What Janet Jackson Said About VP Kamala Harris & Didn’t Apology According To Reps

Janet Jackson is walking back an apology made on her behalf. Jackson commented on the Democratic presidential nominee’s biracial identity during an interview with The Guardian published Saturday. When asked about the prospect of the United States having its “first Black female president,” Jackson cast doubt on Harris’ Blackness. “Well, you know what they supposedly said?” Jackson said. “She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.” She added: “I was told that they discovered her father was white.” Harris was born to Shyamala Gopalan and Donald Harris. Gopalan, who died in 2009 at the age of 70, was a breast cancer researcher from India. Donald Harris is a Jamaican economic advisor who immigrated to the U.S. to complete a doctorate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, where he met Gopalan.

Shortly after the publication of Jackson’s comments, an apology was issued on the singer’s behalf to Buzzfeed by Mo Elmasri, an Egyptian filmmaker who has allegedly worked as a creative consultant for Jackson. Elmasri, who claimed to be Jackson’s manager, reportedly told the outlet that the pop icon’s remarks on Harris’ racial identity were “based on misinformation.” Jackson’s current manager is her brother, Randy Jackson, representatives for Jackson confirmed to USA TODAY on Sunday. Elmasri was not authorized to make the statement to Buzzfeed, the singer’s reps added, nor has he ever worked on Jackson’s team.

Source: USA Today