Dear Janet Jackson…

It pains me to do this. This is something I never thought I would have to do. However, with these recent chain of events and activities…as well as all of your shenanigans during your return, you have left me no choice. I have to be fair. No one, I mean NO ONE, including my favorite is exempt from a good old-fashioned reading and professional dragging. Warning: This is a long one…however…as much as I hate doing this…I really have to…it had to be done! It’s in my spirit to….so…….

Dear Janet Jackson,

As a die-hard fan, I couldn’t be happier for you and your husband to be starting a family. I know how long you have wanted kids. Your entire career you have put your fans first and now this is your time. I get it! I understand you are doing what is best for you and your family at this stage in your life and marriage…however, I feel that you are not seeing the big picture here and what this return to the spotlight has meant to your fans and what it has done to your career. I can’t defend you on this one! I tried to set aside the fact that you’re bringing a life into the world, but the timing is ALL wrong on a professional aspect. So let’s go ahead and get down to the real issues at hand.

I truly believe that many of these celebrities, especially those like her who have been rich and famous for so long end up getting detached from reality regardless of how down to earth they appear to be. Those of us on the outside of the spectrum, those of us that live in the real world won’t see things the way that you do. Like I said earlier…I can’t defend you on this one. I took up for you when the ‘gurls’ were shading your return. (And yes, it’s a return not a comeback. Legends don’t have to make comebacks). They treated you like you weren’t worthy of sharing the spotlight with these new girls out here who not only idolize and mimic you, but they are following the path that you set before them to make it possible for them to be where they are today in their careers today. They got tired of us talking about you (like we don’t hear about Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor and them other girls all damn day long) and being happy that you were doing this for your fans. Because truth be told, artists at your level and with your status in the game don’t ever have to perform or release anything again. You showed and proved for so many years. We got laughed at for thinking you were actually going to got through with a full tour even though many of us know your track record when it comes to touring. My naive ass (only with this) defended you DOWN! “This most likely will be her last tour so she will definitely go through with it.” That’s what I said. HAHAHA!!! Jokes on me I see. Now look where we’re at. Album stalled, concert ‘postponed’ multiple times and the possible ending to your legendary performing career is not going according to plan. It’s not a good look sis! Not a good look!

I should’ve known it was going to be some bullshit when at the 2015 BET Awards where you were being honored with the first ever ‘Ultimate Icon Award’ which was definitely well deserved and overdue; you didn’t perform. I still think you needed to at least perform your new single ‘No Sleeep;’ at least that one. I wasn’t surprised you didn’t perform, but you should have. For a tribute of that magnitude it should’ve been put together a little better. It’s BET…but still. For starters, you needed to be the one to pick the performers. Next, there needed to be more songs during the tribute. Who they had perform (with the exception of Ciara) and the songs they did; I guess it was alright, but still…YOU’RE JANET DAMN JACKSON!!! Enough said! You deserved better! Not impressed! Speaking of ‘No Sleeep’ as great of a song as it is, as much classic Janet that it’s giving the children…that should NOT have been the lead single off of your return album. Second single, possibly; radio single, yes;  first single, no! I don’t believe that you took this album and tour seriously from jump. The album promotion was non existent. Now…you did mention that you weren’t going to promote it as much because you were going to be on tour. Well…that’s NO EXCUSE! There was a 4 month gap in between the release of the single to the album. Yes, you were on tour when the album came out and preparing prior to the tour but what else were you doing? Just releasing damn 20 second videos, laying in the bed whispering & shit talking about, “I’ve been listening…Let’s keep the conversation going…Conversations in a cafe!” There was absolutely no dialog between us sis…NONE! So what conversations are we talking about? If you were listening, we wouldn’t be here right now.

