Shapeshifter said:

On P O I N T!

Graycap23 said:

It’s cringe-worthy but amusing and very accurate on several points (to those of us who dislike the CD, of course).

Graycap23 said:

It’s cringe-worthy but amusing and very accurate on several points (to those of us who dislike the CD, of course).

He's not alone.

JackieBlue said:

Janet's cd is an example of how the lack of QUALITY and lack of repsect for music fans is DOMINATING the music business. It's utter foolishness 2 continue down this road 4 the record business. If they don't WAKE soon, it's OVA.

Graycap23 said:

I think the genie's out of the bottle, you know. Mind you, I don't think Janet listens to anyone but the guy who needs to stand on a stool in high heels to whisper in her ear.
[Edited 10/25/06 7:17am]

Explain the "fun" aspect of it.

Shapeshifter said:

hey c'mon, that's not nice.
[Edited 10/25/06 7:31am]

give me a fucking break . people are just hating on Jermaine for whatever reason I bet if Jermaine wasn't even given credit half of you would have had a different oppion of the album. a

If it was half a good album I would've said so. I think All For You's half a great album.


I will never understand the negativity of this album just take it for what it is a fun rnb album. I don't understand why everybody expects Janet to be so serious all the time.

Shapeshifter, aren't you taking this 20 YO "love" 2 far?

shortstuff45220 said:

Well, a lot of people think it's shit, you see, hence the negativity. And guess what, to paraphrase her bro' (ok R Kelly then), "We are not alone ..."

MikeMatronik said:

Baby, I'm just getting WARMED UP! Can't wait for the reissue.

Damn, I swore I wouldn’t speak on this album anymore. There’s really nothing left to say but that review got me. More importantly, did we beat the Tori thread yet?

Shapeshifter said:

wow I didn't know three people counted for a lot
only Ellie, Jackie and you seem to not like the album , evrybody else's either likes or thinks it's okay.

Damn, I swore I wouldn’t speak on this album anymore. There’s really nothing left to say but that review got me. More importantly, did we beat the Tori thread yet?

wow I didn't know three people counted for a lot
only Ellie, Jackie and you seem to not like the album , evrybody else's either likes or thinks it's okay.

badujunkie said:

Well, take this and party. A truly DREADFUL review of 20 Yo-Yos:

Review: Janet's 20 YO - do not buy!
14 Comments By xolondon on 9.25.2006 at 10:18 PM.



Before I unleash brutal honesty about the new Janet Jackson CD 20 YO, you might want to refer to my review of Damita Jo, Janet's weak 2004 album, on which I thought she'd reached rock bottom. I am here to tell you that Miss Jackson has indeed reached rock bottom and continues to dig. 20 YO is flaming piece of shit. Let's look at fact and fiction...

Fallacy: Jan has proclaimed this album a celebration of her 20 years of emancipated music, a celebration of her past success. Caca! There is virtually nothing about this album that sounds like the Janet Jackson that we know. Yes, maybe she looks back as far as the sunburst-nipped Damita Jo years (2004), but that's as far as she goes. This could pass for an album by Ashanti or Mya.

Truth: Jan still likes to sing about jerking off ("Take Care"), opening "my spot for you, anytime you want me to" (on the excremental "So Excited"), or this gem "You know it makes the you-know-what come out." Eww. The lyrics may not contain any penis-in-mouth scenes, but God knows she nibbled on her lil dog Jermaine's weenis while doing vocals for the CD. She sounds strangely weak on many of the songs, sort of scratchy.

Fallacy: This is a dance record. Please! Can you dance to "So Excited" - or would you want to? There is no "Together Again" or even an "All Nite". This is music for 90's throwbacks who like to bounce their cars while attending Freaknik (I hope that is not offensive - I don't mean it to be. Not everyone at Freaknik would fit that stereotype).

Truth: The cover could be worse, but the overall artwork is pathetic. Never has someone been so Photoshopped and that's saying a lot, coming from a Madge fan (only Mariah Scarey can out-do Janet in the airblasting). The logo looks amateur and the pictures are neither thematic or iconic.

Fallacy: The album is 100% turd. It's not. There are two standout tracks that prove she could've pulled off her own rejuventation (a la Mariah and Madge). The first is the ebullient "Enjoy" (watch the suits whisk in to make that a single before Christmas) - a track so happy it has children doing la la la las at the end. The ballad "Take Care," complete with fingersnaps, revisits the oceanic synths of "Come Back To Me." One of the Jermaine tracks ("Do It 2 Me") is okay, if only because it's built on a great sample. Tellingly, one of the best songs, "Days Go By" is not even on the album! It's available only on the Japanese version of the CD. Thanks for nothing, slut!

