What is perhaps most upsetting in the attempted degradation of her legacy, is the fact that those who hold the most power, do nothing to call attention to the disrespect with their platform. We are currently watching as the 3rd or 4th wave of entertainers (who were ALL directly influenced by Janet Jackson) use her career path as the blueprint for their album concepts, stage shows, fashion, visual, and musical presence, yet they remain silent about the injustices she still faces. Not that anyone expects one of today’s artists to break their Grammys in half to share it with her, but honestly – shouldn’t they? They owe her. The entire multifaceted landscape of what an entertainer is now expected to be has been lying stagnant for years, at the exact height where Janet set the bar. The original triple-threat. An artist who not only spawned followers, but also caused peers and rivals to step up their own games and attempt to incorporate some of the Janet ‘magic’ into their respective shticks… and yet no one cheers for her. They respect, revere, and reference her (quite often), but never do they cheer. The stars and starlets who have borrowed from her career and performance styles to enhance their own, and used her innovation to fill the gaping holes left by their own lack of creativity, tend to fall silent when it matters most.
Whether it be purposeful, or unintentional, or due to race, gender, celebrity status or religious affiliations, Janet’s standing as global phenomenon is being misrepresented by those outlets who claim themselves to be the authorities. The Recording Academy, Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and countless other “prestigious” establishments have made the negligent habit of downplaying Janet Jackson’s contributions for far too long. Not only should Janet’s fans be outraged, but any learned person with the ability to recognize (or considers themselves a proponent for) the unfair treatment of any person should be outraged. They are repealing, reforming, and rewriting history. This is why the media is failing. This is the tragedy. This is why complacency is unacceptable. THIS is why Janet’s Legacy Matters.