The tenth and youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame. After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982, she became a pop icon following the release of her third and fourth studio albums Control (1986) and Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap, and industrial beats, which led to crossover success in popular music.
In 1991, Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with Virgin Records, establishing her as one of the highest-paid artists in the industry. Prior to her first studio project with Virgin, she appeared in her first of several lead film roles in Poetic Justice (1993). Her two studio albums which followed, Janet (1993) and The Velvet Rope (1997), saw her develop a public image as a sex symbol. These records, along with their promotional music videos and live performances in concert tours, branded Jackson as one of the world's most erotic performers, garnering both criticism and praise. By the end of the 1990s, she was named by Billboard magazine as the second most successful recording artist of the decade after Mariah Carey. The release of her seventh studio album All for You in 2001 coincided with a celebration of her impact on the recording industry as the subject of the inaugural MTV Icon special.
The backlash from the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy resulted in an industry blacklisting under the direction of Les Moonves, then-CEO of CBS Corporation. Jackson subsequently experienced reduced radio airplay, televised promotion and sales figures from that point forward. After parting ways with Virgin Records, she released her tenth studio album Discipline (2008), her first and only album with Island Records. In 2015, she partnered with BMG Rights Management to launch her own record label, Rhythm Nation and released her eleventh studio album Unbreakable the same year. Since then she has continued to release music as an independent artist.
Having sold over 100 million records, Jackson is one of the world's best-selling music artists. She has amassed an extensive catalog, with singles such as "Nasty", "Rhythm Nation", "That's the Way Love Goes", "Together Again", and "All for You"; she holds the record for the most consecutive top-ten entries on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with 18. She is also the only artist in the history of the chart to have seven commercial singles from one album (Rhythm Nation 1814) peak within the top five positions. In 2008, Billboard placed her number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, and in 2010 ranked her fifth among the "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years". In December 2016, the magazine named her the second most successful dance club artist after Madonna. One of the world's most awarded artists, her accolades include five Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, eleven American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and eight Guinness World Records entries. In 2019, she was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jackson has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers and credited with elevating a standard of sound, showmanship and sex appeal expected of pop stars.
The Knowledge
Janet Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Information keeps us strong
What you don't know can't hurt you bad
Take it from me you'll be walkin' around sad
Cryin' for a better day
Until you educate for a better way
So if you wanna be in control
Ya gotta get yourself in the know
Get the knowledge
(that you really want)
The knowledge
(do you really want)
It's the knowledge
(what you really want)
The knowledge
(that you really want)
Spreading vise don't believe the hype
You don't find the knowledge in a pipe
Too many lives go up in smoke
It's nice to laugh but don't be the joke
To get over get better
Try to be the possessor
Of the one thing we all need in life
To succeed take my advice
Get the knowledge
(that you really want)
The knowledge
(do you really want)
It's the knowledge
(what you really want)
The knowledge
(that you really want)
Prejudice...No!
Ignorance...No!
Bigotry...No!
Illiteracy...No!
Listen it's up to everyone
If we're gonna change the way the world is run
The way to start is to rid the children of
Prejudice & ignorance
We've gotta teach our kids to read & write
That's the only way to win this fight for life
Education is the goal so
If you wanna be in the know
Get the knowledge
It's the one thing we all need in life
Get the knowledge
(that you really want)
The knowledge
(do you really want)
It's the knowledge
(what you really want)
The knowledge
(that you really want)
Let's Dance
Get the point? Good, now let's dance.
The lyrics in Janet Jackson's song "The Knowledge" highlight the importance of education and access to information. The song encourages listeners to seek knowledge as a means of empowerment and control over their lives. The opening line, "Insight to what's goin' on, information keeps us strong," suggests that knowledge is necessary to understand the world around us and make informed decisions. The lyrics also challenge the idea that ignorance is bliss, stating, "What you don't know can't hurt you bad, take it from me you'll be walkin' around sad, cryin' for a better day, until you educate for a better way." By emphasizing the importance of education, the song is a call to action to take control of one's life and ensure a better future.
