Super howler
A new documentary, Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson, has revisited the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” at the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show, when Justin Timberlake exposed one of Janet Jackson’s breasts – and nipple adornment – for about a half a second, causing America to lose its collective mind in a manner that was unfathomable then and remains unfathomable now.
Whoops now
The documentary is the latest in the New York Times Presents series which has revisited the travails of Britney Spears and the awful treatment she received from, well, everyone. It’s part of a recent wave of work reframing events of recent pop culture history: in the midst of this, Timberlake, who dated Spears in the 2000s, this year hastily apologised to her and Jackson for his roles in the sorry tales.
See you at the crossroads
In her imperial phase, Spears starred in 2002’s Crossroads, a coming-of-age road movie (nothing to do with Jonathan Franzen’s latest opus, or the soap opera, or Blazin’ Squad), which was unloved by critics then but a box office success – look out for some critical reappraisal. The film was written by Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Bridgerton, everything …) and directed by Tamra Davis.
Tamra’s camera
In a decades-long career, Davis has also had a long connection to hip-hop through her early music videos in the 80s – she was also married to Beastie Boys’ Mike D (they separated in 2016). Her 1993 film CB4 (see streaming options here), written by and starring Chris Rock, has been called the “Spinal Tap of rap”, parodying NWA and the gangster rap game.
Together again
After his NWA years, Ice Cube had a notable role in Boyz N the Hood, John Singleton’s groundbreaking debut film about gang culture in South Central LA – he became the first black film-maker and the youngest person (24!) to be nominated for best director at the Oscars (Jonathan Demme won for Silence of the Lambs). Now, keep your head up: his next film in 1993 was Poetic Justice – a romantic drama starring Tupac and … Janet Jackson.
Pairing notes
Listen Revisit Jackson’s back catalogue with her 1986 album Control – choreography, wardrobe, makeup, BANGERS.
Eat Over on Instagram @janetjackson has declared the high-end Greek restaurant Estiatorio Milos as one of her “favourite places in London to eat”.
