The documentary of legendary singer Janet Jackson has finally premiered, and it’s full of more information regarding highly publicized events and family relationships. One discussed relationship was between her and her late brother Michael Jackson.

Both Janet and Michael are known legends in the music industry, especially for their work in the 1980s. The two have always had a close relationship, and have even collaborated. However, she revealed in the documentary that when his 1982 album Thriller came out, their relationship was never the same.

JustJared released what Janet said in the documentary regarding her brother and the aftermath of Thriller. “I remember really loving the Thriller album, but for the first time that’s when I felt it was different between the two of us, that a shift was happening.” She went on to talk about a memory confirming that feeling. “He would always come in my room and we’d talk, and this particular time, he came in my bedroom. Neither of us said a word to each other, and then he got up and left.”

Their Relationship Negatively Affected Her Career

Most people have heard about sexual abuse and molestation accusations made towards Michael, which have since continued to this day. The first allegation made was in 1993, and was eventually settled out of court. Janet stayed by her brother’s side throughout the investigation, and although it was an honorable thing to do, her career began to go downhill.

During the early stages of the case, Janet lost multiple endorsements, Coca-Cola. When asked why this occurred, the singer stated that although her brother would never cross those lines, she was still “guilty by association.”

Although this affected her with sponsorships, her music career stayed intact. Her fifth studio album Janet was climbing the music charts, won a Grammy Award, and received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for her work in the cult classic Poetic Justice.

She Hoped Their Song “Scream” Would Be Like Old Times

Janet and Michael teamed up for the 1995 hit “Scream,” premiering in the top ten on various music charts worldwide. The song is also famous for its music video, as it was named the most expensive music video ever made. Following its debut, the video director confirmed that it cost $7 million to make.

Unfortunately, she confirmed that the process did not help improve their relationship, and instead made it more apparent how separated they were from one another. “Michael shot nights, I shot days. His record company would block off his set, so I couldn’t see what was going on.” She later realized that it would not be like the past, and that “old times had long passed.”


Following Michael’s passing in 2009, Jackson and other celebrities celebrated the “Man in the Mirror” singer through tributes on social media and on stage. Jackson took the stage route, and performed part of “Scream” at the 2009 VMA Awards. They also played the video in the background, so that she could do the same choreography she did with her brother in 1995.

Janet’s documentary Janet Jackson has since received mixed to positive reviews from critics, and praise from all of her fans on social media. They’ve also loved her discussion about the Super Bowl incident with Justin Timberlake, and that she’s forgiven him for what became of it. Janet Jackson is available to stream on multiple platforms.