Janet Jackson said her assertions that Kamala Harris is neither black and has a white parent were ‘based on ignorance’.
Jackson, 58, sparked outrage on social media when she revealed her controversial opinions 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 popstar’s comments – similar to those made by Republican 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump – her manager issued a statement to Buzzfeed.
Mo Elmasri, Jackson’s manager, tried to clear the air by saying Jackson was misinformed on the matter.
She told Buzzfeed: ‘She deeply respects Vice President Kamala Harris and her accomplishments as a Black and Indian woman.
‘Janet apologizes for any confusion caused and acknowledges the importance of accurate representation in public discourse.’
She ended off the statement by saying that her and Jackson are ‘committed to promoting unity.’
But this attempt to save her image 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.
