A man who identifies as Janet Jackson’s former manager alleges that he was dismissed by the pop icon and her brother, Randy Jackson, following disagreements that arose after an article published in The Guardian over the weekend. The article, which featured the 58-year-old singer, sparked controversy when she reportedly claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris is “not Black.”

Mo Elmasri, who claims to have been Jackson’s manager, explained the situation in an email to The Daily Beast. “I was fired by Janet Jackson due to disagreements between me, her, and Randy, after her interview with The Guardian and her unbalanced statements,” Elmasri stated. He added, “That’s all I can say,” and declined to provide further comments, citing an inability to take phone calls due to a high volume. Despite the firing, Elmasri expressed his support for Kamala Harris.

THE APOLOGY MADE AFTER STATEMENT

This revelation comes after representatives for Janet Jackson clarified on Sunday that an “apology” reportedly made on her behalf by Elmasri was not authorized or issued by the singer herself.

The controversy began when Jackson’s interview with The Guardian went viral on Saturday. In the interview, the singer, 58, allegedly claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris was “not Black.” “That’s what I heard,” Jackson reportedly said, “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.”

These comments mirrored narratives previously pushed by some right-wing groups, questioning the vice president’s racial identity—a topic that resurfaced as recently as July when former President Donald Trump made similar remarks about Harris’ ethnicity.

VARIOUS REPORTS

After an apology was reported by BuzzFeed, representatives for Janet Jackson confirmed to Variety that it was issued by someone not authorized to speak on her behalf. The reported apology, attributed to Elmasri, stated, “Janet Jackson would like to clarify her recent comments. She recognizes that her statements regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity were based on misinformation. Janet respects Harris’ dual heritage as both Black and Indian and apologizes for any confusion caused. She values the diversity Harris represents and understands the importance of celebrating that in today’s society. Janet remains committed to promoting unity and understanding.”

Variety further reported that Janet Jackson is managed by her brother, Randy Jackson. The two siblings are reportedly offline as they grieve the passing of their older brother, Tito Jackson, who died last week.

Deadline has noted that Mo Elmasri is listed as Janet Jackson’s manager on her IMDb page. Another industry website, Celebrity Service, also names him as her manager, with his status last verified on September 22. Elmasri’s personal IMDb page describes him as an Egyptian filmmaker who “now works as a creative consultant for many global superstars, including Janet Jackson.”

However, representatives have also confirmed to TMZ that Elmasri has no official connection to Janet Jackson. As of now, Jackson herself has not publicly addressed the controversy.