Janet Jackson has opened up about her family tree, revealing some surprising celebrity connections. In a recent interview, Janet shared that she is related to three famous individuals: Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Janet, 58, explained that Stevie Wonder is her cousin on her mother’s side, as is Tracy Chapman. She also revealed that Samuel L. Jackson is a distant relative. This news may come as a surprise to many, as Janet is often associated with her famous immediate family, including her brothers Michael and Randy Jackson.
Janet’s family life has been well-documented over the years. She was the youngest child of Katherine Jackson and the late Joe Jackson, and grew up with nine siblings, including Michael, Randy, Maureen, La Toya, Sigmund, Toriano, Jermaine, Marlon, and the late Brandon Jackson, who passed away just 24 hours after birth.
In her documentary, the singer opened up about her close relationship with her brothers Michael and Randy, but revealed that things changed after Michael’s massive success with Thriller in 1982. “For the first time in my life, that’s when I felt it was different between the two of us. That a shift was happening,” she explained.
Michael’s untimely death in 2009 at the age of 50 was a devastating blow to Janet, who still honors her brother’s memory by playing their song “Scream” at her concerts.
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Janet Jackson.
In “Scream,” Michael and Janet addressed the struggles of fame and public harassment, with Michael singing, “I’m tired of injustice, I’m tired of schemes / Your lies are disgusting / So, what does it mean, damn it?” The song went on to win a Grammy in 1996 for best music video, short form.
Janet’s revelation about her celebrity connections is just the latest insight into her fascinating life and career. As a member of the iconic Jackson family, Janet has always been in the spotlight, but she continues to surprise and delight fans with her music, performances, and personal stories.