Many years ago I was Janet Jackson. I wasn’t the Janet on stage as Mae West no that was my twin sister. I was the Janet Jackson that they called Lil woman the one who walked across the stage switching her booty.
I mimick the different walks of women with hips and who had their own strut. Including women in the family. When I was a child I used to sing and play with my sister Monique and my cousins Karyn, Sharyn and Michelle my friends at school, Little Sally Walker Shake it Momma, Shake it Momma Shake it!
https://youtu.be/1Iu2jMKtFtQ?si=86M25gNwsJblVM7P
My Aunt Helen used to rehearse with me, my entrance on stage over and over again walking like a mini preemie Supreme Child who really did want to be a Supreme. Back then momma had her solo career and on the radio a song called Walk on By.
https://youtu.be/XzJDI9Amyk4?si=s9_OW34lA91myGsp
I got a chance to perform with my brothers The JACKSON FIVE basically because I begged my mother to allow me to perform on stage too. I wanted to do it because we had to move out of our house. I was determined to help the family make money I wanted to do my part and help out because no matter what, we were still a family. Mom stared at me for a few minutes after my request to allow me to perform with my brothers The JACKSON FIVE she said to me I’m the mother and I’m supposed to take care of you. I replied I know Mommy but please let me go up there with Michael and the next thing I know mom had formed her talent company and became my manager and I had an audition at Motown for my demo and I sang Rockin Robbin which my vocals are the first before you actually hear my brother Michael’s voice blend in with mine and everyone in the studio said we would identical and Michael wanted me to get vocal credit not sure if I did or not.
Mom also performances with my brothers The JACKSON FIVE with The Supremes. I think mom was contemplating letting the public know she was their mother and Diana Ross said it a few years early in an interview on television that Flo Ballard had six children which Diana said was a rumor and mom she just sat silent with Mary Wilson and Diana Ross and didn’t comment in other words it was TRUE!
We went around the corner to my Aunt Helen’s house and mom told her I wanted to perform and Aunt Helen said to me everyone in the Jackson Family works. She said it with pride and I felt with pride I wanted to get up there on stage and do my thang and I did with the help of my brother Randy. I got up there when it was my turn singing one of the latest hits The Beat Goes on. I was moving all over the stage. The most important part of the show I wanted to make sure I conquer was to read very well in front of all those white folks. I didn’t want to disappoint my parents or the family. I made sure I could pronounce my words effectively making eye contact with my parents, Aunt Helen and Aunt Lil. Aunt Helen gave me a thumbs up while they all smiled back at me. Michael my big brother gave me a kiss on the cheek assuring me he loves me and I’m here by your side.
That kiss made his little sister feel special too during The American Music Awards. Once I finished my performance I went to go sit with my parents in the audience and mom said let’s go check the box office to see how much money we made and it was $16,000 enough to buy a new house. I felt so good it almost made me cry because I did my part to perform on stage and to keep my mom from becoming homeless. I didn’t care about anything else but keeping a roof over our heads. I wanted to continue to perform for many years but I got replaced by my sister Denise aka Today as Janet Damita Jo Jackson and she has done a fabulous job with her career and I’m very proud of her. But to be honest I conquer what I wanted and that was to convince my mother to allow me to perform on stage with my big brothers The Jacksons and I did prior to her death a year later in 1976.
https://youtu.be/rLdFMz_qKEg?si=oKoJABJaYyBsCnRb
The world still wasn’t aware that the Founder of The Supremes was the real birth mother of Motown’s hit wonders The JACKSON FIVE. The Best Kept Secret of the Entertainment Industry.
Akashi Media Photo: Rosalyn Nichole aka Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson aka (Rosalyn Nichole) (Renee)
Akashi Media Photo Courtesy Pinterest: Janet Jackson aka Rosalyn Nichole (Renee)