Did Janet Jackson apologise to Kamala Harris over her remarks on racial identity?
File images of Janet jackson and Kamala Harris
Janet Jackson has found herself in the middle of controversy following her remarks regarding US Vice President Kamala Harris' racial identity. A few days back, in an interview, Jackson claimed that Harris was not Black.
The interview published in The Guardian quotes Jackson as saying, "She's not black. That's what I heard. That she's Indian."
The comments have sparked widespread outrage, prompting discussions on race and identity in America.
During the interview, Jackson was asked about Harris potentially becoming the first Black female president, as Harris is the Democrats' presidential candidate. When the interviewer attempted to clarify Harris's mixed heritage, Jackson incorrectly asserted that Harris’s father was white, further complicating her statements. She added that regardless of the election outcome, “It’s going to be mayhem.”
As Jackson's comments went viral, a person claiming to be Jackson's manager, Mo Elmasri, issued an apology on behalf of the singer, acknowledging that her comments were based on misinformation.
He stated that Jackson respects Harris’s dual heritage and values the diversity she represents.
Interestingly, soon after Elmasri issued a statement, Jackson’s representatives quickly denied that Elmasri was authorised to speak for the singer.
It seems that the apology did not come from Jackson herself.
The original statement attributed to Elmasri claimed that Janet recognised the confusion her remarks caused and expressed her commitment to promoting unity and understanding.
Later, Elmasri disclosed to The Daily Beast that the singer had fired him due to disagreements regarding her statements and the ensuing fallout.
