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Maskerade

Maskerade is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the eighteenth book in the Discworld series. The witches Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg visit the Ankh-Morpork Opera House to find Agnes Nitt, a girl from Lancre, and get caught up in a story similar to The Phantom of the Opera.

Plot summary
Agnes Nitt leaves Lancre to seek a career at the Opera House in Ankh-Morpork, which has recently been purchased by Seldom Bucket, formerly a cheesemonger. When Granny Weatherwax realizes Nanny Ogg has written an immensely popular "cookbook" but has not been paid by the publisher (and that the nom de plume of 'A Lancre Witch' may lead people to believe that she rather than Nanny wrote it), the witches leave for Ankh-Morpork to collect the money. They also hope to recruit Agnes into their coven, to replace Magrat Garlick who left the coven when she became Queen of Lancre (in Lords and Ladies). This has the side benefit of distracting Granny from becoming obsessive and self-centred, or so Nanny believes to her great relief. En route, they meet Henry Slugg, an Ankh-Morporkian opera singer who adopted a Brindisian persona of Enrico Basilica to further his career but yearns for Ankh-Morporkian cuisine after years of Brindisian pasta, squid and tomato sauce; and Granny makes a deal with Death for him not to claim the fatally-ill son of an innkeeper.

Agnes Nitt is chosen as a member of the chorus, where she meets Christine, a more popular but less talented girl whose father lent Bucket large sums of money to purchase the Opera House. The Opera Ghost, who has long haunted the opera house without much incident, begins to commit seemingly random murders staged as "accidents", and also requests that Christine be given lead roles in several upcoming productions. Due to her incredibly powerful, versatile and possibly magical voice, Agnes is asked to sing the parts from the background, unbeknownst to Christine or the audience. After swapping rooms with Christine, Agnes begins receiving late-night training from the Opera Ghost originally intended for Christine.

Having discovered the problems at the Opera House and also having coerced the publisher to pay Nanny richly for her book, the witches investigate the mystery, with Granny posing as a rich patron (using Nanny's royalties), Nanny insinuating herself into the opera house staff, and Nanny's cat Greebo being transmogrified into human form (as during Witches Abroad) to pose as Granny's companion. Agnes unmasks Walter Plinge, the janitor, as the ghost, though as he is seemingly harmless, the others are unconvinced. Andre, another employee, is suspected, but he turns out to be a Cable Street Particular. Granny determines that the finances of the Opera House, which are a complete mess, have been made so intentionally in order to hide the fact that money is being stolen, with the murders being used either as a distraction or to cover up the evidence.

It is finally revealed that two people had been masquerading as the ghost. The original (and harmless) ghost, Walter Plinge, was being psychologically manipulated and blackmailed by the second ghost, Mr Salzella (Director of Music at the Opera House), who assumed the identity to commit the murders and theft, and frame Walter if he ever came close to being caught. With the witches' help, Walter is able to overcome his fears and help defeat Salzella, who is killed by believing that the fencing staged in opera is actual lethal swordplay, dying despite not actually being injured, although not before delivering a lengthy monologue about his hatred of opera. Walter then goes on to become the new Director of Music, integrating his own music into the opera, turning them into musicals. Slugg, decidedly abandoning his Enrico Basilica persona after being assaulted and concussed by Salzella, reunites with Angeline Lawsy, his childhood sweetheart, and is introduced to his long-lost son Henry Lawsy. Agnes, after realising that she does not fit in with the environment of the opera, returns to Lancre to learn how to be a witch from Granny and to serve as the third member of the Lancre Coven.

Characters

 * Agnes Nitt (Perdita)
 * Christine, a parody of Christine Daae
 * Walter Plinge, a parody of Michael Crawford
 * Mrs. Plinge
 * Salzella
 * Seldom Bucket
 * Dr. Undershaft
 * The Opera Ghost
 * Henry Slugg (Enrico Basilica)
 * Nanny Ogg
 * Greebo
 * Granny Weatherwax
 * André
 * The Librarian
 * Death
 * The Death Of Rats

Adaptations
A stage adaptation by Hana Burešová and Štěpán Otčenášek (partly using adaptation by Stephen Briggs) premiered in Divadlo v Dlouhé, Prague in April 2006. Pratchett attended the closing performance five years later.

Reception
BuzzFeed listed Maskerade as the 11th-best Discworld novel, noting that "it works well as a parody of the tropes of opera, and as a murder mystery".

Reviews

 * Envoyer (German) (Issue 3 - Jan 1997)

title: Maskerade


text:
Talk:La Toya Jackson

Spelling of name
I've always understood that her name is "Latoya" and not "La Toya". That's how it appears on her album covers.--190.96.58.41 (talk) 14:00, 29 June 2009 (UTC)
 * It is spelled as two words on her own publicity website. That's good enough for me. Krychek (talk) 15:49, 22 April 2015 (UTC)

Tito Jackson book
"She was also repeatedly molested by her father and brothers as confirmed in her brother Tito's book slated for an early 2008 release, entitled "Livin' Large"[4]"

I can't find any record of this book?

Yeh neither can I? Is it even a real book... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.148.121.179 (talk) 11:04, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

"A Different World"
Just a clarification: La Toya was the fantasy of Ron Johnson, not Dwayne Wayne. Hillman heads will remember that Ron wanted a copy of La Toya's "Playboy" spread in the Hillman time capsule. 172.161.150.13 10:07, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

What's the problem with this article? I found it very helpful and interesting. --Jareth64 17:34, 3 February 2006 (UTC)

Is the list of singles overkill, or a good idea? Any thoughts? Jwrosenzweig 19:58, 1 Mar 2004 (UTC)

 * well, you're right... should I remove it? anyway, there'll be a new LaToya site (with full discography) online soon, when it'll be done I'll delete the singles here and put up a link to that site.

 * Removed single and album listings and created a discography page - she has enough albums and singles to deserve one. Rhythmnation2004 17:50, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

"she stated that the allegations against Michael Jackson were true". Which particular allegations does this refer to? pomegranate 00:19, Sep 9, 2004 (UTC)

I ran into LaToya and met her for the first time this past weekend. She asked me my name, then introduced herself by saying, "I'm LaToya." I doubt she's changing her name, or she'd be introducing herself to new people with it.

 * She only used it when she sent the promo of her new song to radio stations. I don't think she'll continue using that nam

now that everyone knows Toy is LaToya.

