Madonna vs. Janet: Round 812

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Thread started 10/31/07 5:39pm

JackieBlue

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Madonna vs. Janet: Round 812

I know this is the oldest battle after Prince vs. MJ but it's an amusing take and interesting to see points argued off the Org.

A few interesting points raised, some stuff I had forgotten about... still no mention of Janet’s interview from Q Magazine when she dissed Madonna’s live shows—that was pre-VIBE interview of 1993 I believe. Let the games begin...

*****
http://claycane.blogspot....donna.html

September 4, 2007

UPDATE: Janet is killing Madge at 56%! Miss Jackson is doing the Rhythm Nation dance all over Madonna's gnarled body! Keep voting people! This might be an upcoming story for one of the entertainment spots I write for....oh and don't cuss each other out in the comments! I must admit I've been listening to Control and Velvet Rope in heavy rotation today! Did anyone know "The Pleasure Principle" was a song originally written for Prince?

FYI - please attempt to read with a sense of humor. Janet is not Coretta Scott King and Madonna is not Emily Dickinson!

Yes, before Beyonce versus Ashanti…before Beyonce versus Rihanna…before Beyonce versus Beyonce—there was Madonna versus Janet Jackson!

While their vocals are like Donald Duck on laughing gas and they are the most overrated dancers since In Living Color’s “Fly Girls”...don't you love how Madonna/Janet fans will argue the two are groundbreaking dancers as if they are Grace Kelly or Alvin Ailey--yes, I know Madonna went to Alvin Ailey for like one semester! They have still changed pop music as we know it.

Madonna’s debut album came out in 1983 and Janet’s debut album hit stores in 1982. Yes, if we have to include the debacle of Madonna's American Life in 2003 then Janet's first two clunkers are valid, which keeps her around just as long as Madonna. They have paved the way—so who is the baddest pop diva of all them all? Let's break it down and cast your vote below.

WHO DID IT FIRST?
It can't be denied that the two pop divas are flawless performers, which makes them even more competition for each other. Hardcore Madonna fans will argue she has always been ten years ahead of Miss Jackson and that Janet has copied Madonna on more than a few occasions. For example, Miss Jackson has used the same video directors as Madonna and many people thought Janet’s Velvet Rope and janet. albums were toned down versions of Madonna’s “Erotica” era, especially considering during the all-black Rhythm Nation days (where people said J. was copying Michael) she whispered in a MTV interview, “I don’t think taking your clothes off is sexy.” A few years later her titties were splashed all over Rolling Stone. Could Janet have done the janet. album if it weren’t for the boundaries Madonna shattered with sexuality?

Let’s be real here, Madonna is not necessarily an originator. Her trashy white girl, punk look of the ‘80’s was directly snatched from Debbie Harry of Blondie—Madonna just made it a phenomenon. Some of Madonna’s sexual exploits and androgyny were obvious takes from David Bowie and, most obviously, Prince. For example, masturbating on a bed during “Like a Virgin” in the Blonde Ambition tour, Prince did an identical scene in 1983 during the 1999 tour. No one is a true originator and Madonna surely isn’t…she may reinvent, but her ideas aren’t necessarily "new".

Controversy:
Madonna’s controversy is endless. She was one of the first pop artists to make threatening music and dist Middle America. Some of the theme she explored like homosexuality, a black Jesus in the “Like a Prayer” video, being banned from MTV, morbid sexuality in “Erotica” and countless religious imagery kept the pop diva in hot water. Through it all, the “Material Girl” stood by her beliefs and was unapologetic. By the time the SEX book hit stores in 1992, her career was nearly destroyed, but she put her clothes back on and survived.
Janet had little to no controversy until her silicone-filled titty flopped out at the Super Bowl in 2004. We still do not know if it was truly a wardrobe malfunction, but whatever it was, it backfired. What was the most irritating were her apologies. Madonna would’ve said, “So what! Get over it!” Janet repeatedly apologized in that delicate voice…then we had the Oprah interview where the grand O nearly had to choke Miss Janet to say how she really felt about Justin Timberlake. Didn’t we all want to hear her say, “Oprah—he f%!ked me over! Plus, I got so much heat because I am a black woman.” Madonna never had a problem pulling her gender card…Janet seemed afraid of it.

RACE:
It's an interesting debate when it comes to race with the pop icons. First, you have Madonna who has been criticized as a culture robbing whore who has been every race/ethnicity from black (early Madonna), Latina ("La Isla Bonita", "Who's That Girl", etc.), Asian ("Rain"), Indian (Ray of Light—commidying the Indian dances and hena). Madonna has always maintained she is simply inspired by other cultures, which is different than an Elvis Presley who robbed black folks and gave no credit. Also, this culture robbing argument seems to come mainly from black Americans, but Madonna hasn’t been black for at least twenty years! From what I've read and heard, general assessment among Latinos that Madge has “robbed” or disrespected their culture—except for when she rubbed the Puerto Rican flag on her snatch! The only thing Madonna took from Latinos was Carlos Leon and I don't think anyone missed him.

While it may seem like a distant memory, there was a time when (and of course the rest of the Jackson family with those botched nose jobs and skin problems) wasn’t necessarily embracing her sista’ girl-ness. We all remember, light-bright-damn-near white Janet of the late ‘80’s. Les we forget, between “What Have You Done for Me Lately” and “Anytime, Anyplace” where black men seemed like a repellent in her videos—how in Jackson-family-nose-jobs-hell could she not have touched Djimon Hounsou in the “Love Will Never Do without You” video? Did Janet know fawning over white men would make her more appealing?

