Janet Jackson’s ‘apology’ for questioning Kamala Harris’ race was reportedly unauthorised

Janet Jackson copped backlash for her comments about Kamala Harris’ race before swiftly apologising. Now, the saga takes another bizarre turn.

Janet Jackson’s team has denied issuing an apology for her remarks claiming Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is “not black.”

A representative for the US singer told People that an earlier statement shared by Mo Elmasri, who claimed to be Jackson’s manager, was unauthorised.

Her rep told the outlet that Elmasri is not the singer’s manager, nor does that person represent her in any capacity. Randy Jackson is her manager.

Elmasri claimed in the unapproved statement that Janet was apologising for her comments on Harris’ racial identity, which were “based on misinformation.”

The Feedback hit maker, 58, came under scrutiny after questioning Harris’ race during an interview with the Guardian published yesterday.

When the pop star was asked about her thoughts on Americans voting for the first Black female presidential nominee, Janet said of Ms Harris, “She’s not black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.”

Janet Jackson caused controversy when she declared Kamala Harris was "not black".

US Vice President Kamala Harris’ parents were both immigrants, with her father being born in Jamaica and her mother in India. Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP

She continued, “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.”

Ms Harris’ parents were both immigrants, with her father being born in Jamaica and her mother in India.

Janet was then asked if the US was ready to have Ms Harris, 59, in the Oval Office over Republican opponent and former president Donald Trump.

“I don’t know,” the five-time Grammy winner 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.”

The singer was swiftly criticised on social media for her comments.

“This is why she’s irrelevant and leeching off of her brothers’ success,” one person wrote on X, referring to Janet’s late brother Michael Jackson.

“I have always been a fan of Janet Jackson but this just no. Stop,” another chimed in.

Jackson’s fans were upset by the singer’s comments. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images

Several others pointed out how Michael’s skin tone became lighter in the early 1990s, which he claimed was due to vitiligo.

Per Mayo Clinic, vitiligo is a condition that leads to colour loss in the skin.

“Janet, you know better than to believe that nonsense … especially after all the race controversies Michael went through,” another critic added.

Donald Trump previously made similar remarks about Ms Harris. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

Others compared the music icon’s controversial comments to Trump’s false claims that Harris changed her race.

“I’ve known her a long time, indirectly, and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage,” Mr Trump, 78, said in July while speaking at the National Association for Black Journalists.

“I did not 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.”

This story originally appeared on New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Janet Jackson’s ‘apology’ for questioning Kamala Harris’ race was reportedly unauthorised