 * This article is so hideously POV - whoever the fans of Latoya are that are editing it need to SERIOUSLY aquaint themselves with the rules and regulations of Wikipedia. We appreciate your contributions but facts only, please. Also, let's be serious: the average man on the street thinks of Latoya Jackson as the cloying, less-talented sibling of Michael and Janet Jackson. I can only name on Latoya Jackson song - "Heart Don't Lie" - and that's because I saw it on a pop up video segment.

Gay Icon Project
In my effort to merge the now-deleted list from the article Gay icon to the Gay icons category, I have added this page to the category. I engaged in this effort as a "human script", adding everyone from the list to the category, bypassing the fact-checking stage. That is what I am relying on you to do. Please check the article Gay icon and make a judgment as to whether this person or group fits the category. By distributing this task from the regular editors of one article to the regular editors of several articles, I believe that the task of fact-checking this information can be expedited. Thank you very much. Philwelch 20:55, 24 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * LaToya is a gay icon. Not to me, lol. 80.41.122.6 18:57, 19 February 2007 (UTC)

Incorrect sales!
I would like the sales to be fixed on this page. It is grossly incorrect and should be fixed. 198.54.202.100 21:30, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

Why did my additions get deleted?
okay, I was playing a practical joke that I'm sorry for the first time. But... the second time, I was making the musical bio factual (sorry, LA TOYA is the cd with You're Gonna Get Rocked, NOT BAD GIRL) and yet it still gets deleted and reverted. WTF?

I am getting sick of everything I add getting deleted, same thing happened on the Streisand board when I added some information about her 70's and 80's albums, non-jokingly.
 * Wikipedia doesn't like "practical jokes".

Think Boy who cried wolf.

POV
There are a lot of assertions made in this article with no citations. They need to be added, ASAP, or I will come back within around a week and make major cuts and revisions to the article. Pacian 21:53, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

Article still needs a lot of cleanup
The cleanup template should not have been removed when there was no clean up done. The article does not follow many of Wikipedia's stlye guidelines. Individual years should not be linked to. "La Toya" should be refered to as "Jackson" throughout the entire article after the first mention of her full name. Only the first word in each heading should be capitalized unless proper nouns are present. The song titles in the discography should be placed in quotes. Also, the writing/grammar is very poor in many parts. For example: "La Toya was brought into the spotlight with her family after her father got the family to get together to perform several shows". And the article does need citiations. Somebody seems to have added Fact markers to the article, but they were removed. Articles need to cite sources. --Musicpvm 18:42, 13 June 2006 (UTC)

I already added the citations that were needed. Some places said "Citation needed" when there is no possible way to provide one. And note to Musicpvm (or whatever your name is), if you are such the expert on the English language then why can't you correct the crap yourself? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rhythmnation2004 (talk • contribs)

 * Because I don't feel like cleaning it up at the moment. I may later.  Why do you think Wikipedia has cleanup templates?  That is what they are used for.  When somebody sees that an article is in need of cleanup, they can place the template at the top to alert others.  They are not required to clean it up themselves.  What do you mean "there is not possible way to provide" citations?  You removed Fact templates in areas that definitely need citations.  The article makes strong claims yet lacks any references.  You seem to be unaware of Wikipedia's policies.  Please see Citing sources.  If you lack the ability to search for sources, don't just remove all of them.  You have already done so twice.   .  The second time with the ridiculous explanation "Some things don't need citations. Some things are clearly stated as being from La Toya's book."  If the source is her book, then cite the book and the page number.  Also, please sign your comments on talk pages.  --Musicpvm 02:35, 14 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Musicpvm, good response to User:Rhythmnation2004. I was wondering about something.  I have been under the impression, perhaps mistaken, that individual years do need links.  Whether that is especially or only on the first reference to that year, my understanding is unclear.  If you could point me to an appropriate policy or guideline that shows me where I'm wrong, I would really appreciate it, especially if you were willing to place it on my talk page.  I only request that because I have hundreds of pages on my watchlist, so its usefulness has been reduced to almost zero.  Thanks in advance.  --Cromwellt|talk|contribs 07:53, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

I have started to clean up the article in an effort to make it sound more neutral and like an encyclopedia but would have no idea where to find more citations. I'm just editing the tone and grammar a bit so it flows better. - DT

I have also noted more citations are needed but do not know the code to point them out. I will later include a list here on which a source is needed. - DT
 * DT - The code for a citation needed is, for an unreferenced section is , and for an unferenced article is . - Cheers, Froid (talk) 08:27, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

 * Much of this article still reads like a tell-all book, written from a single point of view. It should be rewritten from a neutral and objective point of view.Landroo (talk) 16:51, 18 March 2013 (UTC)

No Relations fan page
I removed the link to - The No Relations La Toya fansite because the website hasn't been updated in 2 years and is very poorly maintained. In addition, the Geocities ads on the side are extremely frustrating. Only one fan site needs to be listed, and that is the Church of La Toya, which has a links page and links to other fan sites, most of which are also poorly maintained. Rhythmnation2004 16:03, 6 January 2007 (UTC)

Explanation of revisions on 23:20, 26 March 2007
To begin with, user 74.99.219.28, "Just Wanna Dance" -WAS- in the top 20 dance singles, although I agree that the way it is currently phrased is more neutral. Singer and musician are separate on many other articles (see Marlon Jackson), and there is no Wikipedia policy stating that this is not acceptable. She did indeed win a Grammy, as Jimmy Cliff's album on which the track "Reggae Nights" appeared received a Grammy award for Songwriting. Since La Toya was a songwriter on this album, she is a rightful winner of that award just as much as any other contributing writer to that album. In addition, I have added in the fact that Jackson is a New York Times Bestselling author, as it is common knowledge that her memoir La Toya: Growing up in the Jackson Family sat on the top of the Best Sellers list for several weeks. You obviously have very little knowledge on the subject of La Toya Jackson, which is a good reason why you should try to not get involved with this page. I have seen in the past that you have continued to vandalize this page with the sole purpose of belittling La Toya Jackson or making her appear to be a less-legitimate musician, actress, author, and songwriter than she truly is. Please refrain from further revisions of the introduction paragraph or you will be reported to administration for repeated vandalism. However, I thank you for your attempted contribution and hope that you will find other ways to contribute to Wikipedia in the future, hopefully with legitimate sources as proof that your revisions are fact, and not your own biased opinions. Rhythmnation2004 23:30, 26 March 2007 (UTC)

