In a recent interview with The Guardian, music icon Janet Jackson waded into controversy, warning voters of potential chaos surrounding the upcoming November election while also making inaccurate statements about Vice President Kamala Harris's racial background. Jackson, a Grammy-winning artist, repeated false claims regarding Harris’s identity, which have already been debunked.
During the interview, Jackson expressed skepticism about Harris’s racial identity, saying, “Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.” When the interviewer corrected her, explaining that Harris is both Black and Indian, Jackson continued to push back, asserting, “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.”
Contrary to Jackson’s comments, Kamala Harris’s racial identity has been well-established. Harris’s father, Donald Harris, is a Jamaican immigrant who came to the United States to pursue a PhD in economics, while her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was an Indian immigrant and a cancer researcher. Harris has often spoken about her mixed heritage, celebrating both her Black and Indian roots.
This isn’t the first time Kamala Harris’s racial background has been a topic of debate. In August, former President Donald Trump suggested that Harris was selectively embracing her racial identity for political gain. “She was only promoting Indian heritage,” Trump said 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?”
Amid the uproar following Jackson’s remarks, a peculiar turn of events unfolded. An apology for the singer’s comments was circulated by a man named Mo Elmasri, who falsely claimed to be Jackson’s manager. The apology, first reported by BuzzFeed, stated that Jackson’s comments were “based on misinformation” and that she respects Harris’s dual heritage as both Black and Indian. It added that Jackson “apologizes for any confusion caused” and values the diversity Harris represents.
However, Jackson’s representatives quickly clarified that Elmasri was not authorized to speak on the singer’s behalf. According to Variety, Jackson’s management has been handled by her brother, Randy Jackson, for many years. The family is currently mourning the loss of their older brother Tito, who passed away recently, and both Janet and Randy have been unavailable for comment.
When contacted by Variety, Elmasri admitted that he had been fired by Janet and Randy Jackson, though he expressed disappointment, claiming he had been unfairly dismissed after trying to improve the singer’s public image. “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,” Elmasri said in an email. He added that he fully supports Vice President Harris, though he remains disconnected from Jackson’s team.
Janet Jackson's representatives have yet to release an official statement regarding the situation. The singer’s comments have raised eyebrows, as Harris’s background is not only a personal matter but also a reflection of the multicultural fabric of America—a narrative that many have embraced and celebrated during her tenure as Vice President.