Pop star Janet Jackson found herself at the center of social media controversy after remarks she made during an interview with The Guardian.
Jackson, known for her long career in music, stirred up quite the debate when discussing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The 58-year-old artist mentioned having heard that Harris wasn’t Black, a statement that left the interviewer, Nosheen Iqbal, momentarily taken aback.
In the interview, Iqbal posed a direct question: Did Jackson support Kamala Harris to become the first Black female president of the United States? Jackson responded with an uncertain comment, "Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black.
That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian." Iqbal quickly corrected her, pointing out that Harris is both Black and Indian, noting her mixed heritage. However, Jackson seemed unconvinced, stating she had heard Harris’ father was white, acknowledging that she hadn't kept up with the news lately.
Kamala Harris, the daughter of a Jamaican economist father and an Indian mother, has often spoken about her mixed heritage and identity. Despite the correction from Iqbal, Jackson appeared to double down on what she had heard, adding more confusion to the interview’s tone.
Social media quickly latched onto Jackson’s comments, with critics from the left condemning her remarks. Many pointed out the eerie similarity between her statement and comments made by former President Donald Trump, who once insinuated that Harris had only recently begun identifying as Black for political gain.
The backlash was swift. Jackson's comments were seen by some as echoing right-wing conspiracies that have long sought to question Harris' identity, aiming to delegitimize her place as a woman of color on the national stage.
Iqbal herself was "floored" by the pop star's remarks and expressed concern over how misinformation and algorithms might be influencing public figures like Jackson, possibly aligning them with far-right, conspiracy-fueled ideologies.
Matters became even more tangled when a statement, apparently from Jackson’s team, surfaced online, offering an apology for her remarks. But things took an unexpected turn when Jackson later clarified that the apology was not authorized. She stood firm, making it clear that she wasn’t walking back her comments.