Janet: "Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Not On New Album"

During a recent press conference to promote her new film ‘Why Did I Get Married’, Janet Jackson was quizzed on her forthcoming new album. Surprisingly, Jackson, 41, revealed that long-time collaborators Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis are, as of now, not working on her Island Def Jam debut. She had the following to say:

Janet, are you finished with your next album? What direction are you taking?

Janet Jackson: “No, I’m working on it. It’ll be out probably first quarter of next year. I’m doing something, still being who I am, I’ll never shy from that. I’m working with a few people. I’m working with Ne-Yo, I’m working with Jermaine, working with Rodney Jerkins”

(Tyler Perry points at himself and everyone laughs)

Lamman Rucker: “They’ll be doing a duet together.”

Janet Jackson: “This is something different for me because normally it’s myself, Jimmy [Jam] and Terry [Lewis] and always writing music and myself writing the melodies. This is a bit of a departure from [that].”

So Jimmy and Terry are not involved?

Janet Jackson: “As of now, no.”

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I’m all for Janet working with fresh producers, but I don’t know if it’s a wise choice to drop Jimmy & Terry at this stage of her career. IMO, the duo have brought the ‘classic Janet’ element to her more recent efforts – which have seen her try and switch up her musical style. Time will tell if the change will work in her favor.