Janet Jackson’s recent gaffe, in which she said she questioned Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ background, is leading some of her closet friend to share concerns about how one of her brother’s may be steering her career.
Following widely derided comments in which she said that Harris was not Black and claimed that the vice president’s father was white, as well as the disorganized and bizarre public relations campaign that followed, several sources spoke to Page Six about the alleged influence Randy Jackson is having on his younger sister.
They cited Janet’s woes over her remarks about Harris and the poor handling of the aftermath as evidence that Randy is out of his depth and commanding too much influence over the Rhythm Nation singer.
Sources also alleged that Randy, 62, is a Trump supporter who takes an interest in conspiracy theories, though they went short of saying if he fostered Janet’s false claims about Harris’ race.
Jackson, 58, sent shockwaves through social media when she confessed her controversial views about the Democratic 2024 presidential nominee to The Guardian.
Janet Jackson’s gaffe over Kamala Harris’ race has led some in her inner circle to fear that her brother Randy Jackson is controlling her and steering her career poorly
Sources also alleged that her manager and brother Randy, 62, is a Trump supporter who takes an interest in conspiracy theories; pictured in 2017 in LA
She said: ‘Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian. 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.
‘I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days,’ she added. ‘I was told that they discovered her father was white.’
In fact, Harris’ father is Jamaican and her mother is white, which made her the first Black and South Asian vice president — as well as the first female vice president — when she was began serving with President Joe Biden in 2021.
Jackson was subsequently lambasted across social media and by various political pundits for the comments, which were likened to former President Donald Trump’s false conspiracy theory claiming that Harris described herself as being Indian and only later started calling herself Black for political advantage.
Janet’s close friends were reportedly confused by her interview, but they worried the damage to her career could be significant.
Some of her inner circle feared the fallout could be worse than for her so-called ‘Nipplegate’ scandal from the Super Bowl, as her fans from minority communities might abandon her over the remarks.
The false claims were particularly shocking, as Jackson has repeatedly called out racism, as well as other forms of discrimination, both in her personal life and in her music.
‘How can she sing about Rhythm Nation and make comments like that?,’ one insider complained to the publication. ‘It doesn’t even sound like her. She’s so methodical. I don’t know what made her do this.’
They added that the London-based singer ‘doesn’t really watch the news anymore’ and now lives ‘in a bubble.’
Janet and Randy allegedly learned of the controversy over her remarks while partying in Paris with Christian Siriano, and they planned to just ignore the issue
Another source revealed that Janet and Randy only became aware of the controversy over her interview when they were celebrating in Paris with a group of friends, which included the designer Christian Siriano.
A second source said the two planned to avoid addressing the controversy and to ‘just let it blow over.’
That wait-and-see approach proved not to work after a man calling himself Mo Elmasri claimed to be her manager and issued an apology for the remarks on Janet’s behalf to Buzzfeed.
Shortly afterward, Janet’s publicist reiterated that Randy was managing her and said Elmasri did not work for.
They added that neither Janet nor her brother would be commenting on the matter because they were occupied with mourning for their brother Tito Jackson, whose cause of death was recently revealed after he died at age 70 on September 15.
Elmasri later claimed to The Daily Beast that he did work for Janet but had been fired after he disagreed with her and Randy about the reponse to her disastrous interview.
Multiple sources told Page Six that ‘No one [in her camp] knows who [Elmasri] is.’
‘It’s completely out of the blue. No one has ever heard of this guy, not any breath of him,’ added one of the insiders.
One source said Janet, who now lives in London, ‘doesn’t really watch the news anymore’ and now lives ‘in a bubble’ that prioritizes her brother Randy; pictured in 2022 in Greenwich, England
Notably, Elmasri previously claimed to be Jackson’s manager when he announced her future Las Vegas residency in August.
Although her publicity team later put out an official announcement, it never disputed or even addressed Elmasri’s statement.
Another source who had also not heard of the person claiming to be Jackson’s manager thought that he may have had an actual connection to her, but they believed Randy may have hired him.
But another source who had also not heard of the person claiming to be Jackson’s manager thought that he may have had an actual connection to her, but they believed Randy may have hired him.
They went on to accuse Randy of ‘sabotaging her legacy because he’s not savvy.’
The source derided him for trying to manage Janet’s career when he had ‘never had a career’ of his own, and they said his younger sister ‘pays for everything.’
They went on to allege that the older sibling is a ‘Trump supporter and conspiracy theorist.’
‘Janet’s bubble is small, and she listens to Randy. She does peddle in conspiracy theories,’ they claimed.
A person identifying themselves as Mo Elmasri previously said he was terminated from employment under Jackson (pictured last year in NYC), amid a recent controversy over remarks she made about Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris ‘ background
In her interview with The Guardian, Janet also suggested that Randy played a role in the delayed release of her next album, Black Diamond, which she announced prior to the start of Covid-19 lockdowns, along with a canceled tour to promote it.
