Rhythm Nation at 30: A look back at Janet Jackson's iconic record

Originally aired on Sept. 12, 2019

Janet Jackson dominated pop music in the '80s and '90s, and remains a powerful cultural force today. As a pop icon, you might expect Jackson to have a big, bubbly personality, but she's actually very shy.

Constance Hansen and Russell Peacock are a photography duo called Guzman. In 1989, they shot the album art for Jackson's fourth studio album, Rhythm Nation 1814, which turns 30 this month.

That album and its imagery spoke to larger forces in society, addressing socially conscious themes like poverty, racism, drug abuse and war. In honour of the album's 30th anniversary, Hansen and Peacock agreed to take us back to the day when they captured the iconic image of Jackson decked out in a military outfit.

See some outtakes from the shoot in the gallery below.

— Produced by Vanessa Nigro