Michael Jackson’s influence on pop culture has persisted for more than ten years. Questions about the scandals and claims against him continue to linger, and a lawsuit relating to his alleged child molestation was still being pursued until it was rejected by a judge in 2021. His music continues to dominate the radio (per the BBC). And a biopic of the pop king was in the works, it was revealed in early 2023. According to Deadline, John Logan’s script would be directed by Antoine Fuqua. None other than one of his own nephews was chosen for the lead part.
Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew through his brother Jermaine, was cast as the biopic’s leading man. The biography was advertised in advance as not avoiding the darkest aspects of Michael’s life, but Jaafar’s involvement and the estate’s collaboration raised concerns about the film’s objectivity and honesty. Jaafar’s singing and dancing abilities, however, were unquestionably up to the task.
As a result of Joe and Katherine Jackson’s marriage, Jaafar comes from the third generation of the Jackson family. Jaafar is one of Michael Jackson’s 26 nieces and nephews, according to a list of names published by Entertainment Tonight. And several of them have pursued careers in the media, following the example of their uncle and parents.
3T
One of the most popular musical acts to come out of the Jackson family after The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson is 3T. The band’s three members, all sons of Tito Jackson with names that begin with the letter T: Tito Joseph Jackson, Taryll Jackson, and Tariano Adaryll Jackson (also known as Taj), gave the group its name (known as TJ). They began working together as a trio in the early 1990s, penning songs for “Free Willy” films and other endeavours involving their more well-known relatives. “Brotherhood,” the debut album of the lads, was made available in 1995.
In a 2014 interview with the Irish Independent, 3T identified their uncle Michael as a mentor and supporter. Michael had requested that they continue the family’s musical history, according to Taj. However, in 2000, a dispute between Michael and Sony hampered their own career and ruined 3T’s most recent record. The loss of their uncle hindered their 2009 attempt to resurrect their musical careers.
With the launch of Lifetime’s “The Jacksons: Next Generation” in 2015, the brothers made the transition from music to reality television. They revealed to Ebony that one of the main goals of the series was to debunk different accusations made about their family throughout the years, which were reinforced in the social media age. Variety dismissed the show as a cynical means of promoting the brothers’ joint and solo efforts, which were the subject of mixed reviews for the endeavour.
AUSTIN BROWN
Austin Brown, Rebbie Jackson’s youngest child, reportedly showed no desire in sharing the spotlight as he grew older, according to the fan site Jackson Source. He didn’t change his direction until 2004, when he left home at the age of 18. Eight years later, a performance at SXSW caught CNN’s eye, and they got Brown down for an interview. He revealed to them that his uncle Michael Jackson had given him and all of his cousins some tutoring. His aunt Janet, however, was the family member who had the most influence.
The following year, Brown’s debut album, “Highway 85,” was made available. According to Billboard, the endeavour received a split response, with modest acclaim mixed in with references to his family. Ironically, Brown made a point of downplaying any ties to the Jackson family. Being associated with well-known names, he said, is both a blessing and a curse. “I don’t want to resemble anyone else. I’m powerless over how I speak, how I appear, and how I move when I dance. I just organically produce.” To avoid having to take advantage of his family, Brown also worked alone on “Highway 85.”
Brown most recently issued the CD “Heart Over Mind.” He explained to Connection is Magic that it was a result of a COVID-19 pandemic experience he had. He had recently reconnected with an old love interest just before it struck.
BRANDI JACKSON
There was a lot of opposition to the “Leaving Neverland” documentary from Michael Jackson’s kin of all ages. His niece Brandi Jackson, descended from his brother Jackie, specifically attacked one of the film’s subjects’ assertions. She revealed to Billboard that she once dated Wade Robson, one of the two men who accused Michael of sexual abuse in the documentary. She claimed that their friendship dates back to childhood and lasted for seven years. She doubted Robson’s account of what happened and the length of time he may have spent with her uncle. She also brushed off the allegations that Robson had committed racism.
In comparison to several of her cousins, Brandi has a relatively low public profile except from speaking out in favour of her uncle. On her Instagram page, she describes herself as a photographer and videographer. She is also identified as the secretary of the Savong Foundation Cambodia, which aims to provide free English language instruction to children in rural areas.
ELISSA AL MANA
In 2017, the third generation of the Jackson family welcomed their newest member. According to the BBC, Janet Jackson abruptly delayed the tour of her show “Unbreakable” in April of the previous year because she was expecting a child. She and her husband, Wissam Al Mana, wanted to take some time to get ready for their future as parents because this was their first pregnancy at age 50.