The damn Unbreakable tour! GIRL!!!!! Something told me from jump…when the first tour dates were announced to take my ass right onto Ticketmaster immediately and purchase tickets to the Cincinnati show. But, not long after those dates were announced you added Columbus so I went ahead and bought the tickets as soon as they became available. I honestly had no reason to doubt that you would pull any stunts with this tour though. None at all…I actually believed you would come through. Then…a couple of months before the Columbus show, you cancelled some tour dates, including Columbus due to throat surgery. You were very secretive as usual, but we know that’s how you roll. We were hearing it was cancerous and other crazy things and you didn’t say a word. Just got back in your bed, smiling and whispering letting us know the tour was back on. Of course, a huge part of me was worried and hoped it wasn’t anything too serious and surgery would fix any issues that you were having. However, the other part of me, the part that’s familiar with your work regimine began to get instant flashbacks to 2008 and that damn Rock Wit U tour that was…you guess it…cancelled not long after it started. Then a couple of months later you postponed all of the European tour dates. That’s when I started to panic. The first cancellation due to medical reasons was a warning, but after that…I had to ask you…WHAT’S TEA??? Now…here we are. Where do we go from here Janet? I’ll tell you where I’m NOT going…not to your damn show that’s for damn sure! I’m not waiting until 2017 for you to figure this shit out. Let me go on ahead and clock you on this shit real quick. See I done fucked around and got pissed off in the middle of typing this shit. So we get this video from you…another one laying in the damn bed, smiling…whispering and shit letting us know that you are “postponing” your tour INDEFINITELY until further notice to start a family. Indefinitely…to start a family. No ma’am! See…you set the girls up! How can anyone get mad at that? No one, I’m sure is upset that you are postponing your tour to start a family. But of course…you’re mum with the details. Are you carrying the baby yourself (I mean…you will be 50 next month)? Are you two adopting? Doing in vitro treatments? I mean…what’s really going on? I know you are a private person…that’s one of the many things I have always admired about you is how you pay people dust when asked about your personal life. But…the children need to know if you’re carrying this baby or not. I needed so I could figure out what type of shape you may be in and if I should even worry about keeping my tickets. Then…the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking about these stunts and this one took me out. At your age, any age really when planning a pregnancy, you usually don’t do it out of the blue and say…hey girl…it’s time. This was planned and no one can tell me any differently. How convenient to take a break, I mean announce (no shade) a pregnancy or not a pregnancy (whatever it is) in the middle of a world tour that you have already postponed and cancelled shows on. I mean are you on bed rest? WTF??? So many questions that we will never get answers to. We totally understand that you’re racing against the clock, but it’s not fair to your fans who have waited and waited for you to get it together to see you in person again. Then you turn around and do something like this in the middle of an already sketchy tour. I don’t get it. I can understand if you just popped up pregnant, but your little message left us so lost. But my ass won’t get lost in the crowd (or lack there of…no shade) on O. State’s campus whenever you decide to resume this tour. If ever!

Luckily I was able to see your “Number Ones: Up Close and Personal” tour in Detroit back in 2011. I didn’t think that it may have possibly been my last tour to witness your greatness. I wasn’t expecting another “The Velvet Rope” concert (which is the greatest show EVER) but I at least wanted to see you perform one last time. You’re not only one of the best entertainers of all time, but a legendary icon with such a huge faithful fan base. I’ll tell you one damn thing though…this fan will not be in attendance. You better release this concert on DVD or something to give me memories of what there was to be! I mean damn…at least do that! No one can take your legendary status and accomplishments away from you. I will say thought, this isn’t a good look for you at all! Not saying that you can’t tour again or release new music, but the way you handled this return…I don’t see you doing anything else at least for years. You really don’t need to do anything. I’m not going to tell you to hang it up and stop performing because that’s not what I want. I will slightly suggest that you sit down and think long and hard about your next step and if you feel that you have a whole tour in you before you get your fans excited. No one is playing these games anymore. I truly believe that you’re stuck in 2001 which was honestly the last time you were on top of the game and could pull this type of thing off. This is a totally different time. The music business will chew you up and spit you out regardless of who you are. Then they will politely move on to the next one. A lot of people are already cashing in their tour refunds for Rihanna and Beyoncé tickets. Yep…they sure are! I would tell you to get your life, but since you have all the money in the world I’m pretty sure that won’t affect you with me saying that and you would then turn around and pay me dust like you do everyone else. The same way that you will never read this but it’s all good. I just needed to read you one good time! Just do me a favor. Think about your fans before you schedule tours and have people out here spending money and taking time off of work. It’s an inconvenience to us, not you!

Sincerely,

A die hard fan who decided to go ahead and tell you to GET YOUR LIFE!