Janet Jackson

Overview

Born
May 16, 1966 · Gary, Indiana, USA
Birth name
Janet Damita Jo Jackson
Nicknames
- Dunk
- J
- JJ
- Miss Janet
- Jan
- Miss Jackson
- Jo
- Mama Yoke
- Queen of Pop
- Queen of Radio
- Queen of R&B
Height
5′ 4″ (1.63 m)

Mini bio

Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16, 1966 in Gary, Indiana, to Katherine Jackson (née Katherine Esther Scruse) and Joe Jackson, a musician. She is the youngest of ten children. Before her birth, her brothers formed a band later called The Jackson 5. She lived at home with her sisters, while her brothers and father lived an extravagant life in Los Angeles. She later moved in with them while her brothers were making a name for themselves, and signed a deal with Motown. Janet was in the shadow but later also made a name for herself.

As she was touring, and making appearances with her brothers, and the rest of the family, she co-starred with the rest of them in "The Jacksons". In 1977, she got the part of Penny Gordon on "Good Times". That showed her acting abilities early on. She also made a few memorable appearances on the hit TV show "Diff'rent Strokes" as Charlene Dupree. Soon afterwards came her role on "Fame".

She married boyfriend James Debarge, but they divorced just months later. She signed with A&M Records, and recorded her first solo album titled "Janet Jackson". The album did poorly on the music charts. Two years later she recorded "Dream Street" which turned out to be another disaster. A year later she signed on Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to record a third album, this time called "Control". It was a hit, selling 5 million copies in the U.S. alone, spawning six hits, and the #1 "When I Think of You". Afterwards, she fired her father, her manager to truly gain control.

Janet was determined to make this happen again. She then recorded "Rhythm Nation 1814". This time it sold 9 million copies in the U.S. - a bigger hit than "Control"! She happened to fall in love with a dancer named René Elizondo, Jr. from one of her sister's, LaToya Jackson's music video and later secretly married him in March of 1991. The year before she got a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. Janet went to work on her fifth album simply called "Janet.". It was her biggest hit to date selling over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone and includes her biggest hit single to date, "That's The Way Love Goes". Two years later she released a Greatest Hits album "Design of a Decade" which included two new hits "Runaway", and "Twenty-Foreplay". Her sixth album "The Velvet Rope" clarified her pop culture status.

In the midst of the release of "Nutty Professor II", René Elizondo filed for divorce, which is when it emerged they had been secretly married. Janet recorded her seventh album "All For You". Another hit. She was honored by MTV as an MTV Icon. In 2003, Janet went to work on her next album "Damita Jo" - it was another hit.
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous

Family

Spouses
Children
Parents
Relatives

Trademark

Second soprano vocal range, her top note is an "e"
One key earring
Facial mole above the upper left lip
Toned abs
Her smile

Trivia

Was one of the zombie dancers featured in her brother Michael Jackson's music video "Thriller".
Eloped with singer James DeBarge, in 1984 and lived in the Jackson's Encino ranch for several months before she had the marriage annulled.
Has always wanted and still wants to go back school to study law.
Is the only woman singer in the history of Rock & Roll to score five back to back #1 studio albums on the Billboard Album's chart. "Control", "Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation", "Janet", "The Velvet Rope" and "All For You" all reached #1, together selling more than 60 million copies worldwide. Her albums "Design of a Decade" and "Damita Jo" both reached top 3.
She was paid $3 million for Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000). She was paid an extra $1 million for the song "Doesn't Really Matter" for the film soundtrack.

Quotes

You don't have to hold onto the pain to hold onto the memory.
We all have the need to feel special.
In complete darkness we are all the same, it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you.
[on the day her father told her to stop calling him Dad] I will never forget that. I was really young, about 6 or 7, and as a kid, that was very hurtful to me. I went through a lot, from age 15 to about 19 years. I was very young. I used to hurt so badly that I'd ask God, "Why, what have I done to deserve this?".
[on her 1997 recording "The Velvet Rope"] We're all driven to premieres or nightclubs and seen the rope separating those who can enter and those who can't. Well, there's also a velvet rope we have inside of us, keeping others from knowing our feelings. In this album, I'm trying to expose and explore those feelings. I'm inviting you inside my barrier. During my life, I've been on both sides of the rope. At times, especially during my childhood, I felt left out and alone. At times, I felt misunderstood... But no human heard those feelings expressed. They stayed buried in the past. But now the truth has to come out, and for me, the truth takes the form of a song.