Janet Jackson dismisses apology after questioning Kamala Harris’ race

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Janet Jackson is claiming she did not authorize an apology after she made comments about Vice-President Kamala Harris’ racial identity in a new interview.

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Jackson’s remarks about Harris came during an interview with The Guardian in which the pop star questioned the vice-president’s heritage and regurgitated what she had been “told” about the Democratic presidential nominee’s background.

“Well, you know what they supposedly said?” Jackson told the news outlet. “She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.”

When the interviewer said Harris is both Black and Indian, Jackson claimed her father is actually White.

“Her father’s White. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days,” she said. “I was told that they discovered her father was White.”

Harris’ father is Jamaican and her mother, who died in 2009, was born in India.

Jackson’s comments sparked immediate backlash on social media, with many of the five-time Grammy winner’s fans accusing her of spreading “damaging disinformation.”

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“This whole Janet Jackson thing just goes to show you how out of touch some celebrities are,” one person wrote. “I’ve always loved her but repeating lies!? Smh. If you don’t know about a subject, then don’t speak on it… especially with your platform. Educate yourself, please!”

“Janet Jackson is one of the most influential people in music history. It was simply irresponsible of her to repeat something she ‘heard’ regarding the very thing that they use against Kamala! Her own race,” another person commented. “We are less than 50 days away from the election. We gotta talk smarter!”

Jackson’s opinions echoed one Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made in July.

“(Harris) was only promoting Indian heritage,” Trump said in an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black…Is she Indian or is she Black?”

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As her Guardian interview made the rounds online, in a statement to Variety, USA Today and other media outlets, reps for Jackson said an “apology” attributed to the singer by Mo Elmasri, who claimed to be her manager, was not authorized.

The apology, which was published by Buzzfeed and appeared in multiple major outlets, read: “Janet Jackson would like to clarify her recent comments. She recognizes that her statements regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity were based on misinformation. Janet respects Harris’ dual heritage as both Black and Indian and apologizes for any confusion caused. She values the diversity Harris represents and understands the importance of celebrating that in today’s society. Janet remains committed to promoting unity and understanding.” 

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Elmasri was not authorized to make the statement to Buzzfeed, the singer’s reps said in a statement to USA Today, nor has he ever worked on Jackson’s team.

Variety noted that the Miss You Much singer has been managed by her brother Randy for a number of years.

In an email to Variety, Elmasri, whose Internet Movie Database bio claims he has worked as a creative consultant for Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Britney Spears and Selena Gomez, pledged his support to Vice-President Harris and confirmed he did not work for Jackson.

“I no longer work for her. I was fired by Janet and Randy, after attempts to improve her image in front of public opinion and her fans, and this is something I do not deserve,” he told the outlet.

Elsewhere in her interview with The Guardian, Jackson was asked if she thinks America is ready for its first woman president, to which she replied, “Honestly, I don’t want to answer that because I really, truthfully, don’t know. I think either way it goes is going to be mayhem.”

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