Growing up, my mama was a Janet Jackson stan. Her music was played as much as gospel in other houses. I have vivid memories of sitting alone in front of our CD component set, flipping through the booklet of the deluxe janet. album, and letting the French version of “Again” seep into my spirit. Even crying sometimes (yes, I am a very dramatic Capricorn). My favorite way to listen to Janet was watching the ways my mama would move her body and contour her face to the varied emotions of any given song. She’d let her hands explore her curves and hold herself. I was in awe of her.
As an adult, I recognize just how beneficial it is was to experience Janet in this way. Janet is my mama’s contemporary as they’re both born in Spring 1966, a month and 12 days apart. I can imagine how affirming it was to see a sassy little Janet on “The Jackson’s” variety show, Penny on “Good Times”, and Charlene on “Diff’rent Strokes”. A beautiful Black girl of similar complexation authentically being herself, giving her permission to do the same. My mama moved into adulthood, gaining independence, growing into sensual beings with their own thoughts about the world. Janet continued to share vulnerable parts of herself, reassuring mama it’s ok to be this flawed, sexy, vibrant, and brilliant woman.
With this micro syllabus, I provide a playlist and readings on themes of love, pleasure, and assertion of identity. Janet Jackson cultivates a space for messy expression, guaranteed growth, and infinite compassion.
On Pleasure
Playlist | Audre Lorde “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power”
On Love
Playlist | Deesha Philyaw “How To Make Love to A Physicist”
On Assertion of Identity
Playlist | Marsha P. Johnson “You Gotta Have Soul”
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My hope is you engage with your favorite artist in a more intentional way. These people are artists. Their work should be treated with the same weight as an artist of any other medium.
I create this in honor of my mama Carla Hill Williams and my late Godfather, Vincent Lamar Brooks. They were supposed to see Janet’s Velvet Rope tour together, but Vincent had succumbed to complications with HIV just months before the show. “Together Again” will forever be our song for him and everyone else who was lost due to the virus.
Vincent Lamar Brooks being fly. I love you!
Me and mama around the time I was playing in her CDs, learning French inadvertently lol
If you enjoyed this expression of love for Janet, you can send love offerings for $ByJasmineNicole or @ByJasmineNicole on CashApp and Venmo, respectively.