‘The Velvet Rope’: How Janet Jackson Tied Herself In Controversy

‘The Velvet Rope’: How Janet Jackson Tied Herself In Controversy

Released on October 7, 1997, Janet Jackson’s sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope, caught a lot of people off guard with its frank exploration of sexuality, the complexity of human relationships, and the worrisome burden of emotional trauma. “I always write about what’s going on in my life,” Jackson told this writer in 2001, reflecting on her most controversial album. “It’s like cutting yourself open and exposing all of your insides, and at that …