Janet Jackson Spills Tea on 'Secret Baby' in Documentary Trailer. 

Janet Jackson Spills Tea on ‘Secret Baby’ in Documentary Trailer. 

Janet Jackson Spills Tea on Secret Baby in Documentary Trailer. 

Janet Jackson is one of the few entertainers who truly owns up to her icon billing. So, when it was announced that she had a docuseries on the way last spring, we couldn’t wait. And boy was the wait worth it! Janet’s Lifetime and A&E two-night special Janet Jackson. is pure truth—there is no cap in it whatsoever. Miss Jackson goes in on everything, from her rumored secret child to her relationship dramas to the pitfalls of being a superstar—and more. She does not hold back. Below, EBONY shares the major takeaways that we gleaned from her personal tell-all:

She Breaks Her Silence on Her Rumored Secret Baby

For decades, Janet Jackson hasn’t responded to claims that she had a baby with her ex-husband James DeBarge and kept it secret, even from him. In Janet Jackson., she lays it all out—the rumors, who her child might be—and sets the record straight.

Loving a Drug Addict Was So Hard 

After she secretly married James DeBarge, of the then-prominent yet troubled musical family DeBarge, at age 18, his drug use became a large part of her life. On camera she shares the toll it took on her personally and how it interfered with her acting career. Eventually, she got to her breaking point.

Best Believe, She Knows Where She Came From

As trailers for the docuseries have already shown, Janet returns to Gary, Indiana, the city where she and all her siblings were born. With her brother Randy by her side, she revisits their humble beginnings, sharing touching family memories and marveling how the large brood ever got by living in such a tiny house.

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Her Father’s Tough Love Saved Them

Joe Jackson has been painted as an abuser who tormented his children and robbed them of their childhoods. In the docuseries, Janet and her family credit him for never abandoning his nine kids and working overtime to ensure that his sons never fell prey to gangs. As a Black father in America, he knew he had to be firm. Without him, she makes clear they would not be that have been the exceptionally talented Black family that we all came to know and love that rose to fame and riches.

White Folks Can Be Racist as F**k

Yes, Janet Jackson has brought us all together—Black, white and otherwise—to form her own Rhythm Nation, but she has rarely shared her childhood struggles. We come to learn from Miss Jackson how when the Jacksons, the top-selling American superstars, moved to their Encino, California home, a rich enclave of L.A., the white community was not very welcoming as they did not want the Black family there. She also divulges that the white kids at her school tried to see if the black on her skin would rub off and how they had a very annoying habit of trying to touch her hair.  

On Being Michael Jackson’s Baby Sister

Janet Jackson gets candid about the pros and cons of being Michael Jackson’s baby sister and what it took for her to emerge from his shadow. She also speaks about their very special bond and how her brother’s Thriller success began to loosen it. 

On Reclaiming Her Life and Career

We all know about Janet taking charge of her life with her breakthrough album Control, but rarely have we seen her explore that whole process. Not only does she discuss her battles with her father, but she, along with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and choreographer Paula Abdul, discuss the tireless work it took for her to actually make her independence real.

On Collaborating With Her Ex-Husband René Elizondo Jr. in Love and Art

On camera, Janet has rarely discussed her relationship with the husband many didn’t learn she had until she divorced him. She shares her working relationship with René, her second husband, especially the behind-the-scenes scoop on the origins of the signature dance routines of the iconic Rhythm Nation tour.

Yes, It’s True! She Is a Force

Just in case you didn’t know, Janet makes it absolutely known that she is the driver of what makes her an icon. She writes her music, decides her imagery, she controls it all. While she’s open to suggestions, she’s very grounded in who she is and what she wants.

Michael Jackson’s Trials, Jermaine Dupri, Acting and Motherhood Fuel the Next Installment

Janet is not done sharing, with the next installment promising to be as scintillating as the first. And like her great performances, this docuseries flies by so quickly, totally leaving you wanting more!

The first segment of Janet Jackson. premieres January 28th at 8pm EST/7 CST on A&E and Lifetime.

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