Did you know that Janet Jackson didn’t really want to be a singer? When she was a kid, Janet dreamt of becoming…wait for it…an entertainment lawyer. Maybe she figured with all of her siblings in show business, she’d never have to look for clients.
As the story goes, young Janet had been messing around in a recording studio, singing something or other, and forgot to erase the tape. She told Allure that when her father and brothers played it back, Janet’s path became clear.
Janet Jackson is sharing a lot of stories from her life and career in an upcoming documentary airing on Lifetime and A&E this month. In the meantime, let’s look back at some of the videos that made her an international icon. We’ll start with the 1986 song that helped us all understand her first name ain’t “Baby.” It’s Janet…Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty.