Review Summary: Unapologetically Janet
In our everyday lives, we all face the fear of being inadequate, of being fakes or frauds or rip-offs. We worry that we are only in the hearts and minds of loved ones because of coincidence or manipulation, and in isolation those distortions only grow worse. We can push down our fears and traumas, but they will inevitably force their way to the surface at the worst possible moment and cause a meltdown. It can happen to anyone, and it did happen to Janet Jackson. What results from her recovery is an album that's deeply personal and fully-realized as an expression of her entire self.
Janet is unapologetically Janet. She is a survivor of trauma, an icon of sexual liberation and the empowerment of women, especially black women. She is an unwavering ally of the queer community, in a time when it was not a popular position even among artists. In overcoming her trauma, she became more than a better musician, she became a role model. And in "Special" she affirms that, in healing from trauma, we can inspire others to do the same:
"I know how you’re feelin'
Same thing I did deal with
You're not as alone as you may feel
You see, but oh
It catches up to us fast
We have to deal with the past
I know it's painful but
There you'll find specialness
'Cause everybody needs to feel real special"
Musically, The Velvet Rope is a foundational work of Neo-Soul and it should be pointed to as a direct influence on the great talents of my generation like Thundercat, Amy Winehouse, and Tyler, The Creator. You can hear the influence from legendary musical minds like J Dilla and Q-Tip, the synthesis of hip-hop and R&B into something entirely new. But at other parts it's reverent of history; "Together Again" is a straight up homage to the glory of the disco era.
The vocoder backing on "Velvet Rope" gives the melody real weight, as do the tubular bells over the piano track, making it a fully fleshed out introduction to the concept of the album. "Got 'Til Its Gone" is a groovy uptempo bop that samples Joni Mitchell and is quintessential 90's in the most complimentary way, turntables and all. "Free Xone", "Together Again" and her cover reworking Rod Stewart's "Tonight's The Night" into a lesbian anthem are monumental statements of support for a community that had very little in the 90's while still recovering from the indescribable stigma and suffering of the AIDS epidemic.
Another point of admiration: The Velvet Rope is completely unafraid to be honest about Janet's sexual expression, and "Rope Burn" has that descending chord progression that's just spellbinding under the utter groove of the song's rhythm and the smooth velvet of Janet's vocalizations. "Anything" has those soft rain samples that Janet made famous and which Kendrick would go on to sample on "Poetic Justice".
If there is a thesis to this album, it is the fact that trauma is fundamentally a contagion, and hurt people hurt people. To heal, we must believe in the restorative power of love, of loving ourselves, loving our people and loving our potential to do great things. Nobody can make us heal, we must do it ourselves, but with the people we love and the capacity for self-growth, a better future is out there.
