If Latoya Jackson had Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis or Quincy Jones to produce and direct her music in 1980's and 90's, do you think she could have a successful career, perhaps more successful than Janet and Michael?

You haven't heard her music have you.

Especially on the heels of Heart Don't Lie she could have been bigger or had longer success. If she'd gotten rid of the head band, got a cute hair cut and had never met Jack Gordon--who knows. Not bigger than Michael or Janet but a few more songs.

Betcha Gonna Need My Lovin' was the jam.
[Edited 8/22/05 14:45pm]

No, talent can't be bought.
Especially with Michael, Quincy showed him the right direction, but he had the advantage of working with Michael's voice.
[Edited 8/22/05 14:56pm]

JackieBlue said:

But that's who she was! The headband! Jack Gordon's wife! All of it!

For real, her voice is not even faintly pleasant. It's not that she had the wrong material/songwriters/image.

CinisterCee said:

I'm just saying if it's possible?

JackieBlue said:

JACK GORDON! EWWW, EWWW, EWWW!!! Not that Latoya was the most talented family member to begin with, but that guy totally cheapened her and brought her down to the level of a glorified soft porn star-----EWW EWW EWW---had to deal with them before --- and boy, was he was GROSS!!!!

NO NO NO.

Just NO.

I guess it leaves 1 2 1nder


If Ands and Buts were candy and nuts it would be Christmas every day of the year.
[Edited 8/22/05 15:32pm]

Ottensen said:

Yeah it's a shame she ever got mixed up with him.

I guess I sorta feel sorry for her. The butt of jokes and always considered the talentless one. The way these people sound today I don't see her being much worse. With the right song and the right producers... She probably should have went on to pursue entertainment law like she first considered but damn Joeseph and his showbiz dad ways!

CinisterCee said:

I kinda understand where you're coming from, especially since she was coming from an era where the expectation was higher for people who wanted to make music than what we know of today.....

...however, in THIS day and age, once I get beyond the occaisional chorus/hook, I can't even REMOTELY tolerate the voices of J.Lo, Brittany, or even cute lil' Amerie more than I could tolerate LaToya's back in the day, and without today's mega-producers and slick packaging, who would any of those MTV gals be????

Krytonite said:

NOPE!

SHE SHOULD CHANGE HER NAME TO DUMBGIRL DINGLEBERRY JACKSON

hey it would have been possible, i mean janet isn't that great a singer neither...

missfee said:

How about Rebbie? Would it be possible for her?

Krytonite said:

possibly, but didn't she had a hit or two in the early 80's? wasn't called catapillar or something???

If Rebbie was dedicated I think she could have.

ABSOLUTELY! For those that remember, Janet was nothing more than an earring with a big ass key on it, doing a little two-step dance like some Valley chick. Got a new hairdo, wardrobe (mostly black, which was a subconscious attempt to conjure visual images of big brother AND give the appearance of a smaller waistline), and a new sound via new producers, and VOILA!
Yeah, she can't sing, but she sings better than Latoya. Latoya's vocals could've improved with the right training. She could've been every bit the superstar as any other pop diva, if she'd taken it more seriously instead of just riding her brothers' tails.

Adisa said:

She ran that two-step didn't she? And when there was a break she'd do the straight jumping up and down.

missfee said:

Centipede.

I've heard many people say that Rebbie is the better singer/vocalist than Latoya and Janet.

missfee said:

centipede

Her album from the late 90s wasn't bad either. She had a nice version of the MJ bootleg "Fly Away"

Actually, LaToya had a decent track or two on her first album.....decent for LaToya anyway. I don't know what held the album back. I saw her on "Soul Train" promoting it but the radio never picked it up. She had some top name musicians that played a little on that album such as Stevie Wonder, Ray Parker, Jr., Ollie Brown, and Patrice Rushen. Michael Jackson even wrote a song or two for the album.
[Edited 8/22/05 19:24pm]

I remember the video for Yours Faithfully. Not bad. She looked great during the promotion too. She goes under a waterfall fully dressed with her male dancers.



I think Fork in the Road was the other good song off of Centipede. I somehow missed her other two albums, Reaction and R U Tuff Enuff
[Edited 8/22/05 19:41pm]

she'd still be known as the crazy one that was in Playboy.

nope. she'd still sound like shit. altho i do dig her cover of private joy and the headbands was hot!

missfee said:

it was centipede. and rebbie actually HAD a voice. far better than janet and latoya imo

Moonwalkbjrain said:

I don't really think that's an opinion, more of a fact.

lilgish said:

that imo was actually for those nutty ass janet fans. u know the ones that think janet on her worst sound better than beyonce on her best :rollseye:

I believe J&T couldve really helped out LaToyas sound. Hell..lookit Thelma Houston...she had just some lil ol Disco cut..and when I bought her album man J&T (with Monte Moir) were ON FIRE. They did the same with S.O.S. Band too.



Having said that..

I wish Michael Jackson wouldve got back in the studio with J&T. With great productions on Scream, Tabloid Junkie, Is It Scary & 2Bad (not mentioning History's (the song) uplifter / rap breaks madness), it wouldve been great to see what else they can du 2gether.

missfee said:

I know some can't believe it, but I saw Janet sing on Different strokes without all the magic of the studios and she has a weak, skaky voice.

She can dance! I will give her that... but there is a reason that she lip sincs in her concerts.

JackieBlue said:

I do remeber that!