 * COMMENT: No, Jackson has *not* won a Grammy. Jimmy Cliff has won the Grammy, for an album which Jackson happens to have a co-writing credit on.  Grammy awards for performance are not given to songwriters, they are given to the performer.  No Grammy has been given to Jackson, as NARAS themselves will confirm; since the Grammys are their own awards, NARAS should qualify as a "legitimate source".   Just because you feel that she *should* get a trophy, or assume that one has been given, for her song-writing co-credit does not make it so. (For an analogy, consider that when Oscars are handed out for Best Picture, they are given to the producer - not the guys named further down the credits.) To say that Jackson is a "Grammy-winning songwriter" is misinformation at best, a lie at worst, though I won't question your motivations.  But she has definitely not won a Grammy in any category, certainly not for song-writing where she has not even been nominated.  She *has* been nominated (but not won) in the Dance category, so if the article needs the word "Grammy" in it to legitimize her, the article can mention that.  Overstating her accomplishments (or fabricating them outright) is no better than denigrating them.  (CCC)

Image
insists that Image:Latoyatile.jpg is a proper image for this page. The image is a tile print that the user made himself of Jackson. In my opinion it looks almost nothing like her and has no place on this page. Does anyone else have thoughts on it? Metros 17:22, 29 May 2007 (UTC)
 * I intend no offense or incivility when I say this, but simply honesty: That picture looks as much like a sock puppet as it does La Toya Jackson. If it doesn't actually reflect the subject of the article, it doesn't belong. Bladestorm 17:25, 29 May 2007 (UTC)

 * Comment - I added a self-created representation that should be suitable until this debate is settled! 99DBSIMLR 17:37, 29 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Yeah, about that...Please see WP:POINT. Metros 17:39, 29 May 2007 (UTC)

Request for comment
Metros continues to abuse admin powers by removing all listed awards and achievements from the La Toya Jackson article, despite the fact that all of the more obscure awards were properly sourced and the other ones were common knowledge (such as, La Toya Jackson provinging background vocals on Michael Jackson's Thriller (album), which can not be proven other than a scan of the album's inlay). Metros' rationale behind this was that images of the awards themselves, which were the sources given, were not acceptable. I asked Metros to show me which Wikipedia policy stated this, and he refused, probably because there isn't any. In addition, Metros went so far as to say that some of the awards were not notable and not worthy of being referenced on the article, including, but not limited to, such prestigious awards as tributes from U.S. congress, the NAACP Medal of Freedom, and a recognition certificate from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, among other things.

This is not the first time that Metros has used his personal hatred towards the subject of the article to belittle her by removing any part of the article that glorifies her achievements. This violates the Wikipedia policy of Neutral point of view, a policy which Metros constantly quotes. Rhythmnation2004 19:56, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

 * Comment Rhythmnation2004, this isn't really an article request for comment as far as I can tell, this appears to be a request for comment on my actions. A request for comment for articles should talk about the issue (i.e. are Imageshack images reliable sources) and not on people's actions.  For user requests for comments see WP:RFC/USER. Metros 20:03, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

 * Comment to User:Metros. No, this is a request for comment on the unjustified removal of valued content from this article. Please stop trying to run me around in circles to get this issue resolved. You have already refused mediation, this issue has been thrown off the Admin's noticeboard, and I am using this as a last result. This is a request for comment on this article, and the request remains. Rhythmnation2004 20:07, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

No, this is forum shopping. You didn't get what you wanted at WP:ANI, where it was clearly explained that what Metros did was not "abusing admin powers", yet you are making the same complaints here. So this is a clearly incorrect complaint, previously posted at another forum, now reposted in an incorrect forum here. Please stop it. Fram 12:28, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Metros' abuse of admin powers is NOT THE TOPIC OF THIS REQUEST FOR COMMENT. This request for comment was created to discuss the unjustified removal of properly sourced awards and achievements from the La Toya Jackson article. Please stop trying to change the subject; it's obvious that you are only trying to keep me running around to the point of exaustion in the hopes that I will drop it. Rhythmnation2004 13:15, 17 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Then why does this RfC start with you railing against my continued abuse of admin powers? RfCs are supposed to be neutral.  They are supposed to present the broad view of the topic at hand, not one side's complaint.  A statement like "Comments are requested on the reliability of the sources given in the awards and achievements section" is more appropriate than "Metros is removing this information and he did a bunch of other bad things." Metros 13:29, 17 June 2007 (UTC)
 * I'm amazed that responding to the first six words of your initial RfC statement is explained as "trying to change the subject". But if I ignore your wrong claims about Metros and the fact that this is the wrong forum for them, I still have to say that images are usually (and in this case as well) not reliable sources. If an award, recognition, medal, ... is truly important, there have to be a number of independent reliable media (newspapers, magazines, ...) that have reported about it. This may require some searching, but that is the burden of the one wanting to include such claims. Poorly sourced claims, especially about living persons, may be removed by other editors. Fram 18:55, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

At this point, I am completely ignoring any response from Metros and Fram. There is NO Wikipedia policy that states that images can not be used as sources. A photograph of the award is the best proof possible that the award exists. Rhythmnation2004 19:55, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Certain awards that need to be noted
It is blatantly obvious that the user that removed all of these awards and other achievements is attempting to make La Toya Jackson look like a joke, by only providing two sourced achievements in the article.Rhythmnation2004 20:04, 17 June 2007 (UTC)
 * La Toya's appearances in music videos, such as "L.A. Is My Lady" and "Say Say Say" do not require sources, as anyone can watch the videos and see this for themselves. Yet, these references were removed.
 * La Toya's status as resident performer of the Moulin Rouge does not require a source, as thousands of people saw it themselves and also, a soundtrack was released. See Formidable.
 * La Toya provided background vocals on Michael Jackson's Thriller (album). This does not require a source as anyone can open the album's inlay and see that La Toya is listed as one of the backing vocalists.