Jackson said she ‘felt so badly’ about the delay and claimed she had ‘music that’s just sitting on the shelf’ and waiting to be released.
‘I went to my brother [Randy]… and I think, I think he’s just waiting for the opportune time,’ she added.
But multiple sources claimed that Janet does not have the material to support a new album, and she allegedly hasn’t been back in a studio to record new music since before the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
A person identifying themselves as Mo Elmasri previously said he was terminated from employment under Janet Jackson, amid a recent controversy over remarks the singer made over Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ background.
Elmasri’s remarks come after reps for the 58-year-old songstress – whose brothers were in the Jackson Five who were behind such hits as Blame It On The Boogie – told Variety Sunday that Elmasri released a statement on Jackson’s behalf with no authorization.
‘Janet Jackson fired me due to disagreements between me, her, and [brother and manager] Randy [Jackson,] after her meeting with the Guardian and her unbalanced statements,’ Elmasri told The Daily Beast in an email. ‘That’s all I can say.’
Elmasri said that he couldn’t ‘receive phone calls due to the large number of calls’ he had incoming on the issue, adding, ‘All support to Kamala Harris.’
An iMDb bio for Elmasri says he’s an Egyptian filmmaker who runs 24 East Agency, a consultation fire. It stated that Elmasri ‘now works as a creative consultant for many global superstars, including Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Britney Spears and Selena Gomez’
Reps for Jackson told TMZ on Sunday that ‘Elmasri has absolutely no connection to’ the Control artist.
According to the outlet, a person identifying themselves as Elmasri ‘apparently inaccurately’ told Buzzfeed he was the singer’s rep in the mea culpa for the statements about the vice president.
The statement from Elmasri 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.
It continued: ‘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.’
The Gary, Indiana-born entertainer has been managed by her brother Randy for years, Variety reported, adding that the family was ‘unavailable for comment’ as they mourn the September 15 death of Tito Jackson.
An iMDb bio for Elmasri says he’s an Egyptian filmmaker who runs 24 East Agency, a consultation fire. It stated that Elmasri ‘now works as a creative consultant for many global superstars, including Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Britney Spears and Selena Gomez.’
Elmasri’s credits on the website include executive producer on Janet Jackson: Family First; as well as ‘uncredited’ roles as creative director on 2019’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and trainee assistant director on 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Jackson sent shockwaves through social media when she confessed her controversial views about the Democratic 2024 presidential nominee to The Guardian
Management for Janet Jackson say that an unauthorized party spoke on the singer’s behalf in an previously-released apology over Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ background. Jackson pictured in NYC in February
The Jackson family was ‘unavailable for comment’ as they mourn the September 15 death of Tito Jackson (pictured in England in 2021)
Jackson sent shockwaves through social media when she confessed her controversial views about the Democratic 2024 presidential nominee to The Guardian.
She said: ‘Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian. 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.’
In response to a whirlwind of criticism and disappointment with the pop star’s comments – which are similar to ones made by Republican 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump – Elmasri issued the aforementioned statement to Buzzfeed.
The statement attributed to Elmasri did not go over well with everyone.
One X user posted: ‘Janet Jackson sounded an absolute fool in that interview and I am very disappointed. We are less than 50 days away from the election. We gotta talk smarter!’
Another user posted on X: ‘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.’
Harris, 59, was born in 1964 to Dr Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian-born cancer researcher, and Donald J. Harris, a Black Jamaican economics professor. The couple wed in 1963 and separated in 1971, after welcoming Kamala and her younger sister Maya, 57.
Gopalan died of cancer in 2009 aged 70, while Donald Harris, 86, is now a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University after retiring in 1998.
The Gary, Indiana-born entertainer has been managed by her brother Randy for years. Pictured last year in Houston
Donald Trump said that Harris ‘happened to turn Black’ while discussing her race with Black journalists in July, with the former president since doubling-down
Jackson’s late brother Michael faced controversy about his skin after it changed color from Black to white over the course of his career. He blamed a medical condition called vitiligo and denied bleaching his skin.
Trump claimed Harris ‘happened to turn Black’ while addressing a the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in Chicago in July.
He said: ‘She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage.
‘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. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?
‘I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went – she became a Black person. I think somebody should look into that too.’
Harris shrugged off the remarks days later accusing Trump of ‘the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect.’
She added: ‘The American people deserve better.’
The vice president has yet to comment on Jackson’s remarks about her race.
Harris was born to Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian cancer researcher and Donald Harris, a Black economics professor from Jamaica (pictured together in the 1960s)
Trump is pictured at the National Association of Black Journalists event in Chicago in July where he made the remarks about Harris’ race
Trump’s comments on Harris race outraged many conservatives, with even his own supporters said to be annoyed at the former president for not focusing on attacks on Harris’ policies.
Earlier this month, Trump appeared to double down on his comments about Harris’ race.
‘I don’t care what she is. I don’t care. Whatever she wants to be is okay with me.’
Polls show that the race between Trump and Harris remains on a knife edge ahead of election day on Tuesday November 5.
