rivals – even in reports and articles that focus on Janet specifically. I challenge you to find an article that has been published about Janet Jackson, written since the 1986 release of Control, which does not mention her brother or that other Pop Queen. Even her Wikipedia page is riddled with references to both, as though her achievements are not able to stand alone without them. Sadly though, it’s never been the other way around. [And yes, the omission of those two names from THIS article is very much intentional for the aforementioned reasons.] It’s not the type of bias that is obvious to the average reader/listener/watcher, but what this type of reporting can do/will do/has done over the years is serve to subconsciously lessen her importance by comparison. At some point, the blinders must come off, so that truth can shine light on the not-so-subtle inequalities Janet has endured since the start of her solo career.
Not to say that she hasn’t received her share of roses. In 2001 MTV dedicated their inaugural ICON tribute special to her, gathering a generational range of talent from Legends such as Stevie Wonder to up and coming acts like Destiny’s Child. They all congregated to pay musical and visual tribute to Miss Jackson. In 2015, the BET Awards created and subsequently presented Janet with the Ultimate Icon Award. She has also been granted various Artistic Achievement, Lifetime Achievement, Outstanding Career Achievement Awards from nearly every major (and some minor) award and certification organization since 1986.
Janet's Legacy Matters
How the mainstream is failing Janet Jackson
by T, Elliott Peace, @mrwintour
Watch this Janet's Legacy Matters video