Despite the fact that I just proved that those three achievements do not require sources. How mature of you. Rhythmnation2004 22:26, 17 June 2007 (UTC)
 * It is blatantly obvious that the user who has removed them believes that your so-called "common knowledge" statements are not "common knowledge" statements. Metros 20:09, 17 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Your statements do not prove anything. Anyone can go read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone but we still cite it as a source.  So just saying "hey, you can go watch her videos" is not sufficient.  Thousands of people watched Mariah Carey on TRL with her breakdown but we still have to cite a source saying what happened on there.  This is not common knowledge as much as you want to believe it is.  By the way, so much for ignoring any comment I make, huh? Metros 22:36, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Comment by uninvolved third party
Okay, first of all, this RfC is improperly structured. It should be presented as a neutral statement (i.e. "Should this content be included?") not a clearly POV finger pointing statement.

That said, my take on the matter is this: Photos and videos from a user content site like youtube or imageshack or wherever are certainly not reliable sources. Aside from the fact that it calls for conclusions to be made that aren't immediately obvious (subject of the photo, what's happening), such user based content could be manipulated or misrepresentative. On the other hand, if her name appears in the liner notes (or in any sort of credit reel), that doesn't call for any conclusion and certainly should be included (and referenced to the source, if necessary). If the subject truly did receive an award, there is likely a better record than some random photo. Even a primary source, like the subject's own bio would probably be acceptable here. Even better would be the award giver itself, since they generally keep a record of such things.

Second, as far as removing unsourced material goes, I'm never really against it, but I don't think that removing awards and appearances falls under WP:BLP which clearly states that it's about contentious and potentially libelous material. Outside of BLP, if an editor suspects that unsourced material may be inaccurate or can't tell, then removal is fine. I would frown upon a user removing information that they believed to be accurate, that wasn't contentious just because sourcing was insufficient, though. I just don't see the point.

Finally, as far as the abuse of admin powers goes, that's probably beyond the scope of this RfC, but it's unclear to me what, if any, admin powers were used here. Looks like a straight up content dispute to me, in which one of the involved parties happens to be an admin.

So, that's my take. Hope it helps. -Chunky Rice 18:01, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

 * I was working with the contentious aspect of BLP as in it caused contention among Wikipedia editors. Rhythmnation2004 kept adding a comment that she was a Grammy-award winning person but kept failing to source it or sourcing it inappropriately.  Other editors tried to remove it but he forced it back in saying (through this IP edit) that "it's common knowledge that La Toya is a grammy-winning songwriter for "Reggae Nights". YOU are welcome to contact the Grammy corporation for confirmation."  Because there was contention on this and the other awards, I removed them.  Do you think I am interpreting the BLP differently?  Inappropriately?  To me, there was contention and that's why I removed with this in mind: "Unsourced or poorly sourced contentious material...about living persons should be removed immediately and without discussion from Wikipedia articles."  Metros 18:29, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

 * I do think that your interpretation of WP:BLP is overbroad in that respect. Look at the the text under the subheading regarding contentious material.  It says, "Where the material is derogatory and unsourced or poorly sourced." (emphasis mine).  The rest of the content also refers to material that is negative in tone.  My reading of that is that BLP is primarily about negative or harmful content.  This is not to say that there's anything wrong with removing unsourced material that you believe to be inaccurate.  I just don't think that you can or need to justify it with BLP.  This does mean that repeatedly removing the content may run you into 3RR, though, which is not the case for a BLP violation.  -Chunky Rice 18:40, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Well the lead of the BLP policy states "whether negative, positive, or just highly questionable" (right where the ... is in the part I quoted in my first reply. So I've interpreted as regarding all material based on that.  Metros 18:42, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Fair enough. I agree that BLP applies per that sentence.  I do find it odd that very little fo the rest of the policy supports it, though (including the statement by Jimbo that the sentences references).  Given that, I still think that the emphasis of the policy is about negative/potentially harmful content. -Chunky Rice 19:05, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

 * Wandering by--there is a point about unsourced positive comment--it might be untrue; BLPs can be a problem in both directions, though I think the wording back there needs to be fixed up. But in this case, though, I cannot see what the problem is. I thought there was a list of such awards. Either there is an award, or there isn't. If there is, it can be sourced. Asserting a Grammy and saying one can not source it, that seems a little odd. But maybe I misunderstand-- it seems too simple. DGG 03:52, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Christian Science
I've modified a few statements. Firstly LaToya in her book cited, makes it very clear that she chose to be in that religion, so I've made that clear here. Secondly she didn't spend "most" of her time witnessing. Her witnessing is only mentioned a few times in her book, among a host of other things that had nothing to do with the religion. She does make it clear that until her 20s at least, the religion had an established grip on her perspective of a number of things, such as what song lyrics she could sing for example. Wjhonson 18:28, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

 * I've found another oddity. The article stated before that *Jack* had coaxed her into posing for Playboy.  Her book, which I have, states very clearly that it was her own decision. Wjhonson 17:06, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

Omissions
The article omits the following issues: Thanks, Maikel (talk) 11:19, 22 February 2008 (UTC)
 * what does her given name mean, how did it originate?
 * rhinoplasty, other cosmetic surgery
 * involvement with the Psychic Discovery Network Cstaffa (talk) 21:13, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

Religion
She used to be a Jehovah's Witness, but what religion is she now? Nietzsche 2 (talk) 15:14, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
 * Jackson is currently not part of any organized religion. Am86 (talk) 07:32, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Female American police officers
Why is she in the category of Female American police officers? Just wondering since there is no reference of this occupation in the article itself. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.101.188.42 (talk) 01:40, 28 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Jackson received basic training and served as a police officer during her participation in "Armed and Famous." I will add references later.

WP:LEAD#Relative emphasis
WP:LEAD does allow material to be introduced in lede and to repeated in follow-on sections. Wholesale deletion is not good. Now, I will accept that lede is too long and has peacock words which can be eliminated. moreno oso (talk) 05:06, 2 July 2010 (UTC)

Lede too long tag
Recommend that peacock words and lede be shortened to include the pertinent facts already present as per preceding section. moreno oso (talk) 05:09, 2 July 2010 (UTC)

 * There was not a lede problem before these July 1 edits. Sixtyplace9472's edits revolve around Jackson's marriage to Jack Gordon, which is detailed legibly and in context within the article. The paragraph describing her divorce is directly copied and pasted from Gordon v. Gordon, which is already linked to in the body of the article.

