Janet Jackson Leaves Def Jam

Sandra Rose September 22, 2008

In an video blog posted at Rap-Up.com, producer Rodney Jerkins confirmed rumors that Janet Jackson has left Island/Def Jam Records.

Jackson, who is currently in the midst of a sold out concert tour, did not release a statement. But Jerkins, who produced tracks on Jackson’s disappointing album, Discipline, did plenty of talking for her.

We didn’t get the support from the record company. Janet felt like it wasn’t pushed. I felt like it wasn’t pushed correctly. She just didn’t get her just due as an artist of that magnitude.

I could make an album with her, possibly me, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis. Keep it real simple. They focus on what they’re great at, I focus on what I’m great at. We come together and make a classic Janet record. (Source)

DivaMama

I heard a rumor that she didn’t leave, but they cut her. Not sure which is true…
http://www.myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

I think Discipline is a great album, but the masses are just not accepting Janet anymore. It seems that no matter what she does people are not going to support it. As long as she puts out great music I’ll keep giving her my hard earned cash.
DivaMama

@ Bird,

I agree with you. I enjoy listening to the album, but people are more focused on listening to music that has no substance and doesn’t make them think… I got this information from my teenage cousin. This explains why garbage is in heavy rotation on the radio.
mizzdallas

Agreed w/Bird,I listen to her album and I thought it was good, you have all this garbage rap thats out now even the hardcore janet fans didnt really support this album.
But janet should consider doing more acting, and oh yeah LL should also just hang-up and retire too
candycane

Heard that on the radio this morning. It was also said that JD will be leaving too.

I dont understand these “seasoned” artists saying they weren’t promoted right. They already have fanbases, so all that really needs to be said is Jant has a new cd out next week, and it should be all good. It’s not like no one knows who she is and the type of music she puts out.

I know if I heard MJB’s new cd is out on such and such date, I will be purchasing cause that’s my GIRL!! and she rarely disappoints.
Kymystry

WELL .. I didn’t buy it .. and won’t buy it .. I don’t wanna here a 40 y/o whispering all thru the cd
Kymystry

but I WILL buy her drawals and bras … the line looks sexy
http://www.myspace.com/ckarinwhite ckarinwhite

Kymystry Says:

WELL .. I didn’t buy it .. and won’t buy it .. I don’t wanna here a 40 y/o whispering all thru the cd

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
tee hee hee…whispring all thru the cd…tee hee hee…
Sorry Ms. Jackson, Whoo, I am for real!…
omina-homina

I think this is a case of bad, and biased, decision making on the part of the corporate heads at DEF JAM. The Nipplegate incident still haunts her. But that’s not to say that her efforts are not of quality, or that this last album was bad. She obviously was not working with the right people at some points, but she still has ‘it’. I think this whole ‘album push’ thing is what lead her into that deep depression she was talking about in recent interviews. She always gives it her all, but it seems like she was being stifled by the people around her.

She has a huge fan base, spanning several generations, and still manages to pick up young fans. She still has her own originality, despite being bitten off of over and over again. She’s not fading by any means. She could easily cultivate her present fan base, and produce/release her own records independently.

Independent artists seek record deals for mass distribution and exposure. She already has more than 30 years of exposure to the masses. It seems to me that she could use the internet to get her future albums out.
omina-homina

if she stays away from some of the cheese music themes that most artist have been doing, and that she delved into in her last two albums; and goes back to some of the artistic strategy of her earlier work – she’ll definitely remain originally hot!
pointhimout

good for her. do ya own thang. JD left virgin when she left too. now that’s support fa ya ass.
http://www.myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

ckarinwhite Says:

Sorry Ms. Jackson, Whoo, I am for real!…
******************************************

hehehehe
kalvonel

Lesson to be learned: Janet’s best bet is to return to what worked best for her – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Period. forget abt what other producers say they could do for her and return to the two that pretty much made her an icon. Control – All for You is classic Janet. She may have “whispered” on those albums as well, but they sound so much better than these last two albums. Just my honest opinion
Anna

kalvonel Says:

Lesson to be learned: Janet’s best bet is to return to what worked best for her – Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Period.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So true.
kwallace577

poor janet. her fan base grew up and had kids and got married. she is still stuck in 1989 with as kym states “the whispering”

she has not been relevant since velvet rope.

still love her though. she is iconic.
suga_stix

Janet Jackson cannot sing and I fail to understand how she gets so much love while so many other R&B chicks get picked on for a lack of talent. Janet puts on a heck of a show and is one of the greatest dancers ever,but these kids today could care less about an entertainer that’s the same age as their parents.
PAGESINADIARY

JANET IS DONE WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC BUT SHE CAN CERTAINLY BE LIKE CHER AND DO TOURS OFF OLD MUSIC!!!
scorpio

Janet, needs to get away for JDupree he’s to childish for her.
mimi08

i love janet! She will forever be the queen of this shyt no matter who comes along….i think the problem stems in the radio stations and fans being fickle, getting music twisted now-a-days…Whispering or not, she’s a bad bytch! In fact, nobody whispers a tune like this chic; it was her wispering, realness, sweetness, and dancing that made her famous.

I’m a hardcore fan, i am not fickle, i will not waver with the wind, i will not allow another chick to come along and take her place unless they GENUINELY earns it, not because there daddy paid 2 grips and some camels for a truckload of marketing and brainwashing..

I wonder while some on here criticize the last two albums,i wonder how many actually heard the songs on the album; i wonder how many actually bought it, but yet they doggin it. Clearly, the ones who didn’t buy it are the people saying she needs to go back to her old style, cause if you bought discipline, you’d know that one half of the cd was “old school janet.” And some of yall are pure “bandwagon jumpers,” just jumping on the negativity bandwagon cause you can, even though it’s not warranted. Them same people who saying she need to leave jermaine alone and get back to making music with Jimmy Jam and/or Terry Lewis, gone still complain….cause she’s the same, i believe it’s the fans who are fickle.

I agree with Janet, and an artist of her magnitude wasn’t promoted correctly. Soulja boy was in heavier rotation in one day, than her whole cd put together in a month; WTF!!!!! You barely heard of any her music off this cd on the radio. If it weren’t for the internet, i wonder how many people would have known she even had a cd out. You make all this money for the label, and they just turn on you for the next thing; truly sad.

Bottom line, no other female entertainer can match her swagger, her smile, her humbleness, her true beauty. The other artists out now are fake, fake, fake, and Janet they can never be.
Charles

So when i get fired can i spread a rumor that i left because i wasnt getting the support i needed??? Yeah right she got caught after her last 3-5 albums flopped, she hasnt had a hit since the 90’s
teecee

look people, la reed killed whitney houstons career, why wait around and let him do the same with hers. she needs to leave and concentrate on being janet and not trying to be beyonce. janet doesnt and shoulnt try to be anybody else but janet. now 20 yrs old was her best cd in ages and i think she needs to stick with dance. when i listen to janet i want to dance.
BK2ATLMAN

Well, I heard her album and thought that is was ok. I think it was more so that she didn’t have those bonified Janet singles as she usually does. And thats because she had minidupree doing the album. She cut out the two people that helped make the Janet sound and that was Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. JD is great when it comes to kids and candy pop. If you let Jimmy and Terry and throw in a little darkchild, she would have a hit. Plus it was a total disappoint that she was on that wack remix by umm umm well i can’t even remember the song, but it was horrible. I too am a Janet fan but she does have that Jackson whisper going on in her interviews and albums…. lol
Oh yeah Def Jam suxs anyway!!!!!!!!!!

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