The song also touches on the harmful effects of spreading misinformation and relying on substances to escape problems. The lyrics caution listeners that "spreading vise [vice] don't believe the hype" and that "too many lives go up in smoke," suggesting that substance abuse is not a solution to life's problems. Instead, the solution offered is to "try to be the possessor of the one thing we all need in life, to succeed take my advice, get the knowledge."
Overall, "The Knowledge" is a powerful anthem that promotes education as a tool for empowerment and social change. The song emphasizes the importance of recognizing the world's problems and taking action to solve them through education and informed decision-making.
Line by Line Meaning
Insight to what's goin' on
Understanding current events and circumstances
Information keeps us strong
Having access to knowledge makes us resilient
What you don't know can't hurt you bad
Not knowing certain things won't harm you
Take it from me you'll be walkin' around sad
Not being informed can lead to unhappiness
Cryin' for a better day
Longing for improvement
Until you educate for a better way
Education is necessary for positive change
So if you wanna be in control
To have power over your life and surroundings
Ya gotta get yourself in the know
You need to become knowledgeable
Get the knowledge
Obtain information
(that you really want)
The information that you desire
Spreading vise don't believe the hype
Reject false information and misleading messages
You don't find the knowledge in a pipe
Drug use won't provide knowledge or understanding
Too many lives go up in smoke
Frequent drug use is harmful to many people
It's nice to laugh but don't be the joke
Don't be foolish or ignorant
To get over get better
To improve yourself and recover from difficult situations
Try to be the possessor
Attempt to acquire and retain key knowledge for yourself
Of the one thing we all need in life
Education is essential to everyone
To succeed take my advice
Advice to follow for success
Prejudice...No!
Prejudice is not acceptable
Ignorance...No!
Ignorance is not desirable
Bigotry...No!
Bigotry is not acceptable
Illiteracy...No!
Illiteracy is not desirable
Listen it's up to everyone
Everyone has a responsibility to be informed
If we're gonna change the way the world is run
In order to change society and improve the world
The way to start is to rid the children of
The starting point is to educate the children about
Prejudice & ignorance
Bias and lack of knowledge
We've gotta teach our kids to read & write
It's our responsibility to educate children in basic skills
That's the only way to win this fight for life
Education is key to success and survival
Education is the goal so
Make education a priority
Let's Dance
Now that we understand the importance of knowledge, we can enjoy ourselves.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, JAMES HARRIS III, TERRY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chris Lee Carey
Girl is we getting the full videography?
•Let's Wait Awhile
•Alright
•Love Will Never Do
•Runaway
•Together Again
•Together Again (Deeper Remix)
•I Get Lonely
•Go Deep
•You
•Every Time
•Doesn't Really Matter
•Someone To Call My Lover
•Just a Little While
•I Want You
•All Nite (Don't Stop)
•Call On Me
Dana Vixen
You know she created a masterpiece with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis when Rhythm Nation is STILL as RELEVANT as ever over 3 decades later! ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
The Alkebulan Trust
Janet Jackson is beyond an icon. It is great she is getting to tell her story. Because of the knowledge she has she continues to be the blueprint for many artists. Best of all she has created a legacy beyond The Jackson family name.
Derek Prince Weems Music
Congratulations again on your induction into the hall of fame my friend. Good to know you did well with your career and life.😉💪✋❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏
J.D. Fitzgerald13
So true💯💯💯💯💯💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
ithl123
So glad this is video is finally available on Janet Jackson's official YouTube channel! I look forward to more of Janet's ICONIC videography being made available on this channel.
kagomecc461
I first thought this was gonna be a full upload of Rhythm Nation. Still a An epic piece of art
CYBORG 95
My video clip in dubai has just been released the family🙏🏼❤️📀I sing rap in English and French drill I need your opinion👌🏽🔥🔥
Johnathan 4Ever
YAAAAS ITHL
Brenda Melvoin
Me too !
Carla B Williams
I always wished she made a video for "He Doesn't Even Know That I'm Alive" from her control album, I pictured something like a Grease theme like Summer Nights, or You're The One That I Want for the song and it's like a dream versus reality about a man she really wants but he doesn't notice her or behaves like that as a front to get her to make the move, or annitiate as such as it's her in control all the way.