 * My issue with Sixtyplace9472's edits is not "repetition". I cited LEAD for the bolded text:

 * "In general, the relative emphasis given to material in the lead should reflect its relative importance to the subject according to reliable sources. Significant information should not appear in the lead if it is not covered in the remainder of the article, although specific facts, such as birthdates, titles, or scientific designations will often appear in the lead only, as may certain quotations. This should not be taken to exclude information from the lead, but to include it in both the lead and body: in a well-constructed article, the relative emphasis given to information in the lead will be reflected in the rest of the text. Do not tease the reader by hinting at startling facts without describing them." Am86 (talk) 08:30, 4 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Another issue are WP:BLP violations in Sixtyplace9472's unnecessarily expanded lede. For instance Jackson never wrote that her father was a sexual abuser in Growing Up... yet Sixtyplace9472 continues to add this erroneous claim. Am86 (talk) 03:36, 5 July 2010 (UTC)

Gordon faking death before
Just reading the article and I'm wondering if we shouldn't rephrase "he sent a security expert to eyewitness that Gordon had not faked his death a second time" so that we make it clear that this is something La Toy has claimed. As written currently, it comes off a little confusing (in both articles) because there is no mention of the idea of a first faked death anywhere else. And the link we use to reference the claim (in both this and Gordon's article) is a dead link. I know she mentions it in her book but she's not any more specific so using that as a source wouldn't alleviate the confusion at all. It would, perhaps, be a better source to use for the hiring of the security expert, at least. Millahnna (talk) 10:25, 9 October 2011 (UTC)

Where's this article's edit tab?
I realize some articles' editing functions are restricted to experienced editors who are in good standing. Since I'm both, why am I unable to edit this one? - Froid (talk) 09:02, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

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Oche Jackson
There are very many pictures and videos of "Oche Jackson" with the Family since 2009, and he even claims La Toya as being his mother. ~ Iamthecheese44 (talk) 04:52, 23 sept 2017 (UTC)

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Trump supporter?
Although politics have been a taboo topic in many places it is commonplace for celebrity articles on Wikipedia to mention political affiliations.

La Toya follows several members of the Trump family on social media and has a friendship with the former president from their Celebrity Apprentice days.

The few times she has mentioned Trump during his presidency was usually in a positive light or to defend him from criticism.

I know it's a weak case but if there were only some way to confirm this. 98.10.17.162 (talk) 04:27, 29 October 2022 (UTC)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Talk:La Toya Jackson


text:
Mildred Trouillot

Mildred Trouillot-Aristide (born 1963) is an American lawyer who married Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the former President of Haïti, in 1996.

Mildred Trouillot grew up in the Bronx. Both her father, Emile, and mother, Carmelle, were natives of Haïti. He left Haïti in 1958, she in 1960. They found work in New York City, where Emile worked in a steel factory. Carmelle worked as a laboratory technician.

Mildred graduated from St. Barnabas High School, City College of New York, and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She practiced commercial litigation for the Manhattan law firm of Robinson, Silverman, Pearce, Aronsohn, and Berman. She met Aristide at a lecture he gave in 1992. In 1994, she went to work for Aristide's government in exile in Washington, D.C. as a speechwriter, as well as doing legal work.

They married on January 20, 1996, in a simple ceremony in Port-au-Prince. It was a controversial marriage in Haïti. Aristide was elected president while he was a Catholic priest, and had given up the priesthood by the time he married Mildred.

The couple has two daughters, Christine Aristide, born in November 1996, and Michaelle Aristide, born in 1998.

title: Mildred Trouillot


text:
Control (Janet Jackson album)

Control is the third studio album by American singer Janet Jackson, released on February 4, 1986, by A&M Records. Her collaborations with the songwriters and record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis resulted in an unconventional sound: a fusion of rhythm and blues, rap vocals, funk, disco, and synthesized percussion that established Jackson, Jam and Lewis as the leading innovators of contemporary R&B. The distinctive triplet swing beat utilized on the record is also considered to be a precursor to the new jack swing genre. The album became Jackson's commercial breakthrough and enabled her to transition into the popular music market, with Control becoming one of the foremost albums of the 1980s and contemporary music.

Containing autobiographical themes, a majority of the album's lyrics came as the result of a series of changes in her life: a recent annulment of her marriage to singer James DeBarge, severing her business affairs from her father and manager Joseph and the rest of the Jackson family, hiring the A&M executive John McClain as her new management, and her subsequent introduction to Jam and Lewis. The album has been praised by critics as both an artistic feat and as a personal testament of self-actualization. It has also been regarded as a template upon which numerous female artists have modeled their careers, particularly Black women.

Following its release, Control became Jackson's first album to top the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States and five of its commercial singles—"What Have You Done for Me Lately", "Nasty", "Control", "When I Think of You", and "Let's Wait Awhile"—peaked within the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making Jackson the first female artist to have five top five hits from one album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; "When I Think of You" became the singer's first number one hit. Control also set a record for the longest continuous run of charting singles on the Hot 100, at 65 consecutive weeks. Music videos created to promote the album's singles showcased her dancing ability and became a catalyst for MTV's evolving demographics. The album remained on the Billboard 200 chart for over two years. It has been certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

Control went on to receive several accolades, including a nomination for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and winning Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for Jam and Lewis in 1987. It is listed by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 200 Definitive Albums of All Time, in addition to being included in several publications "best of" album lists. In 2016, it was selected for exhibition in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

Background
Joseph Jackson, patriarch of the Jackson family of musicians, was known for managing the careers of all nine of his children – most notably, the successful career of The Jackson 5. After arranging a recording contract with A&M in 1982 for a then 15 year old Janet, he oversaw the entire production of her debut album, Janet Jackson, and its follow up, Dream Street (1984); the latter of which was written and produced by her brothers Marlon and Michael, and Jesse Johnson. Best known as a television actress, she was initially reluctant to begin a recording career. She said, "I was coming off of a TV show that I absolutely hated doing, Fame. I didn't want to do [the first record, Janet Jackson]. I wanted to go to college. But I did it for my father ..." and elaborated that she was often in conflict with her producers. Amidst her professional struggles, she rebelled against her family's wishes by marrying James DeBarge of the family recording group DeBarge in 1984. The Jacksons disapproved of the relationship, citing DeBarge's immaturity and substance abuse. Jackson left her husband in January 1985 and was granted an annulment later that year.

