Janet Jackson’s reported ‘apology’ for comments about Kamala Harris turns out to be unauthorized. The singer’s team has clarified that she didn’t issue any statement following her controversial remarks in a Guardian interview.
In the interview, Jackson said about Harris, “She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian. Her father’s white. That’s what I was told.” Jackson admitted she hadn’t “watched the news in a few days” but was told somebody had “discovered” Harris’ father “was white”.
Less than 24 hours after these comments were published, an apology supposedly from Jackson made its way to various news outlets. The statement, sent to Buzzfeed by Mo Elmasri who claimed to be her manager, read:
“She deeply respects Vice President Kamala Harris and her accomplishments as a Black and Indian woman. Janet apologises for any confusion caused and acknowledges the importance of accurate representation in public discourse. We appreciate the opportunity to address this and will remain committed to promoting unity.”
Several outlets, including The Independent, reported on this apology. However, it turns out Jackson is managed by her brother, Rady, not Elmasri. The unusually worded ‘apology’ wasn’t authorized by the singer at all.
Elmasri later told Variety, “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.”
Jackson, 58, has recently been dealing with personal loss. Her brother Tito died last week at the age of 70.
As for Vice President Harris, her background is well-documented. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was an Indian cancer researcher who died of cancer in 2009 at age 70. Her father, Donald Harris, is a Black economics professor from Jamaica. At 86, he’s now a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University.
Born in 1964, Harris attended Howard University, a historically Black college in Washington, DC. She’s a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, one of the first Black sororities in the nation.
Harris has spoken about her Jamaican heritage. She told the Washington Post in 2021, “My father, like so many Jamaicans, has immense pride in our Jamaican heritage and instilled that same pride in my sister and me. We love Jamaica. He taught us the history of where we’re from, the struggles and beauty of the Jamaican people, and the richness of the culture.”
She’s also mentioned her musical influences, saying her first concert in 1978 was Bob Marley and the Wailers. “To this day, I know the lyrics to nearly every Bob Marley song,” Harris said.
In contrast to Jackson’s comments, former President Donald Trump made his own controversial remarks about Harris in July. At the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in Chicago, Trump claimed, “[Harris] was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black.”
