For five years, Janet Jackson filmed a documentary, sharing never-before-seen moments of her life.

In the documentary Janet, which premiered on January 21 on Lifetime and A&E , Janet Jackson, 55, brings up intimate moments from her childhood as the youngest child in the Jackson family to the long-standing rumors that she had a secret child in the 1980s and her relationship with her late, famous brother, Michael Jackson. And of course, Janet talks about her infamous performance at the 2004 Super Bowl, dubbed “Nipplegate” by the media.

Singer Janet Jackson

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After the break of the show that year, Janet Jackson surprised the audience when guest singer Timberlake appeared on stage. Timberlake was starting his solo career at the time. As the singer performed his hit song Rock Your Body , Janet Jackson’s top was ripped off, exposing her breasts, and Timberlake declared: “I’m going to make you naked by the end of this song.”

Janet Jackson was embarrassed, but her career went on to be a huge success and Timberlake became more famous. However, Janet revealed in the documentary that she told Timberlake not to talk about the incident at the time.

CBS , which aired the Super Bowl, was fined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Janet Jackson’s songs and music videos were banned from many radio and television stations. Just a week after the Super Bowl, Janet Jackson’s invitation to the Grammy Awards was rescinded. Meanwhile, Timberlake performed and won a series of Grammys. The singer used the Grammy Awards stage to make a public apology. In the documentary, Janet said that Timberlake had invited her to perform with him at the 2018 Super Bowl, but she declined.

Janet Jackson’s top was ripped open, exposing her breasts while performing with Timberlake in 2004.

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Over the years, many have criticized the Super Bowl as a deliberate publicity stunt and questioned whether it was actually a mistake. The incident has sparked discussions about sexism, racism, and societal double standards, especially for white men and black women.

Responding to suggestions that the incident was a publicity stunt, Janet’s brother Tito Jackson said in the documentary: “She didn’t do it. It wasn’t something that was done on purpose. Janet’s not like that.”

Janet’s relationship with her father, Joe Jackson, was complicated.

“The Cultist” Jackson, who died in 2018, was a notoriously tough figure who was accused of physical, emotional and sexual abuse by his children – including daughters Rebbie and La Toya. Janet said she had differences with her brother Michael Jackson when their father managed her career.

“I wanted to have my own identity in music, but at that time my father was changing my life and my career because he was my manager. So there were things I wanted to do, directions I wanted to go,” Janet Jackson said in the documentary about her decision to part ways with her father, Joe Jackson, who managed her early career. She then released the 1986 album Control , which began her journey to becoming one of the most iconic pop superstars of all time.

Mr. Joe Jackson and daughter Janet Jackson

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“It was hard to say no to my dad. To do what I wanted to do, I guess it would have been hard for him to give me up,” Janet said through tears. “I knew I had to take control of my own life. I wanted my own fame. I wanted to go my own way… I had to make things happen, at that point.”

In the documentary, Janet Jackson seems to want to erase her father from her career. “I owe my career to my father. It was a difficult time. There was nothing easy about it. But when you realize where we came from and where we are now, we owe a lot to my father,” she said.

“They just loved us and wanted us to be the best we could be,” she said of her parents, Joe and Katherine, now 91, in the documentary. “It was obvious that that was carried through.”

David Bowie once gave drugs to Michael Jackson

After The Jackson 5 became famous, the family moved to the wealthy, white suburbs of Encino, California. Parties were held at the Jackson family home. Joe Jackson welcomed fans, especially celebrities such as singer David Bowie.

At a party, Randy Jackson claimed on camera that Bowie had invited him and Michael to smoke drugs.

David Bowie (right) meets Michael Jackson in 1983

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“Michael and I were sitting in another room away from the party,” Randy said. “And Bowie came in and suggested we try drugs – the stuff he was doing to get to the top of his career. We just looked at each other and said, ‘No, no thanks,’ because we didn’t know what it was.”

Janet wanted to go to university to study law, instead of pursuing a singing career.

“None of us had a normal childhood. My friends were in gymnastics or Girl Scouts. I wanted to do those things. But we had to work,” Janet said of her early singing career.

“I wanted to go to college and study business law , but my dad said that wasn’t going to happen,” Jackson added with a slight smile. “What parent doesn’t want their child to go to college? But he said, ‘No, you have to sing.’”

