Boy George said he first met Janet Jackson around 1986, per “Karma.” Just three years earlier Boy George and his band Culture Club had shot to the top of the charts with their second album, “Colour by Numbers.” According to per Culture Club, heavy MTV rotation and the singular style of its lead singer, who broke gender norms, propelled Boy George into the spotlight. In 1986, Janet Jackson released her second album, “Control,” which became a huge hit, selling more than 8 million records worldwide (per Biography).
Boy George, a fan of Jackson’s music, saw her onset and told her he loved her new single “What Have You Done For Me Lately.” Not recognizing the singer because he was dressed down, Jackson “wasn’t friendly and didn’t try to be,” Boy George recalled in “Karma.” Jackson later called him into her dressing room. When she explained she hadn’t recognized him, he told her that made it worse. “Are you saying you would have been nice to me if you knew who I was?” he asked pointedly. Jackson apparently didn’t appreciate Boy George’s comment based on their next two encounters.
