alright with us: while critics were left wanting more, black twitter has nothing but love for janet jackson’s documentary

You would have had to have been under a rock, or completely off of social media, not to know that recently Janet Jackson released a documentary on Lifetime and A&E offering an intimate look at her life. It was a project she had announced right around the holidays and one in which Ms. Jackson promised to open up to the world after years of essentially hiding in plain sight.

And open up she certainly did! From her relationship with her late brother Michael to the hold her ex-husband Rene Elizondo had on her career at one point, to that rumored secret baby, the new special has now been broadcast in the UK and Australia in addition to the U.S. – left very few stones unturned. We now know she once had a crush on Alicia Keys and just how ridiculously her relationship with music producer Jermaine Dupri but we still know nothing about her baby daddy. Jacksons third husband isn’t the only ex who was left behind, however:

She skipped right over that Bobby Brown era lol #JanetJacksonDoc pic.twitter.com/QUgseiCHIx

— DJ Radar (@DJRadar24) January 29, 2022

This selectiveness in terms of what and what not to share has left quite a few reviewers disappointed. “While four hours — less than that with commercial breaks — sounds like a long time, Janet Jackson. is constantly rushing through major turning points in Jackson’s life, often with a somewhat gossipy bent, without scratching too far beneath the surface of any of them,” reads Vulture. “Janet Jackson gave a documentary crew access for five years, but with Jackson and brother Randy Jackson serving as executive producers the resulting project, ‘Janet Jackson,’ feels too conspicuously like a licensed product,” writes CNN. “Addressing some uncomfortable parts of her biography but sidestepping others, it’s pretty obvious who’s in control here.”

But as far as Black Twitter is concerned, the overwhelming response is that Jackson gave all that it was intended to give, and then some! While watching the documentary as a family, fans reveled in the never-before-seen footage, reminisced about all of her career milestones, questioned Jermaine Dupri’s entire existence, and refused to forgive ol’ boy from NSYNC no matter what Queen Mother Janet says. Here are some of our favorites straight from the holy grail that is Black Twitter.

People are really bothered that Janet’s Rhythm Nation Tour was the highest grossing debut tour of any artist. Just read the comments in my tweets. Rhythm Nation Tour was in 1990. It’s 2022. A record she’s held for 32 years! #JanetJackson #JanetJacksonDoc pic.twitter.com/PXQujpGzmQ

— ☯️ Twisted Elegance ♐️ (@LaShandaWebb) January 30, 2022

Who tf was keeping Michael away from Janet and the family…we need names #JanetJacksonDoc pic.twitter.com/QhQwLahIC1

— Cloud9ineDreams (@Cloud9ineDreams) January 30, 2022

It’s been almost an hour since I watched the #JanetJacksonDoc and I’m STILL stuck on this…

Jermaine Dupri had JANET. JACKSON…

and STILL cheated. BECAUSE he was with Janet.

STOP GIVING THESE SMEDIUM UGLIES CHANCES.

— Kellye Beathea, J.D. (@KellyeComms) January 30, 2022

janet stans hunting down rené for being a weirdo, jermaine for cheating, and justin for existing #JanetJacksonDoc pic.twitter.com/bTly7dA2Xu

— ❦. (@EAZYFENTYY) January 30, 2022

Janet really told us to leave Justin Timberlake alone and that she’s in a better place and all of Black Twitter respectfully said no #JanetJacksondoc pic.twitter.com/GyBmhCyd4f

— ~Alexandria~ “AstroPetty” (@DOPECHICKBEATS) January 30, 2022

Jada at home watching the #JanetJacksonDoc hearing about Janet and Pac’s chemistry: pic.twitter.com/6D0jJG4uU2

— Encyclopedia Brown (@LaconicIcon) January 30, 2022

No don’t just give Janet her flowers, give her the garden, the fields, the botanical gardens, the nursery DAMMIT!! #JanetJacksonDoc pic.twitter.com/9fdZso7ixL

— Lana Del Negra (@RETRHEAUX) January 30, 2022

But perhaps the best sign of appreciation bestowed by fans was captured by Janet herself:

Thank u pic.twitter.com/TYhc7bb8pq

— Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) February 1, 2022

Janet. Periodt. – Artwork by Painkiller Cam (Cam Parker)