Michael Jackson began to change his career with the success of the album Thriller

“That’s when everything started to change,” Janet Jackson recalled of the release of her brother’s 1982 album Thriller . “For the first time in my life I felt like there was a difference between us, a big change was happening. That’s when Mike and I started to go our separate ways.”

After starring as a teenager in Different Strokes and Good Times in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Jackson was offered a role in the fourth season of Fame, but she didn’t want to do it. “My dad wanted me to do Fame . I didn’t want to do it. I did it for him,” Janet Jackson said.

Janet puts to rest decades-long rumours that she had a secret child

In the 1980s, rumors spread that Jackson had a secret child with her first husband, singer James DeBarge. She revealed that the tabloid-laden story, which led to numerous articles, deeply hurt the pop star. “They used to say I had a baby and I kept it a secret,” Janet said through tears.

Fame co-star Debbie Allen spoke in the documentary and recalled the rumors that surrounded Janet like wildfire at the time.

“When I was on Fame , a lot of people thought I was pregnant because I had put on weight. So the rumours started,” Janet said. “I could never keep a child away from James. How could I take a child away from their father? I could never do that. It wasn’t right.”

In the documentary, Janet Jackson goes into great detail about her short-lived marriage and annulment to James DeBarge. The singer reveals that James’ drug use came as a shock to her and was the main reason for the end of the relationship.

Janet’s first album was completely out of her control.

The singer’s first album, Janet Jackson, was released in 1982, but she confirmed that it was not the music she wanted to create.

“It was really someone else’s album, the kind of music they wanted me to make. I didn’t write any of the songs. It was just a matter of going into the studio and doing what they wanted,” Janet recalls of recording her first songs, which were mostly R&B rather than pop.

“I didn’t want my last name on the album. I just wanted to write Janet instead of Janet Jackson,” Jackson recalled.

Janet Jackson credits 1986’s Control as her first real album. It was when she began to take her life into her own hands and figure out what she wanted to do: become a pop star. Then, 1989’s Rhythm Nation 1814 was when she began writing about causes she cared deeply about — regardless of what others thought — about social justice and racial issues.

Janet wants to escape Michael Jackson’s shadow

“It was inevitable, I guess, but Janet could never really escape it, even with all the success she was having,” music producer Jimmy Jam said in a documentary about Janet Jackson’s rise to pop stardom with the success of her album Rhythm Nation 1814. “I never heard her say she wanted to beat Michael Jackson,” the producer added.

Janet Jackson and her brother Michael Jackson

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“When you have the last name Jackson, there’s a microscope turned on you,” Janet mused, reflecting on the press attention she’s been bombarded with over the years.

Michael Jackson sexual abuse allegations damage Janet’s career

Janet also spoke about how the sexual abuse allegations against her brother affected her. In 1993, Michael was first accused of sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy, which was made public in the media. Janet explained that she was close to signing a deal with Coca-Cola at the time, but when they heard about the allegations, the deal fell through.

“When the sexual abuse allegations came up, Coca-Cola said, ‘No, thank you.’ It was unfair, it was upsetting, but you can’t let it stop you. You have to keep moving forward. I just knew that I wanted to be there to support my brother as much as I could,” Janet revealed in the documentary.

The charges were eventually settled out of court and police did not charge Michael. Janet also commented on the settlement: “He just wanted it all to go away. I wish my brother would actually let the world know more about him.”

The last thing Michael said to Janet before he passed away was “I love you”

In the documentary, Janet revealed Michael Jackson’s sudden death on June 25, 2009 after suffering cardiac arrest.

“I couldn’t believe it. My sister La Toya called me and said he didn’t make it. I immediately called Tito Jackson while he was driving to the hospital. I told him to pull over. He asked, ‘Jan, is he dead?’” Janet said. She then thought back to the last time she saw Michael and the meaningful last words they shared.

“The last time I saw him was when we had a surprise party for my parents. My whole family came. Michael was sitting next to me. He was laughing like crazy. And I remember him looking at me. The last thing he said to me was, ‘I love you.’ That was the last time I saw him… I miss him so much,” Janet Jackson said in the film.