L'AFFICHE interview L'AFFICHE:The latest time we've been hearing about you was for the duet with your brother Michael for Scream.
J:It was just the right time for a duet together.Michael had asked me to do something like this back in the Rhythm Nation period, when he was recording Dangerous, but i said no because i didn't feel like a totally respected artist for myself, without wearing the name jackson. Many people still considered me like "mike's lil sister", which i by the way am very proud to be, but it was just too early. Then, he asked me again while i was touring in Japen, after the janet. album. It was at a crazy time in the night, and he woke me up and i asked me if i was ready for a duet. I was ready, and i knew that at this time both of us were recognized by the audience as two diffrent artists, so i said yes. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis proposed us a lot of stuff, but Scream told exactly what Michael was going through in his life, and i could also identify to the message of the song. Michael was never really sure (he was so hesitating) and he couldn't stop saying "what about turning like this or that" and i was like "listen Mike, if this song is not okay with you, that means we're not made to do something together!"
L'A:What did you do between the "Decade" album and the moment you started writing on the Velvet Rope project?
J: I had a break as far as my career and i totally went into introspection. I asked myself so many questions and i tried to find answers in my life. Since i was little, i had always taken all my feelings way inside myself, to just keep on going further, like if everything was all good and going alright. And one day it just went wrong, this attitude didn't work anymore. That's when i told myself "there's something wrong with you, just ask yourself the right questions". I never went to a therapist. It was just a personal search inside me, it was very painful but i did learn many things about myself and the people i hang out with.
L'A:And the result of this introspection lead to this new album, The Velvet Rope, which is your most personal album ever...
J:Since Control i've always wrote about myself, what was giong on in my life. And it really is my most personal album (The VR). I wanted to share emotions with those who feel all alone, like i felt at this very moment, for those who feel like they're walking millions of feets with a pain inside their heart.
L'A: This "velvet rope" has different meanings, symbols: erotic, philosophical, if not metaphysical. And you say "this special need that's within us, bringsout the best yet worst in us"...
J: The "velvet rope" means a lot of different things. I've always thought that we all were born special. It's just that sometimes we loose our specialness. The velvet rope is also a sensual erotic object , but it's also one of those ropes that are put around the VIP section in private parties at the club. The last time I went to Paris, during the Janet. world tour, my record company held a party at the Bain-Douches club and i was placed in one of these protected VIP corners . My boyfriend Ren_ went out in the street in order to let some fans in the club to my party. And the security wouldn't let him in! That's what the velvet rope stand for, it's what seperates those who are having fun inside and those who are waiting outside willing to party as well. This is what creates so many problems, these visible or invisible ropes that make some people more special than others and bring out the worst in us. Which gives us the choice to be a generous person capable of giving until sacrice, or to just be an asshole who spends his life thinking he's all that.
L'A: "Together Again" is our favorite song on the album, and it talks about a tragical matter, AIDS, on a completely joyful and optimistic tone.
J: Right, because it's a song that reflects the personality of my frinds who died of AIDS, the way they acted on this Earth. Open-minded people, astonishing, funny, with lots of energy, just happy people ! I miss them so much. But where they all are now, when i imagine their shining faces watching over us, i don't think that they want to see us crying.
L'A: Even though your songs have often talked about discrimination, you now talk freely about homophobia in your "FreeXone" song.
J: Homophobia is something that really's getting on my nerves. Who are they to judge? They hand out with all kinds of people and it's a sexual preference that's gonna have them freaking out? (Janet shakes her head desperately) I can't get this sort of ignorant attitude. I have lots of gay friends and until very recently i didn't think i had any lesbian friend. But not so long time ago one of my very best friends came to me and said " janet, have a sit, i got something to tell you: I'm a lesbian" And i said "So what?" She couldn't believe it. "Are we still gonna be good friends" she said. It really hurted me to hear her react like that, but i was glad that she confided in me. Now i always try to tell her to go and tell her family about it, because she feels like someone else when she's with them. Another gay friend of mine recently told his parents about it and they don't wanna hear about him anymore. But i told him "You did the right thing, it's their turn to come back to you. Their reaction does not take away the love you have in you". It's the key to history: be true to yourself, live your life completely. If you're gay, then tell the whole world.
L'A: (...) Have you ever been attracted to a woman???
J: (with no hesitation) Yes. I have never experienced any relation with a woman sexually, but when i was younger, i had a very strong attraction for a much older woman than myself. I have never told her, and she still doesn't know at all. I wondered if this attraction was due to the pain i was going through with my husband at that time (James DeBarge) . I don't want to talk in the name of all the women out there but i think that this sort of attitude is something rather natural for us women. At least just the idea of it. While men are so squared in this matter that they'd rather die instead of admitting this sort of things. Yesterday night i was talking to a friend of mine about that : if one day a woman happens to ask me out,i'd just take it as a compliment, but then i'd tell her i'm just not gay.Now if a guy asks a straight man out, then you can be sure he'll kick his butt! That's too bad... Oh, i went to a lesbian nightclub for the first time ever the other night, do you want me to tell you about that?