Jackson subsequently fired her father as her manager and employed John McClain, then A&M Records' senior vice president of artists and repertoire and general manager. Commenting on the decision, she stated, "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, telling him that I didn't want to work with him again." Joseph Jackson resented John McClain for what he saw as an underhanded attempt to steal his daughter's career out from under him, stating, "I've worked hard for my family. The problem comes, though, when others come in behind you and try to steal them away. The wheels have already been set for Janet Jackson. Anyone who jumps on now will be getting a free ride." McClain responded by saying "I'm not trying to pimp Janet Jackson or steal her away from her father." He subsequently introduced her to the songwriting/production duo of James "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Lewis, former Prince associates and ex-members of The Time.

Composition and production
When Jam and Lewis agreed to produce Jackson's third studio album, they wanted to appeal primarily to the African American community, in addition to achieving crossover success on the pop music charts. Jam commented in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, "We wanted to do an album that would be in every black home in America ... we were going for the black album of all time." Before their association with Jackson, Jam and Lewis had originally planned to record an album with tracks they wrote for Sharon Bryant, but she found their lyrics and sound to be too "rambunctious". The duo presented the same set of recordings to Jackson, who gave her input and took co-writing and co-production credits for the album's content. Jam and Lewis recalled that to collaborate with Jackson on the material, they spent the first week simply getting to know their new client. Lewis explained, "We got into her head. We saw what she was capable of, what she wanted to say, where she wanted to be, what she wanted to be. We put together some songs to fit her as we saw her, as she revealed herself to us. It was as simple as that."

For the song "What Have You Done for Me Lately", which was originally penned for one of Jam and Lewis's own records, the lyrics were rewritten to convey Jackson's feelings about her recent annulment from James DeBarge. The song was chosen as the lead single for Control, as Jam and Lewis felt it best represented Jackson's outlook on life. "Nasty", which in Jackson's opinion was the most innovative song on the album, was inspired by her experience with street harassment in Minneapolis by a group of men outside the hotel she resided at during the recording of Control. She recalled, "They were emotionally abusive. Sexually threatening. Instead of running to Jimmy or Terry for protection, I took a stand. I backed them down. That's how songs like 'Nasty' and 'What Have You Done for Me Lately' were born, out of a sense of self-defense." Jimmy Jam wrote and played the keyboard arrangement, with Jackson playing the accompaniment. Background vocals were sung by Jackson, Jam and Lewis. The distinctive triplet swing beat of the song was developed by Jam on an Ensoniq Mirage keyboard. "Let's Wait Awhile" was centered on safe sex and abstinence, a subject of significant social commentary at the time. Jam commented that it is common practice for songwriters to use current events as a means of inspiration for lyrics and that the AIDS pandemic had raised awareness about sexually transmitted diseases. He commented, "The theme of the song ('Let's Wait Awhile') was Janet's idea. She's not a preachy person. She's not telling people how to live their lives. All she's doing is offering an opinion."

Although Joseph Jackson initially demanded that his daughter's new album be recorded in Los Angeles so that he could keep an eye out for her, Jam and Lewis refused. They required the entire production of the album to be done at their own studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota, "far from the glitter and distractions of Hollywood and the interference of manager-fathers." Jam stated, "We required that they put her in our hands. We had to do it on our turf, with no bodyguards, no star trips and none of Joe Jackson's people hanging around making suggestions." Jackson relocated to Minneapolis in order to record the album, where it was recorded at Flyte Tyme Studios, the site for Flyte Tyme Records, founded by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in Minneapolis. "There's a little radiator I used to sit on when we did the Control album," Jackson recalled in 1993. John McClain served as the executive producer.

Jam and Lewis were the primary instrumentalists for the recording, including percussion, piano, drums, and also provided background vocals. Jackson accompanied Jam and Lewis on keyboard and took part in composing the arrangements. Stephen Holden of The New York Times observed the album was a prominent example of the developing relationship with musicians and modern technology, stating "... technology has altered the form, shape, scale and even the meaning of popular music ... The album wasn't created by a studio band, as were most pop-rock albums in the 1960s and '70s, but by the producers and the singer programming mechanized drum and keyboard textures." Jackson's father disapproved of the new material and image of Control, claiming it would never sell. In a cover story for Spin magazine titled "Damn It, Janet: The Battle for Control of Janet Jackson," Joseph was reported saying "[i]f Janet listens to me, she'll be as big as Michael." She and McClain disregarded his objections. Commenting on the final product, Jackson stated: "It's aggressive, cocky, very forward. It expresses exactly who I am and how I feel. I've taken control of my own life. This time I'm gonna do it my way."

Album cover
Fashion photographer and illustrator Tony Viramontes created the stylized cover for the new album and the singles "Nasty" and "Control". Jackson said of Viramontes, "He was very creative, and I believe one day his work will be iconic. He was such a joy to work with. I miss him." Author Dean Rhys Morgan in Bold, Beautiful and Damned: The World of Fashion Illustrator Tony Viramontes discusses how Jackson was "transformed from a former child star into an assured fashion forward figure with her trendsetting big hair and severe all black ensemble. Until this point, Jackson had been more a reflection than pioneer, more interpreter than innovator. This album was all about Janet and who she wanted to be." Alexander Fury wrote in The Independent, "the artwork created with Eighties illustrator Tony Viramontes for Control stands the test of time."

Release and promotion
Although A&M did not consider a full concert tour to promote Jackson's album, the label funded a three-week promotional tour across the United States in 13 cities following its release. In addition to the studio release, a remix album, Control: The Remixes, was released in select countries in November 1987. Jackson's lyrical expression has been noted as one of the key elements of the album's success. Author Dave Marsh in The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made (1999) comments: "Certainly, Janet must have written her own lyrics, which went after men—in particular, not very well disguised stand-ins for her father and former husband—more venomously than another guy would have dared. Control, the resulting album, was one of the best-sellers of 1986–1987, producing five hit singles."

Jesus Garber, then-director of A&M's black music marketing and promotion, noted that in addition to crossover promotion from black to pop music charts, music video was utilized to launch Jackson into superstardom. Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine credits the release of Control as "the birth of Janet the music video star, as six of the nine tracks were turned into popular videos that all but announced her as queen of the production dance number." Henderson commented that Jackson's dancing ability, trained by a then-unknown Paula Abdul, only served to propel her into further stardom. Charlie Minor, then-senior vice president of promotion for A&M stated: "The images completed the image of Janet Jackson with the buyer ... They gave her a face, dance, action identity with the songs, and a visual image of her as a rock 'n' roll star." Jonathan Cohen of Billboard magazine commented "[Jackson's] accessible sound and spectacularly choreographed videos were irresistible to MTV, and helped the channel evolve from rock programming to a broader, beat-driven musical mix." The video for "Nasty" received three nominations for the fifth annual 1987 MTV Video Music Awards, winning Best Choreography for Paula Abdul.

