Janet Jackson has found herself at the center of confusion after an unauthorized “apology” was issued by someone who reportedly claimed to be her manager.
The statement, issued by Mo Elmasri and first reported by BuzzFeed before being picked up by several major outlets, aimed to address what Elmasri described to Yahoo Entertainment as “racist and unbalanced statements” by Jackson in a Sept. 21 interview with the Guardian, where the 58-year-old singer questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial identity.
However, Jackson’s representative stated to multiple outlets that Elmasri — who was listed on IMDb as her manager and was reportedly an executive producer on her upcoming documentary, Janet Jackson: Family First — has no affiliation with the singer.
According to her representative, Janet’s actual manager is her brother Randy Jackson. The siblings are reportedly mourning the loss of their older brother Tito, who died Sept. 15 at the age of 70, and are unavailable for comment, according to Variety.
The unauthorized statement from Elmasri, which Jackson’s rep stressed was not approved, expressed regret for the singer’s remarks about Harris, blaming them on “misinformation.”
In an email statement to Yahoo Entertainment, Elmasri credited himself as Jackson’s former business manager and said he was fired by Janet and Randy Jackson after the incident.
“The disagreements occurred between me and Janet after her meeting with the Guardian and her racist and unbalanced statements,” he said. “As her business manager, I decided to help her reform her image and calm public opinion and her fans. But then she and Randy issued a decision and I was fired.”
Yahoo Entertainment reached out to Randy Jackson for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
🗣️ What did Janet Jackson say about Kamala Harris?
During an interview with the Guardian on Saturday, Jackson made false claims about Harris’s racial identity, echoing misinformation that she’s not Black. Harris’s father is Black and from Jamaica, while her late mother was Indian.
“Well, you know what they supposedly said?” Jackson said during the Guardian interview about Harris. “She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.”
When the reporter clarified that Harris is both Black and Indian, Jackson said, “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.”
Jackson also expressed uncertainty about whether America is ready for a woman of color as president.
“I don’t know,” she 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.”
Jackson’s remarks appeared to mirror former President Donald Trump’s comments from July, when he suggested that Harris “turned Black” for political advantage.
“She was only promoting Indian heritage,” Trump stated during 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?”
📣 Fans call out ‘ignorant’ statements
Soon after the interview was published, the singer’s fans took to social media and expressed their disappointment, with some calling her statement “ignorant” and “disappointing.”
“Janet Jackson sounded an absolute fool in that interview and I am very disappointed,” one tweet read.
“Lord knows I love me some Janet Jackson, but her being with the ‘I heard but I decided not to use Google’ crew is a little disappointing,” another read.
🙏 An alleged spokesperson releases an ‘apology’
Amid the backlash, Elmasri, an apparent spokesperson for Jackson, told BuzzFeed that her comments were “based on misinformation.” The statement ended up being shared across major outlets, most of whose stories have since been edited with the latest updates.
“Janet Jackson would like to clarify her recent comments,” the statement read. “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.”
Elmasri added in the statement to BuzzFeed, “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.”
❌ Turns out Jackson didn’t authorize the ‘apology’
It was later revealed by multiple outlets that Jackson’s “apology” was sent by Elmasri, who was not authorized by the singer herself.
Jackson’s reps confirmed with major outlets that her actual manager is her brother Randy Jackson, and that Elmasri had no authorization to speak on her behalf. They also stated that Elmasri has never been part of Jackson’s team.
💬 Elmasri claims he was ‘fired’
According to Elmasri, he and the Jacksons had a testy meeting following the unauthorized statement, which ultimately led to him being fired.
In a separate statement to Variety, Elmasri said he gave the statement in an attempt to “improve her image in front of public opinion and her fans, and this is something I do not deserve.” He also expressed his support for Harris, saying, “All my support to Kamla [sic] Harris.”
Elmasri reiterated his claims in another statement to the Daily Beast.
When asked for additional comment, he explained to the outlet that he was unable to “receive phone calls due to the large number of calls” but once again expressed his support for Harris.
👤 Who is Mo Elmasri?
Elmasri was listed as Janet Jackson’s manager on several industry websites, including IMDb and Celebrity Service, where his status was reportedly last verified on Sept. 22.
His personal IMDb bio, which has since been edited, reportedly described him as an Egyptian filmmaker and founder of the 24 East Agency. It also claimed that he’s a graduate of the New York Film Academy and serves as a “creative consultant for many global superstars,” including Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Selena Gomez.
Despite these claims, representatives for Jackson confirmed to multiple outlets that Elmasri has no affiliation with the singer.
👪 Who are Kamala Harris’s parents?
Harris’s mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born in India and emigrated to the U.S. at 19 to study at the University of California, Berkeley. Her father, Donald J. Harris, moved from Jamaica to the U.S. to pursue a PhD in economics. The two met at UC Berkeley and married in 1963.
Gopalan, a breast cancer researcher who died in 2009, was a pivotal influence in Harris’s life. Harris often credits her mother with shaping her values and work ethic, as reflected in her speeches and public service. Harris’s father continued his academic career, though he has remained less visible during her political rise.
🇺🇲 Janet Jackson’s political views
Jackson has generally kept her political views private and has not openly endorsed specific political parties or candidates.
However, throughout her decades-long career, she has consistently advocated for social justice, using her platform and music to support LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter and women’s rights.
In February 2022, the singer partnered with Girls Leadership, a nonprofit that teaches girls how to exercise their voice.
“The sooner we can teach our girls how to speak up for themselves and to stand up for one another and in what they believe in, the better position they’ll be in as they get older,” Jackson said at the time. “Women need to support one another more from day one and that starts from when we’re younger. We owe it to the younger generation to teach them, so they make fewer mistakes than we did.”
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