exhale OMG when Britney snapped at the 2001 AMAs

[Guest]

I was watching Britney’s  “Stronger” from the 2001 AMAS,  and got curious about the aesthetic and visual references in this performance. As a kid, I didn’t understand the choice of 80’s metal for it.

 

Watching it as an adult, the stage set, wardrobe, and costumes are clearly borrowed from the late King of Pop MJ, particularly his Bad era, which makes sense considering Glam Metal, or big hair metal, were all the rage during the mid to late 80’s.

In fact, MJ was known to employ female rock guitarists for his tours in the late 80s. Scrolling through gifs of late 80’s MJ, the references become even more obvious. The use of fog, big hair, wind, and overall grittiness, I mean. Then, I browsed YouTube comments for the Stronger AMAS, and discovered that the lead solo guitarist was Jennifer Batten. Googled her name:

Quote

Batten played lead guitar and rhythm guitar on Michael Jackson's Bad (1987–1989), Dangerous (1992) and HIStory (1996–1997) world tours, and on his 1993 Super Bowl halftime performance (Wikipedia)

 

I’m a little shook tbh, because I had no idea that that was her on stage with Britney! I mean, I still don’t really know who she is, I just know about her link to MJ. As a kid, I didn’t understand any of the choices in this performance and thought it was Britney wanting to be “edgy” lol. I used to think it was kind of weird, actually.  It wasn’t until just now, when I realized this was definitely an homage to MJ.  When it aired, the media was too concerned with Britney being a bad influence for being **** on stage, and never gave any credit for the thoughtful treatment behind all of this.  These sort of tidbits/facts about Britney's iconic performances make me appreciate them even more. Such an under-appreciated performance.  Let's talk about why this is so very iconic. 

Queen of paying homage to her industry predecessors! 

Some thoughts:

• The light/non-eyebrow with that shade of blond <3
• Girls in boy tightie whities, hot
• Hairflip at 1:49 before she snaps. The hairflip game is strong in this one!
• 2:25 when Britney becomes posessed by Jennifer Batten's guitar solo
• 2:38 hairography into the cannon
• 3:00 the backup dancers throw off their blond wigs and leave them on the floor.  Britney snaps again, and chaos ensues.
• Watching this is like getting multiple ******* in the span of one song.
• Loves me some Badassney.
• Spoiler

  

  

  

  

   

[ovoxo]

I'm shook  I always thought there was something about the performance that stood out & I never realized this 

 

I love when award show performances have a completely new concept and new choreo. Like it's lazy when artists just do something straight from their tour   

 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, ovoxo said:

I'm shook  I always thought there was something about the performance that stood out & I never realized this 

 

I know!! I never could put my finger on it. Back then I thought Britney was just trying out her 80’s rock fantasy for a night lol. 

[Captain Marvel]

She totally was paying homage to "Dirty Diana."   

 

[Delicious Pork Chops]

7 minutes ago, ovoxo said:

I'm shook  I always thought there was something about the performance that stood out & I never realized this 

 

there's something about that man's face in ur profile that stands out

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Captain Marvel said:

She totally was paying homage to "Dirty Diana."   

 

I love it.  this performance was only a few months after her 2000 VMAs, which was another homage to MJ. And the fact that she had Jennifer Batten up there with her. When will these other basic *** hos out that are out these days?

[Captain Marvel]

6 minutes ago, Khoazie said:

I love it.  this performance was only a few months after her 2000 VMAs, which was another homage to MJ. And the fact that she had Jennifer Batten up there with her. When will these other basic *** hos out there nowadays? 

Me too.  The creativity, uniqueness, nerve, and talent she displayed during her prime can't be stressed enough.  

 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Captain Marvel said:

Me too.  The creative, uniqueness, nerve, and talent she displayed during her prime can't be stressed enough.  

 

And charisma . But alas, people were too fixated on Britney being Satan by showing skin and pu$$y popping, ruining the youths of the time, and made no mention of her creativity. Queen of being ahead of her time.

[Captain Marvel]

3 minutes ago, Khoazie said:

And charisma . But alas, people were too fixated on Britney being Satan by showing skin and pu$$y popping, ruining the youths of the time, and made no mention of her creativity. Queen of being ahead of her time.

Oop! 

