Janet Jackson And Pitbull’s “Heartbeat Love” Isn’t Really Making Our Pulse Race

Now, we love us some Miss Jackson, but we’re not sure which of these endeavors by Janet is a worse idea: teaming up with “I Know You Want Me” rapper Pitbull on new song “Heartbeat Love” or taking brother Michael’s place for a Jackson 5 world tour later this year. Granted, that J5 tour one is just a rumor. (Or at least we hope it is.) But “Heartbeat Love,” on the other hand, is all too real. Hop below to hear it!

Pitbull raps that he doesn’t want to take over the world, but he sure manages to take over this song. It’s a full 58 seconds before you even start hearing Janet’s breathy whisper-coo on the Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins-produced club jam. (In fact, it’s Darkchild himself who leaked the track, which you can grab from his site.)

Janet used to knock some pretty solid ballads out of the park back in the day—“Again,” “Anytime, Any Place” and “Come Back To Me” come to mind—and it would be nice at this stage to hear her going for a more mature, evolved sound, rather than trying to keep up with the Gagas and Beyonces of the world.

We’re not saying she has to fully button up the cleavage and go the Susan Boyle route. But maybe it’s time to step off the dance floor and just turn out a really good pop album again—one heavy on hooks and melodies (not to mention actual singing), rather than beats and the trendiest rapper du jour.

Anyway, cleanse your palate with this Control classic: