Man Who Claimed To Be Janet Jackson’s Manager Says He Was Fired Over Harris Apology

A man who claimed to be Janet Jackson’s manager said the singer — as well as her brother Randy Jackson — fired him after he issued an apology tied to her controversial comments on Kamala Harris’ racial identity over the weekend.

The news comes after Jackson — in an interview with The Guardian shared Saturday — repeated a false claim that the vice president was “not Black,” echoing a right-wing conspiracy theory pushed by Donald Trump.

Mo Elmasri, who claimed to be Jackson’s manager and previously shared a statement about her upcoming Las Vegas residency, told BuzzFeed on Sunday that the singer’s remarks were “based on misinformation” and apologized for “any confusion caused.”

Jackson’s representatives then dismissed the statement to Variety, adding that Elmasri wasn’t her manager and wasn’t authorized to speak on her behalf.

Elmasri later told The Daily Beast on Sunday he got the boot “due to disagreements” after The Guardian interview and “her unbalanced statements.”

“That’s all I can say,” added Elmasri, who also signaled his “support” for the Democratic candidate.

He referred to the firing in a statement to Variety, as well, noting that his statement was an attempt to improve Jackson’s “image in front of public opinion and her fans.”

The singer has faced backlash from social media users since The Guardian shared a profile where she called Harris’ identity into question.

“Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian,” said Jackson, who was later confronted by a reporter on her comments.

She continued to declare that she “was told” Harris’ father is white (he isn’t) while admitting that she hadn’t “watched the news in a few days.”

The comments led to Elmasri, who is described as a “creative consultant” for Jackson and other singers on IMDb, issuing a statement where he noted that Jackson would “like to clarify her recent comments” and remarked on her respect for Harris’ “dual” Black and Indian heritage.

“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,” read the statement from Elmasri, who is also credited as a producer on Jackson’s upcoming docuseries.

The singer is managed by her brother Randy Jackson, TMZ noted, and representatives said Elmasri has no connection to her. The controversy comes roughly a week after their older brother Tito Jackson, a member of The Jackson 5, died.

HuffPost has reached out to Randy Jackson, who was not immediately available for comment.