Who Grew Up and Became a True White Woman

I'm all about an artist growing and changing. It's my little complaint about Janet Jackson; the one artist next to probably the Purple Badness himself - Prince, that I would kill to have thier repertoire of songs. Attending her concerts as Janet zooms through hit after hit of songs that I love, songs that make me dance and sing, songs that were soundtrack to so much of my life, I'm moved and inspired. I'm floored by it.

But then 20 years later, so much from "Damita Jo" could have been album tracks on Rythm Nation. My one complaint of the fabulous Janet Jackson is that I don't see much growth as an artist, as a songwriter over the years. She has stuck with the same "cookie-cutter" formula of hit making - almost dissing artistry for commercial success. How hot would it be if Janet Jackson did a neo-soul full CD along the lines of "Got Til It's Gone" from Velvet Rope? Or what about a CD of all ballads or covers? I would even be down for Janet's rock CD - a la "Black Cat" or "What About." For me, it wouldn't then be about commercial success but about where you take me spiritually, move me to think, showing and expressing other sides of Janet that we haven't seen. That's being an artist to me.

Personally, the same can not be said of Madonna. It's not even a comparasion of two great talents (I would kill first for Janet's repertoire of songs but then I would kill to have impacted social thought and culture the way Madonna has). With that said, what can always be said of Madonna is that she is never creating the same album. I love that. She tries different things, different formulas, different styles of music. I love that she's growing and changing and experimenting as an artist and songwriter. This is the essence of being an artist to me.

With that said, Madonna has truly grown up and become a white woman. For this, I am pissed off. As a fan since 14 or so, I naturally rushed out and bought "Confessions on a Dancefloor" because Queen Madonna is releasing another CD and I've got to be a part of it.

What the HELL is this? I am soooooo let down by this CD. Madonna made a CD for white gay kidz at the club on Friday and Saturday night, not the club that some of us black gay kidz go to. This is white gay club music where we are not welcomed. Not one soulful club production!!! NOT EVEN ONE!!! How do you do a dance album and not honor the origin of house and club which was created by black DJs promoted first in the black and hip clubs? Before there was techo, there was original house music. And before we had this Madonna, the one with the British accent, we had the Madonna that people thought was black on RnB radio, played in black and hip clubs. Where is she? And will we ever get her back?

My dear friend Maurice and I, the only person I know with just as many CDs as me and who I will run into during midnight runs to Tower Records for the latest new release; we were talking about Ms. Madonna's new project that I just had to have 9 hours or so before everyone else. We both listened in disappointment. And the only answer to this growth of Madonna as an artist that can explain why we have "Confessions on a Dancefloor" is that Madonna truly grew up and became a white woman, a true white woman. It's what my friends joke - a white woman from Buckhead (**ritzy part of Atlanta)!!!

These are not the confessions of any black person I know. These are not the confessions at any of the clubs I go to, any of the dancefloors I may visit. Where is "my" Madonna? Where is the Madonna that would have gone left with "Ray of Light" and went just as far right with productions by Timbaland or the Neptunes. I guess this is why we now have Gwen Steffani.

All I'm saying is that I feel so left out of "Confessions on a Dancefloor." Sure, grow as an artist, but don't consistently forget some of your fans, the original fans as you grow.