L'A: Yeeees!!!
J: It was in LA, again with that same gay friend of mine. I called her and she said "I'm going out tonight". I said "let's go together!" and she answered "No, yuo can't come with me, it's a women only-type of club, you know." And i said "well actually I'm a girl, i wanna come!" She couldn't believe it. It was really neat to see all these girls dancing together. Of course,a few moments later the rumor was spread that I was in the club. And they all came by me in couples, holding each other like (she shows the gesture, meaning that the girls were sensually stuck to each other, by holding her collar shaking it left and right) ...like staring sensually at me (laughs) !
L'A: Can you imagine the tabloids titles "janet jackson's sexy night in lesbian club" !
J:(laughs) Well that's weird cause non one actually came up with this subject. Anyway i really don't care about it. People can tell what they want. By the way, we're trying a NYC lesbian club tonight. I don't give a damn, i know who i really am: a free woman!
L'A:This album is not only your most personal, it's also the most sexual of your whole career: triolism, soft S&M, voyeurism. You ain't gonna tell me you've tried all this stuff, are you?!
J: (laughing very very loud, and hiding her face with her two hands) No, i'm not gonna say anything, ahahah!
L'A: there's one sentence in "What About": "What about the times you said you didn't fuck her/ she only gave you heads". What's your mamma gonna say?
J: I can't keep on telling everything to my mum when i write.It's like for my piercing. I've had my tongue pierced for two years before my mum knew it. I had to tell her because i was invited to my niece's wedding, (my sister Rebbie's daughter). They are all Jehovah witnesses like Mum and they (Jehovah witnesses) aren't really into piercing...Anyway i went to the wedding and took my mum separately and told her "Mamma, i've had my tongue pieced". She shivered from head to toes and went "My sweetheart, nooo! Why? Lemme see it!" (Janet lets her tongue out of her mouth, then imitates her mother's face shaken with fear). Then my sister came by and there they were both, disgusted, and Rebbie went "I forbid you from opening your mouth in front of my guests, i don't want you to scare them on the day of my daughter's wedding!"
L'A:They say you have also had several tattoos as well.
J: I've got an African tribe symbol right here (showing her right wrist) and a big scorpio down my back. I even had to reduce the tattoo from its original size otherwise it would have gone real down on my butt!
L'A: What about your Mickey Mouse tattoo? J (very surprised): How do you know about that? I don't often talk about the Mickey Mouse tattoo cause it's placed at a kinda... special part of my intimate body.
L'A: Oh well...On "Got 'Til It's Gone", you sample Joni Mitchell, one of your musical heroes, and you invite Q-Tip.
J: I've always admired Joni Mitchell. When i first wanted to sample "Big Yellow Taxi" everyone was like "Forget it janet, she'd never say yes". But i wanted to ask her after she'd have listened to the song, and i wanted the answer from her mouth. She called me herself, to tell me she agreed. I was incredibly glad.As for Q-Tip, i've known him since Poetic Justice in which he played my boyfriend. Him and Joni Mitchell have got something in common: what they write is poetry.
L'A: One of your latest partner on screen was Tupac Shakur on Poetic Justice, who passed away last year...
J: I could not believe it for a whole week. Every morning i woke up telling Ren_ "I had a nightmare: Pac was dead". And he answered me "Well that's true, Jan". Then i started to recollect all the things he used to tell me during on the set of Poetic Justice. He asked me "How old do you wanna be when you die?" and I said "My grandfather died at age 101, i wish i could live as long as possible..." Then he said "Me, i wanna die before i turn thirty". Today i still think he was not serious, he was oushed by his "bad boy" image, while he was such a sensitive actor and a kindhearted man.
L'A: In the last song of your album, "Can't be stopped", you talk about your relatives, about people who "were born with blood of kings and queens".
J: For years at school we've been taught over and over that we came from slave's blood. Period. They never told us that our roots were the greatest and the oldest part of humanity. I was ashamed regarding my white friends who were from Europe, and i envied their past history and culture. Now, i know that i come from blood of kings and queens of Africa (big smile upon her face).
END OF INTERVIEW
I hope this article's translation was not too badly translated. For any mistake (i tried to convey the same speach as janet) pleeze do excuse me. This was based on a French translation of janet's words, so there might be little differences. Just so you'd know...
Peace,
Florent.