Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16,1966 and is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer.
101 Facts About Janet Jackson
2.
Janet Jackson starred in the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame.
3.
In 1991, Janet Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with Virgin Records, establishing her as one of the highest-paid artists in the industry.
4.
Janet Jackson subsequently experienced reduced radio airplay, televised promotion and sales figures from that point forward.
5.
Janet Jackson has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists.
6.
Janet Jackson is the only artist in the history of the chart to have seven commercial singles from one album peak within the top five positions.
7.
Janet Jackson's accolades include five Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, eleven American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and eight Guinness World Records entries.
8.
Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16,1966, in Gary, Indiana.
9.
Janet Jackson was the youngest of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.
10.
Janet Jackson's father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.
11.
Janet Jackson grew up with two sisters and six brothers.
12.
At a young age, Janet Jackson's brothers began performing as the Janet Jackson 5 in the Chicago-Gary area.
13.
Janet Jackson initially desired to become a horse racing jockey or entertainment lawyer, with plans to support herself through acting.
14.
Janet Jackson began acting in the variety show The Jacksons in 1976.
15.
Janet Jackson later starred in A New Kind of Family and later got a recurring role on Diff'rent Strokes, portraying Charlene Duprey from seasons three to six.
16.
Janet Jackson later elaborated on her time on the show in an interview with Anderson Cooper, revealing that the cast would occasionally play pranks on her, but she spoke fondly of them.
17.
The album appeared on the Billboard Top Black Albums of 1983, while Janet Jackson herself was the highest-ranking female vocalist on the Billboard Year-End Black Album Artists.
18.
At this point, Janet Jackson was successfully "shaking off the experience of being a shadow Janet Jackson child", becoming "an artist in her own right".
19.
Janet Jackson released her fourth album, Rhythm Nation 1814, in September 1989.
20.
Janet Jackson established the "Rhythm Nation Scholarship", donating funds from the tour to various educational programs.
21.
Janet Jackson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her impact on the recording industry and philanthropic endeavors.
22.
The massive success experienced by Janet Jackson placed her in league with her brother Michael, Madonna, and Tina Turner for her achievements and influence.
23.
Ebony magazine remarked: "No individual or group has impacted the world of entertainment as have Michael and Janet Jackson," arguing that despite many imitators, few could surpass Jackson's "stunning style and dexterity".
24.
In 1992, Janet Jackson provided guest vocals on Luther Vandross's "The Best Things in Life Are Free", becoming a top ten Billboard hit and reaching the top ten internationally.
25.
Janet Jackson spawned five singles and four promotional singles, receiving various certifications worldwide.
26.
In July 1993, Janet Jackson made her film debut in Poetic Justice.
27.
In September 1993, Janet Jackson appeared topless on the cover of Rolling Stone, with her breasts covered anonymously by her then-husband, Rene Elizondo, Jr.
28.
Janet Jackson provided moral support, defending her brother, and denied abuse allegations regarding her parents made by her sister La Toya.
29.
Janet Jackson collaborated with Michael on "Scream", the lead single from his album HIStory, released 1995.
30.
Janet Jackson renewed her contract with Virgin Records for a reported $80 million the following year.
31.
Janet Jackson began suffering from severe depression and anxiety, leading her to chronicle the experience in her sixth album, The Velvet Rope, released October 1997.
32.
Janet Jackson returned with a dramatic change in image, boasting vibrant red hair, nasal piercings, and tattoos.
33.
Janet Jackson embarked on The Velvet Rope Tour, traveling to Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
34.
Janet Jackson donated a portion of the tour's sales to America's Promise, an organization founded by Colin Powell to assist disenfranchised youth.
35.
Janet Jackson contributed the ballad "God's Stepchild" to the Down in the Delta soundtrack.
36.
Janet Jackson recorded a duet with Elton John titled "I Know the Truth", included on the soundtrack to Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida.
37.
At the 1999 World Music Awards, Janet Jackson received the Legend Award for "outstanding contribution to the pop industry".
38.
In July 2000, Janet Jackson appeared in her second film, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, as the role of Professor Denise Gaines, opposite Eddie Murphy.
39.
Janet Jackson received praise for indulging in "textures as dizzying as a new infatuation", in contrast to other artists attempting to "match the angularity of hip-hop" and following trends.
40.
In July 2001, Janet Jackson embarked on the All for You Tour, which was broadcast on a concert special for HBO watched by twelve million viewers.
41.
Janet Jackson collaborated with reggae artist Beenie Man for the song "Feel It Boy", produced by the Neptunes.
42.
Janet Jackson issued an apology after the performance, saying that the incident was accidental and unintended, explaining that Timberlake was only meant to pull away a bustier and leave the red-lace bra intact.
43.
Horne was reportedly displeased by the incident, but Janet Jackson's representatives stated that she withdrew from the project willingly.
44.
The blacklist was placed into effect preceding the release of Damita Jo and continued throughout the course of Janet Jackson's following two albums.
45.
Janet Jackson recorded with producers Dupri, Jam and Lewis for several months during the following year.
46.
The video for the album's second single, "So Excited", was directed by Joseph Kahn and portrayed Janet Jackson's clothes disappearing through a complex dance routine.
47.
Janet Jackson was ranked the seventh richest woman in the entertainment industry by Forbes, having amassed a fortune of over $150 million.
48.
Janet Jackson's performance was praised for its "soft authority", though described as "charming, yet bland".
49.
Janet Jackson signed with Island Records after her contract with Virgin was fulfilled.
50.
Janet Jackson interrupted plans for touring and began recording with various producers, including Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Tricky Stewart, and Stargate.
51.
Also in February 2008, Janet Jackson won an Image Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture" for the role.
52.
Janet Jackson was approached to record the lead single for the film Rush Hour 3.
