The '' Los Angeles Times '' called it " elaborately staged " and " meticulously detailed " , considered among several " great showcases for Jackson 's willingness to stretch beyond her public 's conceptions of her . " Its " headbangin ' bravado " was thought to display her diversity , adding " Jackson is too cagey to be pigeonholed . " Parry Gettelman of '' The Sentinel '' praised its " feline choreography . " Upon its premiere , Dennis Kelly of '' The Morning Call '' said , " It stands out as much for its hard-edged guitar as for the fact that Jackson wears white instead of her customary black . " '' Entertainment Weekly '' also commented it " mixes performance footage with shots of a leashed panther . " Jackson 's wardrobe and suggestive choreography drew media controversy ; also considered to start fashion trends . Lisa Jones of '' The Village Voice '' observed Jackson 's ensemble to cause a " butt revolution " and increase the fetish for a woman 's posterior among the general public , questioning " Once you 've seen Janet Jackson gyrate in ' Black Cat , ' can you really go back to Twiggy ? " In '' Dear Teen Me : Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves '' , author Jo Whittemore recalled , " You think you 're sexy . And we can blame Janet Jackson for that . She 's all the rage . . with ' Rhythm Nation ' and ' Black Cat ' topping the charts , and her music videos are hot . She 's '' sexy '' , and you want to be sexy , too . That means lace-up boots , tight clothes , and killer dance moves . " Jackson performed the song at the opening of the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards as her debut performance on the ceremony . During the performance , the singer ripped open her top to expose a black bra underneath , and became highly controversial in the media for its provocative nature , considered to usher in " a new age of sexual spontaneity . " It was viewed as the first " shocking " performance of her career due to Jackson having a virginal teenage image , in addition to the portrayal of female sexuality considered taboo at the time . MTV News explained halfway through her performance , " Although this was no wardrobe malfunction , it was a nonetheless shocking move . " It was ranked among " 10 Amazing , Shocking Unscripted Moments From '90s MTV " , saying " Janet Jackson ushered in a new age of sexual spontaneity on live television ... . It seems tame now , but it was just the beginning of the more sexualized image she took on in the '90s . " VH1 also called it a " fiery rendition . " Regarding the performance , Jackson explained , " In the concert , I normally open up my blouse , but for the MTV Awards we found this really neat top that had snaps instead of buttons . So when I undid it - the whole thing went ! " It was performed on the Rhythm Nation 1814 World Tour , in a " pyrotechnic interpretation " which ends using illusionary magic of Jackson transforming into a panther in a cage . During the act , " menacing , feline dancers forced Jackson into a cage and covered it with a silver cloth . When they pulled it off , a real , live panther was prowling inside . " The performance was also considered as " a rocker booming with guitar solos and fireworks " , commended for " utilizing illusions " to entertain the crowd . Dave Tianen of '' The Sentinel '' added , " Shifting emotions as quickly as she shifted her head , shoulders , and hips , Jackson and crew launched into a thrashing version of " Black Cat " , completed by whining guitar rifts comparable to much heavy metal . " On the tour 's opening night , Jackson stated , " The black cat , he peed - on stage ! " , causing her and several dancers to slip and fall while performing . The panther , named '' Rhythm '' , was subsequently removed from the tour after the first leg due to safety concerns , as well as her own love of animals
1990 MTV Video Music Awards
1990 MTV Video Music Awards
Black Cat (song)