Maybe releasing “Dammn Baby” as her latest single was a cute nod to the fact that she cancelled her world tour in order to have a kid or two, but its existence in this video is purely motivated by the fundamentals, the driving force that Janet Jackson is the greatest of all time. Which is to say, she doesn’t need fireworks, she doesn’t need overly ostentatious styling; she’s only ever needed good choreography, a couple of back-up dancers, and the sheer force of her will.
And lord, whomever choreographed this (Paula? I wish) was a blessing, if only for the amount of hair flips on the eight-count. None of it is overly pose-y, nor is it too complicated for the god, but that’s on purpose—it allows her to properly stunt, and also execute a succession of tongue-clicks and winks that propel this narrative forward (the narrative being nothing more than “damn baby”). Who needs a bell or a whistle, simplicity works! Janet, the queen, turns 50 on May 16, and is every bit as fly as ever.