Truth: The album has more of her trademark interludes. Aside from the usual use of falling rain, Janet is once again yukking it up backstage with her posse, specifically someone named Lynette. Gee thanks, but these inside jokes are not so interesting, Janita.

Truth: There are rapper features all over the album. From the already trashed Nelly and Khia collabs, to several other songs with raps. The nadir is the truly horrid "Show Me" which is frequently interrupted by some female rapper whinging, "How bad do u want it?" Press. Delete. Now. In 1993, Chuck D did a truth-telling rap on her majestic "New Agenda." The days of chilling with Kathleen Battle and the brilliant Q-Tip are long gone.

You can just hear Jermaine Dupree sitting in some airtight Hotlanta control booth, dripping in diamond studs, dialing Janet on her cell to leave her a message:



Jan, this shit is affecting me. I feel like a hot li'l bitch over here! No one can hate on this CD, baby. I'm up here in my seat bouncing to the beat... Hellz yeah!


20YO is the sound of a midlife crisis. Was Janet even present for most of production? Presumably, she was either molesting candied yams (it's for a part!) or slamming herself at the gym. It's a shameless bid for a young urban market, but does Janet really think she can go up against hot young pussy like Cassie (ed. note: sorry for that reference, Cassie, but you lost me when you feigned disgust /offense that people believe your single is about giving head. At least own your inner freak!). It should be noted that all the songs I like on 20 YO do not include any credit for Jermaine Dupree. Bring back Rene Elizondo now!

Janet: there was once a time when you owned the top of the pop charts and ruled as a princess in the homes of black America. You know, the normal Jackson [cough] who cared about racism, sexism, homophobia, AIDS, war and all the noise coming out at us from the TV. Now you contribute to that noise. It took you 20 years, but you've pissed your credibilty away.

Now I know there are some readers who will disagree about this album. Some very young readers in particular. I ask you to go back and compare this album to Janet's output from 1986 - 1997 and then we'll talk. Stay tuned for a post in which I rewrite history and present a Janet album that doesn't exist...

http://xolondon.blogspot....t-buy.html

I've held off on giving my review for awhile. Thought maybe I'd have a major revelation with the album, or it would continue to grow on me. It's been out for over a month now, so I figure the honeymoon is over.

Before the album came out, I swore up and down that I wouldn't buy it. I downloaded some of it from the internet and really didn't like what I was hearing. However, all day on the 20th, all I could think about was my incomplete Janet collection. So at 8:30, I got in my car and flew to Best Buy before it closed. Picked up the album and figured that I'd give it a chance. Hoped that maybe it would sound better coming out of my car stereo, or that I had downloaded fake versions of the songs. Whatever. It wasn't awful. There was nothing as terrible as 'Would You Mind', 'Warmth', 'Spending Time With You', or 'My Baby' on it. So far so good.

The thing I realized with further plays was that it didn't have the aforementioned lows, it also didn't have any high points either. 'Do It 2 Me', 'Daybreak', and 'Enjoy' are all pretty good songs, but I don't see any of them becoming Janet classics.

Let's face it, EVERY Janet CD has at least one or two clunkers (yes, even 1814, Control, and Velvet Rope). However, even Damita Jo and All For You had enough good material to balance out the crap.

The reason 20 Y.0. is the worst album Janet's put out since becoming a superstar is because it is completely mediocre. You could've made a great 12 track album out of Damita Jo. Trimming some of the fat (and interludes) from All For You wouldn't have made it one of Janet's greatest albums, but it still would've been a decent enough disc. The 3 or 4 decent tracks on 20 Y.O would have been filler on both AFY and DJ. 'Put Your Hands On', which didn't even make the cut for DJ is better than any song on 20 YO.

I won't sell 20 YO back, but I probably won't pull it back out until the next time Janet releases a new CD. I might not skip 'Do It 2 Me' or 'Take Care' if they pop up on my iPod, but I kinda doubt that I'll actively seek the album out to listen to at any time in the near future.

Truth: There are rapper features all over the album. From the already trashed Nelly and Khia collabs, to several other songs with raps. The nadir is the truly horrid "Show Me" which is frequently interrupted by some female rapper whinging, "How bad do u want it?"

Shapeshifter said:

Didn't we all figure out that's Janet herself

CinisterCee said:

To be honest, it took me a few listens to realize it was Janet. Just doesn't sound like her at all.