Commercial performance
Control debuted at number 84 on the Billboard 200 on March 8, 1986, and at number 26 on the Top R&B/Black Albums on March 1, 1986. After twenty weeks, it topped the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Black Albums chart, selling 250,000 copies in a single week, a record for an album by a female artist. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) first certified Control gold in April 1986, denoting 500,000 units shipped within the United States. Two months later, in June 1986, the album was RIAA certified platinum, denoting 1 million units shipped. Three years later, Control was RIAA certified fivefold platinum in October 1989. By 1990, Control had sold 5 million copies in the United States and as of December 2009, the album has sold 496,000 copies in the U.S. since 1991 according to Nielsen SoundScan, which does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music, where she sold 883,000. Combined, it has sold over 6,379,000 copies in the U.S. Since its debut, Control has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

The album's lead single, "What Have You Done for Me Lately", peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and at number one on the Hot Black Singles chart. The single was certified gold by the RIAA in November 1990. The song was compared favorably to similar recordings of female empowerment released by black women, such as "New Attitude" by Patti LaBelle, "Better Be Good to Me" by Tina Turner, and "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" by The Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin. Oprah Winfrey commented: "What you're seeing in all the areas of arts and entertainment is black women internalizing the idea of black power and pride ... Black women started listening to their inner cues, rather than society or even the black community's idea of what they are supposed to be and can be." "Nasty", the album's second single, beat "What Have You Done for Me Lately" by one position, peaking at number three on the Hot 100 and at number one on the Hot Black Singles chart. It was certified gold in November 1990. Critic Jon Bream noted "the songwriters have slyly juxtaposed a nasty-sounding groove and the repetition of the word 'nasty' with a subtle antinasty message."

"When I Think of You" reached number one on the Hot 100, becoming Jackson's first single to top the chart, and was certified gold in November 1990. The album's fourth single and title track, "Control", reached its peak position at number five on the Hot 100 and at number one on the Hot Black Singles chart, later certified gold by the RIAA in November 1990. "Let's Wait Awhile" reached the number two position on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Black Singles chart. Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune commented in a similar vein to "Nasty", the ballad "throw[s] cold water on the passions of young love 'before we go too far'." Unlike its predecessors, "The Pleasure Principle" did not reach within the top five of the Hot 100, instead peaking at number fourteen. It did, however, become Jackson's fifth number one single on the Hot Black Singles chart. Each of the album's singles excluding "Let's Wait Awhile" peaked within the top five of the Billboard Club Play Singles. "Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)" was not released as a commercial single in the United States. It peaked at number 59 on the UK Singles Chart.

Critical reception
Upon its release, the album received universal acclaim from critics. Rolling Stone ' s Rob Hoerburger commented that the "sharp-tongued" Janet Jackson is "more concerned with identity than with playlists", as Control declares she is no longer the Jacksons' baby sister. Hoerburger expressed the view that tracks such as "Nasty" and "What Have You Done for Me Lately" erased the former "pop-ingénue image" of Jackson's first two albums, and that "Control is a better album than Diana Ross has made in five years and puts Janet in a position similar to the young Donna Summer's—unwilling to accept novelty status and taking her own steps to rise above it." Steven Ivory of Billboard expressed "[v]ocally, Jackson is more aggressive than ever. Indeed, her exhibition of sass and funkiness is certainly more provocative" in comparison to her previous work. NME wrote: "Jackson has gone a long way in shaking off the experience of being a shadow Jackson child. She is an artist in her own right." Newsweek stated "[i]n an era of big-voiced pop-soul divas ... her current hit album, is taut, funky, hard as nails, an alternative to the sentimental balladry and opulent arrangements of Patti LaBelle and Whitney Houston." In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau "scoffed at Janet's claims of autonomy", but applauded Jam & Lewis's beats as "their deepest ever" while finding Jackson's contribution entertaining enough. Los Angeles Times critic Connie Johnson wrote: "Though still a teen-ager, this singer's stance is remarkably nervy and mature. She has a snotty sort of assurance that permeates several cuts, plus the musical muscle to back it up." Jon Pareles of The New York Times notes Control takes obvious influence from Prince, describing "[t]he album's pacing, its clipped vocal lines—even the spoken introduction that starts things off" as pure Minneapolis sound; he adds "[b]ut where the Prince style is usually connected with heavy-breathing come-ons, Miss Jackson is cheerfully standoffish."

For the 29th Annual Grammy Awards, Control received four nominations: Album of the Year, Best R&B Song for "What Have You Done for Me Lately", Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Non-Classical Producer of the Year for Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Jam and Lewis won Producer of the Year. The album earned a record-breaking twelve nominations from the American Music Awards, winning four. Jackson also won three Soul Train Music Awards and six Billboard Music Awards.

Later reviews continue to find the album favorable. Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine expressed that the misconception that Control is Jackson's debut album only confirmed the "quintessential statement on personal and artistic self-actualization" that it set out to accomplish. Henderson claimed critics who judged Jackson harshly for her thin voice "somehow missed the explosive 'gimme a beat' vocal pyrotechnics she unleashes all over "Nasty" ... Or that they completely dismissed how perfect her tremulous hesitance fits into the abstinence anthem "Let's Wait Awhile." However, Henderson also commented that the "Jam-Lewis formula wasn't completely infallible" as "You Can Be Mine" and "Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)", were two of the album's least impressive misfires. While William Ruhlmann of AllMusic commented Jackson "came across as an aggressive, independent woman", he asserts the album's true value is the production talents of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), Laura Sinagra said that on Control, "Jam and Lewis perfected their melodic, full-blown funk attack", while Jackson "filled each track with a breathy believability" with vocal performances that ranged from yearning to seductive. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked Control number 111 on the reboot of its list of 'The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time'.

