Janet Jackson is finally making her return to the music business after dropping Discipline back in 2008, but in the midst of her big announcement it seems the rumor mill has spun out of control.
For the first time in about seven years, Jackson will be releasing a new album as she also kicks off her new record label Rhythm Nation.
On her own website, Jackson confirmed rumors that some new music and other great ventures were just around the corner for the iconic songstress, but there may have been a little embellishing attached to the news.
“The worldwide partnership with Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation will see the release in Fall 2015 of her first as-yet-untitled album and a commitment to pursue the full range of options within the broader Bertelsmann group of which BMG is part,” the public statement on her website read. “With Rhythm Nation Janet Jackson becomes arguably the first female African-American recording artist to form her own record label.”
The key word here is “arguably” and many have indeed engaged in such an argument.
The first name to pop up for many was the soulful songstress Janelle Monae who is the owner of the Atlanta-based label Wondaland.
Another name that hasn’t been brought up as much is that of Ashanti, who reportedly launched Written Entertainment back in 2011.
“I’m so excited to have my own record label, Written Entertainment,” Ashanti said in a public statement following the label’s launch. “…Ownership is so important. As a business woman this was a great move for me.”
The list, unfortunately, goes on, making Jackson’s claims of making history quite distracting — robbing the spotlight from the fact that she just announced that new music would soon be on the way.
In 1997, hip-hop star Missy Elliott founded The Goldmind Inc. record label and has released all of her albums under the label since its creation. She has also released projects from singers Tweet and Nicole Wray.
So, again, Jackson isn’t making history with the new record label necessarily, but it’s still a wonderful accomplishment and helps add yet another powerful, Black female to the business side of music.
Either way, fans have long been anticipating Jackson’s return ever since the rumors caught fire back in May.
What was allegedly a schedule from Atlantic Records was leaked online and had a July 2015 date slated for Jackson’s new album.
Jackson didn’t confirm a new album until a few weeks ago with a video trailer that announced “new music, new world tour, a new movement.”
According to the press release, Jackson has sold more than 160 million records to date and is “one of the best-selling artists of all time.”
This was, of course, before controversy swirled around her career during her now infamous Super Bowl performance from 2004, which officially caused the term “Nipplegate” to come into existence.
Only time will tell if the new tour and music will be enough to bring Jackson back to her previous glory days.