53.
Janet Jackson was awarded the Vanguard Award at the 19th annual GLAAD Media Awards, honoring her contributions in promoting equal rights among the gay community.
54.
Janet Jackson has a tremendous following inside the LGBT community and out, and having her stand with us against the defamation that LGBT people still face in our country is extremely significant.
55.
Several months later, Janet Jackson performed a tribute to Michael at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, performing their duet "Scream".
56.
Later that month, Janet Jackson chaired the inaugural benefit of amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, held in Milan in conjunction with fashion week.
57.
Janet Jackson brings incomparable grace and a history of dedication to the fight against AIDS.
58.
Janet Jackson's performance was hailed as "invigorating and oddly funny", and praised for her "willingness to be seen at her most disheveled".
59.
Janet Jackson's performance earned her an Image Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture".
60.
Janet Jackson recorded the film's theme, "Nothing", released as a promotional single.
61.
In November 2010, Janet Jackson starred as Joanna in the drama For Colored Girls, the film adaptation of Ntozake Shange's 1975 play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf.
62.
Janet Jackson's performance earned Black Reel Awards nominations in the categories of Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Ensemble.
63.
Janet Jackson announced plans to embark on her largest world tour in support of her second hits collection, Number Ones.
64.
Mattel released a limited-edition Barbie of Jackson titled "Divinely Janet", auctioned for over $15,000, with proceeds donated to Project Angel Food.
65.
Janet Jackson released the self-help book True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself in February 2011, co-written with David Ritz.
66.
Janet Jackson was selected to endorse fashion line Blackglama for a second year, being the first celebrity in the line's history chosen to do so.
67.
Janet Jackson partnered with the label to release a fifteen-piece collection of luxury products.
68.
In 2012, Janet Jackson endorsed Nutrisystem, sponsoring their weight-loss program after struggling with weight fluctuations in the past.
69.
Janet Jackson was honored by amfAR for her contributions to AIDS research when chairing the Cinema Against AIDS gala during the Cannes Film Festival.
70.
Janet Jackson participated in a public service announcement for UNICEF to help starving children.
71.
On May 16,2015, Janet Jackson announced plans to release a new album and to embark on a world concert tour.
72.
Janet Jackson outlined her intention to release her new album in the fall of 2015 under her own record label, Rhythm Nation, distributed by BMG Rights Management.
73.
On June 15,2015, Janet Jackson announced the first set of dates for the North American leg of her Unbreakable World Tour.
74.
Janet Jackson's album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming her seventh album to top the chart in the United States.
75.
On May 1,2017, Janet Jackson announced she would resume her Unbreakable World Tour, now known as the State of the World Tour.
76.
In May 2018, it was announced that Janet Jackson would receive the Billboard Icon Award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.
77.
The next day, Janet Jackson released the single "Made for Now", a collaboration with Daddy Yankee.
78.
On December 13,2018, Janet Jackson was announced as one of the seven inductees of the 2019 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
79.
On February 26,2019, Janet Jackson announced a four-month Las Vegas residency entitled Metamorphosis.
80.
In 2019, Janet Jackson played a variety of festivals in the US and abroad, including The Glastonbury Festival.
81.
Janet Jackson previewed a clip of a new song, "Luv I Luv", during the end credits of the last episode of her documentary.
82.
Janet Jackson was set to embark on the Black Diamond World Tour in 2020.
83.
Janet Jackson announced her upcoming twelfth studio album Black Diamond, which was scheduled for a 2020 release.
84.
On March 3,2022, Janet Jackson was announced as a headliner of the 2022 Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.
85.
On December 12,2022, Janet Jackson announced she was going on tour again starting April 14,2023, with her Together Again Tour and teased new music.
86.
Janet Jackson continued her musical development by blending pop and urban music with elements of hip-hop in the nineties.
87.
Janet Jackson is described by music critic Greg Kot as "an artist who has reshaped the sound and image of rhythm and blues" within the first decade of her career.
88.
Janet Jackson has changed her lyrical focus over the years, becoming the subject of analysis in musicology, African American studies, and gender studies.
89.
Janet Jackson challenged audiences to see her as a transformed person, from an ingenue to a grow-up, multi-talented celebrity.
90.
Janet Jackson drew inspiration for her music videos and performances from musicals she watched in her youth, and was heavily influenced by the choreography of Fred Astaire and Michael Kidd, among others.
91.
However, in her 30-minute Rhythm Nation 1814 film, Janet Jackson utilizes street dancing techniques in contrast to traditional choreography.
92.
Janet Jackson received the MTV Video Vanguard Award for her contributions to the art form, and she became the first recipient of the MTV Icon tribute, celebrating her impact on the music industry as a whole.
93.
Janet Jackson describes Lena Horne as a profound inspiration, for entertainers of several generations as well as herself.
94.
Janet Jackson opened up such doors for artists like myself.
95.
The youngest sister of the "precious Jackson clan", Janet Jackson has striven to distance her professional career from that of her older brother Michael and the rest of the Jackson family.
96.
Janet Jackson has been recognized for playing a pivotal role in crossing racial boundaries in the recording industry, where black artists were once considered to be substandard.
97.
Janet Jackson argues her signature song "Nasty" influenced the new jack swing genre developed by Teddy Riley.
98.
In November 2014, Janet Jackson was voted 'Queen of Pop' by a poll conducted online by VH1.
99.
On season 30 of Dancing with the Stars in 2021, the 8th week's theme, "Janet Jackson Night", was dedicated as a tribute to Jackson.
100.
At age 18, Janet Jackson eloped with singer James DeBarge in September 1984.
101.
Janet Jackson was introduced to Qatari businessman Wissam Al Mana in 2006, and began dating him in 2010.