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Janet Jackson’s Rock N Roll HOF Induction Overdue

Posted byBy J.R. Gamble | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Third time’s a charm for Janet Jackson who will be inducted into the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next Spring.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame named the icon and sister of Michael Jackson as part of its latest class of inductees on Thursday. It was Jackson’s third time being nominated for the honor.

“Janet Jackson has built a career so groundbreaking that she’s immediately identifiable on a first-name basis,” the organization wrote on its site. “She explored social issues, themes of empowerment and self-confidence, and influenced generations with her stylized music videos with innovative choreography.”

Jackson thanked all of her fans and supporters. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recognizes inductees for “having contributed over 25 years of musical excellence.” Jackson’s fellow 2019 inductees are The Cure, Def Leppard, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Roxy Music and The Zombies.

An official nominating committee picks artists and groups to be considered for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. The final inductees are chosen based on votes from fans and people in the music industry.

Jackson has been a trailblazer, a gender barrier crusher, incomparable performer and actress throughout an illustrious career that began when she was just an infant, a cog in the empire forged by her brothers The Jackson 5. 

The 52-year-old icon has won and been nominated for multiple Grammys over the past three decades. In 1989, she released “Rhythm Nation 1814,” her legendary concept album addressing socially conscious themes, which catapulted to  best-selling album of  1990, according to Billboard and raised the standards for women in music.

Missy Elliott, who became the first female rapper to be nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame earlier this year, was heavily influenced by Jackson as a child and congratulated Janet for her induction on Thursday.  

Jackson goes in with fellow female recording artist Stevie Nicks. Nicks, already in the Hall of Fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac, was nominated for inclusion as a solo artist in 2019. She’s the first woman to be inducted into the Rock-N-roll Hall of fame twice.

Kudos to Nicks, but at the same time, it’s a shame that a cultural icon like Penny from Good Times had to wait this long. Jackson is a movement unto herself. During her run in the 80s and 90s she broke the mold with a unique sound driven by legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

She changed the game and broke record for female recording artists.

From her contagious fashion sense to her dancing and high energy stage shows to her beauty and whispery voice that often delivered edgy musical masterpieces, Janet Jackson was the embodiment of R&B, funk, pop and any many other genres rolled into one.

Her “Nipplegate” drama with Justin Timberlake during a halftime performance at  Super Bowl XXXVIII, is still one of the unforgettable moments in American entertainment and sports history.

The incident also made “Janet Jackson” the most searched term, event and image in internet history, as well as the most searched person and term of 2004 and 2005, breaking the record for “most searched event over one day.”

In May, Jackson received another long overdue award when she became the first black woman to win the Icon Award at theBillboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Janet not only accepted her award…

She let everyone know that she hasn’t lost a step and can still bring the house down with a vintage stage blitz.

Performing is forever in the blood for a Jackson. As a member of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, Janet’s deep and lasting global influence will be preserved and held in the high esteem that it deserves.

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