Janet Jackson honored her family as she accepted her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Friday.
The Rhythm Nation singer earned her honor on this coveted list exactly 22 years after her famous brothers earned it with Jackson 5 in 1997.
“As the youngest in my family, I was determined to make it on my own… But never in a million years did I expect to follow in their footsteps. Tonight, your baby sister has made it,” she said while accepting the honor at New York City’s Barclay’s Center.
She continued: “I didn’t do this alone, though, so there are worlds of people that supported me along the way and I just want to begin by thanking my incredibly strong family, my wonderful mother, and father. As well as my sisters and my brothers, you guys never stopped believing in me.”
She also sent a sweet message to her Eissa, her 2-year-old son with estranged husband Wissam Al Mana.
“I just want to thank my baby, my beautiful son,” she said. “He wakes me up every single morning singing his own melodies. I want you to know that you are my heart, you are my life, and you have shown me the meaning of real, unconditional love. Mama loves you, Eissa.”
The multi-talented singer and actress Janelle Monae was on hand to present the award to Jackson, calling Jackson the “queen of black girl magic.”
And it was with that same magic that Jackson also thanked her father, Joe Jackson, for pushing her.
“When I was a kid, my dream wasn’t to be a singer. I wanted to go to college and I wanted to be a lawyer. It was my father’s dream,” she said of her father, who died last year. “He wanted me to become this wonderful performer, he encouraged me. He was the first to encourage me and music became my passion.”
Jackson was inducted at the ceremony alongside Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Def Leppard, the Cure, the Zombies, and Roxy Music. The achievement was announced back in December.
The 34th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will air April 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
Congrats Ms. Jackson!