Then we had the bleeding liberalism of the Rhythm Nation 1814 album. I think Rhythm Nation is one of the best pop albums of all time and I loved that she was being political, a rarity in ‘80’s pop. Not that anyone expected to Janet be Public Enemy, but some of her critics commented the record lacked little awareness of her being a black woman—calling for everyone to be “colorblind”—a problematic term in combating racism...maybe those critiques are why she never returned to political music. Nonetheless, Janet has grown in her ideals of race…I remember when word spread that Janet was dating Jermaine Dupri and everyone said, “I didn’t think she’d be with someone that dark!”

Another interesting fact is that if you listen to Madonna’s music up until 1998, it was very much R&B. If Madonna were black, albums like Erotica, Like a Prayer and Bedtime Stories would’ve been considered R&B. On the other hand, Janet’s music wasn’t as urban (you had the “Funny How Time Flies” and “Someday is Tonight” here and there) up to the mid to late ‘90’s when she began doing remixes—she was basically strictly pop, but called R&B just because she was black.

THE GAYS:
What is a pop icon without the gays? From the beginning Madonna marketed herself to the gay community, credited her first dance teacher, Christopher Flynn a gay man who died of AIDS, as being the first person to tell her she was beautiful and take her to gay clubs. She was a supporter of HIV/AIDS before it was popular and literally blew America away with her willingness to talk about sexuality in the ‘80’s and early ‘90’s. Whether it was shock value and calculating, her love for the gay community seemed sincere.

Madonna was probably one of the first artists to realize how valuable a gay fan base is. However, since Madonna has become all matronly some in the gay community have argued she has distanced herself from her hardcore fan base. In a 2005 interview with MTV's John Norris he asked her about this supposed distance. Madonna answered, "It certainly hasn't been intentional. I am very grateful to my gay fan base."

It’s safe to say Janet was never as in-your-face as Madonna when it came to sexuality, especially in the early part of her career. Still, there were never any moments of homophobia from Janet and you can even catch a bit of voguing in Janet's 1989 “Alright” video. It wasn’t until Velvet Rope that you really saw Janet’s love for her gay fans, she talked about homophobia in interviews and refused to change the lyrics to the Rod Stewart remake of "Tonight's the Night", which has her singing to a woman. She also said, "I don't mind people thinking that I'm gay or calling me gay." Madonna has openly bumped coochies, but I believe Janet is 100% a straight girl and hasn't even looked at another woman's coochie with a lustful thought.

In 2004, Janet did get into a slight controversy when she did a duet with homophobic reggae singer Beenie Man. Janet quickly apologized to her gay fans, "If I had known that (he was associated with homophobia), I would not have worked with him. It's shocking to me. We're on the same label, so I should have known. But at the same time, I wish someone from the company would have told me, knowing how... I feel about the gay community."

I did find it interesting that in the press for Janet's latest album she graced the covers of VIBE, FHM (why?) King Magazine (Jesus Lawd!) and she did no gay press...Janet should've been on the covers of at least one gay magazine...could it be that her people felt urban press mixed with gay press would backfire? But, hell, even Beyonce did Instinct Magazine for Dreamgirls!

Janet and Madonna feud:
No battle is complete without a feud. The story goes in 1991’s Truth or Dare when one of her dancers said Madonna’s outfit was, “very Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation” she replied with, “Bite your tongue.”

Janet said in a 1993 issue of VIBE, "If I don't have anything nice to say, I won't say anything at all. But if I did dislike Madonna then I'd have a good reason." Supposedly this comment came from some remarks Madonna made about Michael Jackson—who at one time were friends and almost collaborated on Jacko’s song “Keep it in the Closet”.

In a 1994 interview with Kurt Loder he asked Lola’s Momma about Janet’s comment in VIBE. Madonna responded with, “I read it myself and I'm like, okay that sounds ominous...what did I do? I’ve never met the woman; I don’t know anyone she knows. I’m mystified. Maybe she’ll tell me one day.” See video here.

The two haven't commented on each other since; except for in 2001 when Madonna said in an interview how much she enjoyed the song “Doesn’t Really Matter”.

It is pretty sad considering if the two ever teamed up for a duet, especially in the ‘90’s, it would/would’ve been one of the best collaborations in pop history.

Pasted below are some interesting facts about Madonna and Janet on the charts:

All stats come from allmusic.com or wikipedia.org.

Both Janet and Madonna have spent a total of 32 weeks at number one of the Billboard Hot 100. However, Madonna has 12 number one hits and Janet has 10.

Madonna has only one number one hit (Music) in the 2000s while Janet has two (Doesn't Really Matter, All For You).

Madonna has won six Grammys and Janet has won five.

The Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour remains the most successful debut tour by any artist.

Janet had only one number one album on the Billboard 200 in the 2000s while Madonna had three in the 2000s. However, Madonna had no number one albums in the '90's.

Janet's longest run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 was “That’s the Way Love Goes” in 1993 with eight weeks. Madonna's longest running number one single was “Take a Bow” with seven weeks in 1995.

In 2005, Madonna's single "Hung Up" became her 36th top 10 single, the most for any artist—tying her only with Elvis Presley.

Janet Jackson is the only artist to have seven top five singles on the Hot 100 from one album, which is Rhythm Nation 1814.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Madonna is the number 14 best selling artist of all time and Janet is number 74.

The Winner:

Madonna: 50%
Janet: 46%
Don't care: 4%
[Edited 10/31/07 10:45am]

Been gone for a minute, now I'm back with the jump off

paper	sosgemini said: why did i read all that? LoL its so funny, tablod like well done
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shortstuff4522 0
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alphastreet	I love both! I've loved madonna longer and feel like she's a legend. Janet is also a legend and I own more of her work than madonna's, though I've been a fan of hers for only half my life. As for current music, madonna is doing the thing more though janet still rules. Those two are my favourite female artists ever, and I love them both and always will.
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