She really proved why she was the love-child of Janet & Madonna.  She troubled critics but dazzled audiences effortlessly, kids nowadays will just never know.  

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Captain Marvel said:

Oop! 

She really proved why she was the love-child of Janet & Madonna.  She troubled critics but dazzled audiences effortlessly, kids nowadays will just never know.  

We witnessed all of this live. Mm mm mm . A phenomenon that’s highly unlikely to happen again anytime soon if ever. I am so grateful!

[Captain Marvel]

3 minutes ago, Khoazie said:

We witnessed all of this live. Mm mm mm . A phenomen that’s highly unlikely to happen again anytime soon if ever. I am so grateful!

To stan the undisputed Princess of Pop from the start when she was firing at all cylinders -- I just can't.  She didn't come here to play and this performance was a prime example.  

[Guest]

Just now, Captain Marvel said:

To stan the undisputed Princess of Pop from the start when she was firing at all cylinders -- I just can't.  She didn't come here to play and this performance was a prime example.  

She had just turned 19 a few weeks before this. Her pu$$y was on fire, and she spread that wildfire all over the stage wherever she went. Is it weird that I get emotional thinking back how amazing it was? She was so damn pretty in this performance! 

Btw, any idea what she’s rapping during he breakdown? The only part I can make out is “I’m stronger, I’m stronger...!”

[Captain Marvel]

13 minutes ago, Khoazie said:

She had just turned 19 a few weeks before this. Her pu$$y was on fire, and she spread that wildfire all over the stage wherever she went. Is it weird that I get emotional thinking back how amazing it was? She was so damn pretty in this performance! 

Btw, any idea what she’s rapping during he breakdown? The only part I can make out is “I’m stronger, I’m stronger...!”

Whew, yasss, mama! 

Ugh, so young yet so fierce and not weird at all, it was truly a time to be present.   We were lucky enough to be born just in time for it all.   There certainly was a level of maturity and sophistication very early on, she never seemed like a teen star to me even though her audience skewed very young when she first started.  

I really do love this performance aside from the killer homage to MJ/"Dirty Diana": the lesbian theme, the hair-flips are on point, the dancing is feminine yet brass, and the hand-held mic.  I love it all.  I have no clue what she's saying either, she sounds insane and I live.  

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Captain Marvel said:

Whew, yasss, mama! 

Ugh, so young yet so fierce and not weird at all, it was truly a time to be present.   We were lucky enough to be born just in time for it all.   There certainly was a level of maturity and sophistication very early on, she never seemed like a teen star to me even though her audience skewed very young when she first started.  

I really do love this performance aside from the killer homage to MJ/"Dirty Diana": the lesbian theme, the hair-flips are on point, the dancing is feminine yet brass, and the hand-held mic.  I love it all.  I have no clue what she's saying either, she sounds insane and I live.  

 Britney ***** snapped so hard in this, for real. Hairflips, Head bangs, puss pops, twerks before twerking was even on the national consciousness, rapping, grinding, de-wigging. Oh wow Britney was possessed!! 

[Britneyarmy8]

The f**king whispering part always gets to my inner soul 

i want Britney to make more songs with these kinds of beats or more performances like this like she brings out so much energy in unique performances like this

for example 2016 I love rock n roll is low key underrated, the amount of energy and snapping she used to put in that performance was literally crazy(primeney 2.0)

anyways this performance is f**king amazing 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Captain Marvel said:

 

the lesbian theme, the hair-flips are on point, the dancing is feminine yet brass, and the hand-held mic.  I love it all.  I have no clue what she's saying either, she sounds insane and I live.  

This was January 2001. Before the Madonna kiss at 2003 VMAs. Before “The L Word” in 2004. Let that sink in. 

We stan a queen of queer visibility! 

[brit4u1998]

It came out when I was 12 years old. I thought the performance was trashy, yet I couldn't look away, and thought the performance was great at the same time!

I thought she was waaay too ******, yet wanted to tie by shirt up, showing my belly like her! Britney was a mystery wrapped in an enigma, for me.

[BritneysBitch82]

This is one of my all time fav performances. And now i love it even more. We deserve this in HD

[Alex_1991]

If she did something like that nowadays 95% of gay people in the world would die of heart attack 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, BritneysBitch82 said:

 

We deserve this in HD

I know! Why hasn’t it been done already??