Janet Jackson ‘Apology’ for Repeating Kamala Harris Conspiracy Theory Did Not Come from Pop Star, Says Rep

An earlier statement was unauthorized, a rep for the singer tells PEOPLE

A person claiming to be Janet Jackson’s manager issued an unauthorized “apology,” according to the singer’s rep.

The statement from Mo Elmasri purported to address the singer’s interview with The Guardian, published on Sept. 21, in which Janet, 58, questioned whether Vice President Kamala Harris is Black.

A rep for Janet told PEOPLE on Sunday that Elmasri is not Janet’s manager, nor is he affiliated with her camp. The rep says Randy Jackson is Janet’s manager.

The statement issued earlier on Sunday from Elmasri, whom the singer’s rep says does not represent Janet in any capacity, claimed that the singer was sorry for comments about Harris “based on misinformation.”

On Saturday, Janet falsely claimed to The Guardian that Harris, 59, isn’t Black, repeating a right-wing conspiracy theory.

During the interview with the U.K. outlet, it was mentioned that Harris could become the first Black woman to be elected president. In response, Janet said: “Well, you know what they supposedly said?”

“She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian,” the singer added. When the reporter responded that Harris is both, Janet falsely claimed, “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,” she added.

Janet added that she was unsure if America is “ready” for a “woman of color” to be president. “I don’t know,” she said. “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.”
“I think there might be mayhem,” Janet responded when asked if she didn’t think there would be a “peaceful transition of power.”

Harris’ mother, Dr. Shyamala Gopalan was raised in India. Her father, Donald J. Harris, immigrated from Jamaica to study economics at the University of California in Berkeley, which is where he met Gopalan.