Just pretend that we have no more tomorrow

It was 'The Velvet Rope' day today. I played it twice at work. Every time I heard it, each song brought me back to different periods in my life. I just find it so remarkable that this album, my favourite of all time, is synonymous with so many moments in my life. 'The Velvet Rope' is an album that supports me emotionally through anything I have to face. As she always described it, it's cathartic and therapeutic.

This album was what made me connect to Janet. It made me honour her struggles, her messages, her ideology. Even as a young boy, I knew the issues she was dealing with at the time of recording the album were issues everyone would face some time in their life. Self-love, emotional abuse, depression, sex, sadness, loneliness, hope, inspiration, happiness.

The facets of imagery she saturated the album with were pure perfection and beauty. The fashions, the choreography, the poise. You don't find many artists these days who can release six singles from an album and have six totally different looks, let alone sounds, on each video/track. 'The Velvet Rope' is a masterpiece body of work. The album was met with criticism, censorship, perhaps even fear. The Jackson we all knew during the 'janet.' era was gone. Time for the smile to disappear, and for the real issues to emerge. She was no longer Penny from Good Times.

Even to this day, with Beyonce, Christina and the emancipation of Mimi, no body of work can surpass the beauty, passion and eclecticism of 'The Velvet Rope'.

Uh. Janet, you rock. Not long to go now.


PunkOnAir : Janet Jackson - I Get Lonely