Janet Jackson's Strict Upbringing Had Her Wanting To "Get Out" From Under Her Father

Feb 16, 2022 by apost team

As a member of the Jackson family, Janet Jackson is no stranger to the music industry and living her life in the spotlight. She is the youngest child of the Jackson family. While it's clear that Janet was inspired by her older siblings, she has certainly made a name for herself and paved her own way for her solo career.

Janet was born on May 16, 1966, and was raised with a love for music. She is known for incorporating elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap and industrial beats into her songs. Many of Janet's songs also include heartfelt lyrics about important social issues. Not only is Janet a great singer and songwriter, but she is incredibly talented as a dancer. She even has credits as an actress, really proving just how well-rounded this star is.

The talented woman first began her career with a variety television series called "The Jacksons" back in 1976, and has since catapulted into stardom. She appeared on several other shows throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Janet's unique sound and impeccable choreography made her a household name during the 1980s and 1990s as she worked to break barriers. She has since earned a plethora of awards.

However, Janet has been met with criticism and hardships over the years as well. She has also opened up about her lack of a relationship with her father, Joe Jackson. She endured several challenges growing up under Joe, but still had kind words to say about him following his passing in 2018. Read on to find out more about Janet's life, career and her complicated relationship with her father.

A History Of Hardships

During an interview with Piers Morgan on CNN back in February 2011, Janet talked about struggles with her body image and overcoming grief from Michael Jackson's death. "There was a time when I was so down and felt so attractive and it lasted for a very, very long time that I used to – I used to bang my head against the wall," Janet said.

The performer explained how her ex-husband would have to stop her from doing so. Fortunately, Janet has come a long way since, and even addressed her lifelong self-esteem struggles with her book "True You."

During the interview, Janet also talked about her family life as someone who grew up in a famous family. She referred to her older brother Michael as "very sweet, very gentle, incredibly smart" and "always about love."

Janet also talked about her complicated relationship with her father Joe. According to CNN, Joe was known for using stern discipline to keep his large family in line and on a successful path toward fame and fortune. He was so disciplinary that it almost felt like he wasn't even a fatherly figure. Janet even said she was corrected for calling him "dad." At the time, Joe had said to her, "You call me Joseph. I'm Joseph to you."

After Janet began finding success in her career, she worked at moving out from her childhood home. "I just wanted to get out of the house, get out from under my father, which was one of the most difficult things that I had to do," she said, according to Yahoo.

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Moving Forward

Janet said she has worked at moving past the hardships she endured during her childhood. She used to be sad that she was not closer with Joe, but has since come to terms with it. "I think he did the best that he could, and I think he did a wonderful job with us in the outcome," Janet said, although she didn't agree with the way he went about raising her and her siblings.

Back in July 2018, Janet was performing at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. However, she took a break from her headlining set to talk about the death of her father, who died in late June of that year. "To be quite honest, it was really hard for me," Janet said, according to Us Weekly. "You know, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to move forward, if I should cancel this festival or cancel the entire tour."

The singer became more emotional as she continued to talk to an audience full of fans. She explained how she was connecting with her siblings during this time. "We started to speak about my father's strength," Janet said. "He was very strong. Without his drive, his strength, we wouldn't have the success." She added, "We're a Black family that came from Gary, Indiana, and we broke all kinds of records around the globe. That's truth."

According to Us Weekly, Janet went on to perform "Together Again" in honor of her late father. She had previously attended Joe's funeral at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, on July 2, 2018, with her son Eissa. Michael is also buried there.

What do you think about the life and career of Janet Jackson? Did you know about her relationship with her father? Let us know, and feel free to send this to your friends and family, too.