Janet Jackson’s team has denied issuing an apology for her remarks claiming Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is “not Black.”
A rep for the “All For You” songstress told People Sunday evening that an earlier statement shared by Mo Elmasri, who claimed to be Jackson’s manager, was unauthorized.
Her rep told the outlet that Elmasri is not the singer’s manager, nor does that person represent her in any capacity. Randy Jackson is her manager.
Elmasri claimed in the unapproved statement that Janet was apologizing for her comments on Harris’ racial identity, which were “based on misinformation.”
The “Feedback” hitmaker, 58, came under scrutiny after questioning Harris’ race during an interview with the Guardian published on Saturday.
When the pop star was asked about her thoughts on Americans voting for the first Black female presidential nominee, Janet said of Harris, “She’s not black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.”
She continued, “Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days. I was told that they discovered her father was white.”
Harris’ parents were both immigrants, with her father being born in Jamaica and her mother in India.
Janet was then asked if the US was ready to have Harris, 59, in the Oval Office over Republican opponent and former president Donald Trump.
“I don’t know,” the five-time Grammy winner responded. “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.”
The “Nasty” singer was swiftly criticized on social media for her comments.
“This is why she’s irrelevant and leeching off of her brothers’ success,” one person wrote on X, referring to Janet’s late brother Michael Jackson.
