27 Years of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 by Chip Greenidge
by Felicia D. Myvernacular Mallory
Dear Janet and Friends: -- Today, September 19th, 1989 marks the official release of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 - an album dedicated to dance - music - poetry - unity - and artistry and SOCIAL JUSTICE - getting people to organise, encouraging each other to work together regardless of economic and social backgrounds and to help young people stay away from drugs, crime and gang activity and pursue higher education and college completion. It is really well known that anyone in high school and college that Janet Jackson was my artist - well before the success of her first album CONTROL. Folks knew I had her back in 82-85 because I knew what she was capable of - and Janet knew what her fans were capable of.
People forget that Janet Jackson sold the Rhythm Nation album a day before only in independent record stores – not the retail giants like Tower Records to increase the economic support for small businesses of small record stores like Skippy Whites, Nubian Notion. Janet knew this - this album was also about ECONOMIC JUSTICE as well. She kicked it off with a mini-movie called RHYTHM Nation with Miss You Much Knowledge, Black Cat, and Rhythm Nation as a 30 minute video premiering on MTV - which pushed her from POP SINGER to POP ICON.
This album even put my social activities into full gear. At 18 years old, I started the Boston Black College Alliance(BBCA) in 1989 as a college student at the Boys and Girls Club in Roxbury to go into high schools and mentor kids to think about higher education as a pathway. I was joined by hundreds of black college students who gave up their spring, summer and winter breaks to help me achieve this cause in 1989, 1990 and 1991. The Alliance even raised money to put high school students on the Black College Tour.
Today in 2016, 27 years later for BBCA which turned into the National Black College (NBCA ) has helped span my service network to where over 25,000 students were exposed to college mentoring and college access activities through our activities (Google us!). Ms. Jackson - Your Nation and Pledge helped give me the courage to start something from scratch at 18 years old as a social entrepreneur. Again, Janet Jackson thanks for your music leadership and philanthropy and artistry - it has helped many of us develop "our own social voices" living in a world full of hypocrisies and hope and possibilities. 27 years later -Rhythm Nation 1814 still stands STRONG!
Sincerely, your lieutenant in Rhythm Nation ----
P.S. Thanks for the back stage "shout out" in Boston in March 2011 after your Number Ones Tour Janet – one of the hallmarks of my life speaking with you for a minute with your full attention.