Janet Jackson was one of the presenters at last night’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles. Jackson, who was inducted in 2019, was there to present producer/songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who were being honored with the Award for Musical Excellence. She thanked them during her speech in 2019, asking them to stand up. She referred to them “as my two dads and so much more.”
Last night, she elaborated a bit more. According to the Star Tribune, she said, “Making music to them is not about following the trends or chasing the latest sound or watching the charts. It’s about saying what you truly feel in a way that fans can enjoy.” Jackson sang nine of the duo’s sixteen number-one pop hits. And to mark the occasion, she recreated her hairstyle from the cover of her first album with the duo, 1986’s Control. That album included “Control,” “Nasty,” and “What Have You Done For Me Lately.” She shared a quick video of her preparation on Instagram.
Other inductees included Lionel Richie, who was presented by Lenny Kravitz. Richie performed three songs: “Hello,” “Easy” and “All Night Long.” Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters joined him for “Easy.” Eminem was also inducted. He was presented by Dr. Dre. His performance included “My Name Is,” “Rap God,” “Sing for The Moment” (with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith), “Stan” with Ed Sheeran, “Forever” and “Not Afraid.” Duran Duran, Judas Priest, the Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Harry Belafonte and Carly Simon were among the other artists honored at the show. You can watch an edited version of last night’s induction ceremony on HBO and HBO Max on Saturday, November 19th at 8 pm ET.