Legacy
Control is widely considered to be the breakthrough in Jackson's career, establishing her independence and dominance in the realm of popular music. In The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion, and Rock'n'roll (1996) author Simon Reynolds wrote that "Janet Jackson became a superstar with the immaculately designed soft-core feminism of Control." Jet magazine commented that although the Jackson family's musical legacy had given her an opportunity to tap into an international audience, Control was the turning point at which "her career took off and she became a bona fide superstar. Control showcased Janet as a person who was firmly and finally in control of her own life." Dennis Hunt of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Previously, she had recorded two unsophisticated, kiddie soul albums. If you listened carefully to that kid stuff, there was a grown-up singer there somewhere struggling to get out. [Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis] liberated the real Janet Jackson."

Lyrically, Jackson's album is said to exhibit a "politically driven feminist" message, as stated by Lilly Goren in You've Come A Long Way, Baby: Women, Politics, and Popular Culture (2009). Musically, according to Rickey Vincent, author of Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One (1996), Jam and Lewis's collaboration with her is said to be one of the high points of the 1980s, as they redefined dance music by mixing a youthful sound with industrial-strength beats. As documented by musicologist Richard J. Ripani, author of The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950–1999 (2006), Control is regarded as one of the most influential albums in the history of rhythm and blues and the first album to bridge the gap between R&B and rap music. Its success in both the mainstream R&B and pop music charts "led to the incorporation of many of the stylistic traits of rap over the next few years, and Janet Jackson was to continue to be one of the leaders in that development." Furthermore, the album's second single "Nasty" has been credited with influencing the new jack swing genre, pioneered by Teddy Riley. Laura Sinagra in The New Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that the album impacted popular music with a "blockbuster momentum all its own", while Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine noted Control "was every bit the hit machine that her brother's Thriller was." Additionally, Control made Billboard Hot 100 history having the longest continuous run on the Hot 100 with singles from one album at 65 consecutive weeks, breaking her brother Michael's record by one week; Thriller by comparison charted singles for 64 consecutive weeks. Steve Morse of The Boston Globe commented: "All things considered, 1986 was a stellar year for the black female vocalist—the best, in fact, since the disco era of a decade back ... Black music crossed over to the pop charts in dramatic fashion, with Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle and Janet Jackson each having No. 1 albums."

In addition to stepping out of the Jackson family shadow, Control established Jackson as one of the preeminent female artists of popular music, rivaling fellow pop star Madonna, as critics began to acknowledge their influence on the record industry and younger artists. Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World Volume 8: Genres: North America (2012) documents that both women redefined house music, repackaging it "as part of a global metropolitan pop aesthetic." With regard to marketing singles, Paul Grein of Billboard reported: "10 or 20 years ago you would have had two singles from an album at the most. Now we're in an era where Madonna is on her fifth single from the album True Blue and Janet Jackson is on her sixth from the LP Control." Jackson subsequently became the first female artist to produce six top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 from a single album. Los Angeles Times writer Paul Grein wrote a segment titled "The influence of Madonna and Janet Jackson", reporting Debbie Gibson's manager Doug Breitbart claimed "Madonna has brought back a really strong, melodic component to pop music", while Teen Beat editor Maggie Murphy remarked "Janet Jackson may have started this more than anyone else." Anthony DeCurtis, author of Present Tense: Rock & Roll and Culture (1992) wrote that "Madonna and Janet Jackson have produced videos that explore the female gaze," and described Jackson's music video for "Nasty" as feminist theory on film that deconstructs the objectification of women. Laura Sinagra documented that within two years of the release of Control, "a new crop of female singers (such as Paula Abdul and Karyn White) were charged with imitating Janet." Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone remarked: "Control—with its quintuple-platinum sales and string of hit singles—established" a then-twenty-year-old Jackson "as one of the most popular recording artists in the world." The Guardian described the album's release as one of the 50 key events in the history of R&B and hip hop.

Upon the 30th anniversary of the album's release, Julian Kimble of Billboard magazine wrote: "In hindsight, Control is both evolutionary and revolutionary. As Jackson’s first album to land atop the Billboard 200, it marked professional and personal breakthroughs. Distancing herself from the immense Jackson family shadow, she created one of the most influential projects across contemporary R&B and pop music. And not only was Jackson’s maiden voyage with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis at the forefront of R&B, pop and hip-hop’s intersection, it birthed a novel sound in the process." Morgan Y. Evans for PopMatters' wrote: "Janet Jackson's Control is worth reconsidering as, perhaps boldly, one of the top three or four pop records of the '80s...It is unquestionably the most coherent and powerful full album statement from any female solo pop artist during much of the '80s, some of Kate Bush's more eccentric triumphs that decade notwithstanding." Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly commented: "The videos from Control were all over MTV, and Janet established herself as an instantly dominant pop figure talked about in the same sentences as Madonna and her older brother Michael." MTV's Meaghan Garvey asserted "it's hard to overstate the significance of Control, whether in terms of the pop landscape, the evolution of the music video as a vessel for promotion and expression, or Top 40 feminist anthems." She also argued "it's important to note that Control’s self-actualization anthems were expressions of black female pride. Control spawned a whopping six videos—great ones, at that—which played an immeasurable role in the shift toward visible black pop." Gerrick D. Kennedy of Los Angeles Times wrote that Jackson's continued influence is evident in the careers of Rihanna, Beyoncé, Ciara, FKA Twigs and Tinashe in that "all of them take cues from Jackson's blueprint. And all that began with Control." In 2016, a cassette of Control was added to the "Musical Crossroads" exhibition of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

Track listing
Notes
 * $undefined$ signifies a co-producer

Personnel

 * Janet Jackson – vocals, background vocals, keyboards, synthesizer, bells
 * Melanie Andrews – background vocals
 * Troy Anthony – saxophone
 * Jerome Benton – vocals
 * Spencer Bernard – synthesizer, guitar
 * Geoff Bouchieiz – guitar
 * Mark Cardenas – synthesizer
 * Roger Dumas – drums, programming
 * Jimmy Jam – synthesizer, percussion, piano, drums, vocals, background vocals
 * Jellybean Johnson – guitar, vocals
 * Lisa Keith – background vocals
 * Terry Lewis – percussion, vocals, background vocals
 * John McClain – executive producer
 * Monte Moir – synthesizer, guitar, drums
 * Nicholas Raths – acoustic and 12-string guitar
 * Gwendolyn Traylor – background vocals
 * Hami Wave – background vocals

title: Control (Janet Jackson album)