🔷️

Hey there, Diary,

I want to share with you a letter I wrote to my absolute favorite entertainer of all time. When I wrote this, I literally hated everything about myself. I'd just become a skinny teenager with a high top fade and Dr. Spock ears.

Rhythm Nation not only changed my life,
but it also provided the soundtrack.

♦️

PHAROAH’S LETTER TO JANET JACKSON
AGE 13.
PERRINE, FLORIDA. 1989

Dear Janet Jackson,

Hello. How are you? I’m 13 years old and the Rhythm Nation album means so much to me. I’m so nervous...

My hands tremble as I write this letter. Maybe I need my head examined for writing a person I don’t think exist. People on TV appear to be otherworldly folks trapped in a box.

But I know you’re real and I think you are the most beautiful woman in the world. When you smile on TV I melt. Most of my male friends have hard-ons watching you. My thang is always soft and I love you for your passion and your radiant smile.

If I was a letter I'd be the letter “I” in “Nation” because I stand with my hands behind my back to get ahead.

I go to South Wood Middle School: Home of the Stars. Janet, I know you don’t know me and you probably don’t care, but I was just raped by a man who asked me to carry a pail of rocks for him.

He promised to give me five dollars and wound up giving me emotional and physical scars.

I hate myself, Janet. I gave in to the pleasure. Was I wrong?

I had given up. I have let go.  I hate myself for that so much! Idon’t even know why I’m writing you. You probably get millions of
letters.

My letter will be the needle in twelve haystacks.

I know you’re busy on your world tour and I heard on TV you’re kicking off the Rhythm Nation Tour at the Miami Arena here in my
hometown. YAY! This is the very first letter I ever wrote you and I will write you every week until you write back, I promise.

I hope you write back. Maybe you can help me because I don’t wanna live anymore. I hate being black.

All blacks do is hurt me.

I’m tired…