The Velvet Discourse

On this week’s epsiode, we discussed Janet Jackson’s Lifetime documentary, “JANET JACKSON,” which follows the life and career of the one and only Miss Janet Damita Jo Jackson, the youngest of the famous and infamous Jackson family. Zeroing in on the documentary’s choices in representing Janet’s career and life, we explored the implications of Janet’s story within the broader music industry and make space to acknowledge her undeniable influence on contemporary pop and R&B music around the world. Lastly, we considered how race, class, gender, sexuality, and abuse factor into the way Janet’s story is told and we wrestle with the role that sorrow, disappointment, and indebtedness play in the complex history of Black women musicians of which Janet is a formidable and unforgettable pillar.