On January 3, 2017, Eissa Al Mana, their son, was born. But regrettably, Janet and Al Mana’s dreams for their family did not come true. According to People, they filed for divorce soon after Eissa was born. Randy, the brother of Janet, said that Al Mana had verbally abused Janet. According to allegations that surfaced the following year (albeit from unnamed sources), Janet and Al Mana had disagreements over how to raise their son, and Janet had even called the police when Eissa was in the custody of his father (per People).
JAAFAR JACKSON
The nephew who will portray Michael Jackson on television has been practising some of the necessary acting techniques since he was a young child. Jaafar Jackson has a passion for singing and dancing, according to Deadline, and has done both since he was 12 years old. He demonstrated both abilities in the 2019 (via YouTube) music video for his single “Got Me Singing,” and he has appeared in front of the camera for his cousins’ reality shows and music videos (per People).
Jaafar, one of Jermaine Jackson’s nine kids, gained the family’s open support after it was revealed that he will play Michael in the biopic. According to Deadline, his grandma Katherine thought he would make an excellent actor. Both Antoine Fuqua, the film’s director, and Graham King, its producer, insisted that Jaafar was the only candidate for the role. King asserted that despite extensive worldwide casting efforts, only Jaafar was able to successfully portray his uncle’s characteristics. According to Fuqua, he and Jaafar had an immediate chemistry that would work well for the movie.
Jaafar shared his pleasure on Instagram once the news was released. In his essay, he stated, “I’m humbled and honoured to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life. Jaafar’s first acting appearance on camera will be as his uncle.
JERMAINE JACKSON JR.
Jaafar Jackson is not the only actor from his generation to portray a different Jackson family member. The Jackson family was tracked from Joe and Katherine Jackson’s marriage to their children’s “Victory” tour in 1984 in the five-hour miniseries “The Jacksons: The American Dream,” which ABC aired in 1992. Variety claims that the Jackson family was involved in the production; Jermaine Jackson served as one of the producers. The Jacksons had to be double cast because of the miniseries’ extensive time range. And Jermaine Jackson Jr., his own son, played the role of the younger version of himself.
Jermaine Jr.’s acting career has stalled in the wake of the miniseries’ conflicting reviews. In adulthood, he has mostly maintained a low profile. Asa Soltan Rhamati, his longtime partner and star of the reality series “Shahs of Sunset,” is an actress. She admitted to Madame Noir that although Jermaine Jr. occasionally appeared on “Shahs of Sunset,” he would probably turn down a bigger part because their relationship is the one aspect of her life that she keeps hidden.
RANDY JACKSON
Not all of Michael Jackson’s nieces and nephews have chosen to follow in his or their parents’ footsteps and become famous people. But in a prominent family, the limelight might not be able to be avoided. The Jackson 5’s official website states that Randy Jackson is the father of Genevieve, Steevana, and Randy Jr. The Jackson Source fansite mentions Genevieve’s activities, but the kids have primarily quiet lives. However, when they were younger, they were all involved in arguments between their father and mothers.
For brutally abusing his wife Eliza Shaffy Jackson and their daughter Steevana in 1991, Randy was sentenced to prison. According to AP, Randy had been told to go to domestic violence counselling after a previous incident, but he refused and kept abusing his wife. On October 30, she told a lawyer about it and claimed Randy was on his way to confiscate the phone. In the end, he was given a month’s jail time, two years of probation, and yet another order to participate in a domestic violence programme.
Years later, Randy and Alejandra Loaiza, his ex-girlfriend, became embroiled in legal disputes. Genevieve and Randy Jr. were born to Loaiza and Randy in the 1980s, according to the Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Loaiza sought to require Randy to pay child support after their divorce in 1989; Randy claimed not to be aware of this until 2008. In 2014, Loaiza’s actions against Randy were thrown out on the grounds that he hadn’t received the summons.
SIGGY DEALZ JACKSON
Both the literary and musical worlds have their fair share of ghosts. in particular, ghostwriters, who are writers paid to operate under false pretences. According to the fan site Jackson Source, it was via Jackie’s brother that Michael Jackson’s nephew first entered the music industry. Sigmund Jackson, often known as Siggy, revealed to Positively Michael that his family had cautioned him about the challenges the music business might present. He argued that this warning was common, aside from the loss of privacy. Siggy, however, claimed he had no other interests in which he had such a strong love.
Siggy pursued a solo career under the alias Dealz after quitting ghostwriting. His work includes the song “That’s How I Feel,” which he co-wrote with his father and his uncle Jeremiah.
Siggy has a penchant for motorcycles as well, and his personal Instagram profile begins by expressing this enthusiasm for the vehicles that frequently appear there. Siggy also hosts the A Jackson View podcast with his wife Toyia.
TAJ JACKSON
Taj Jackson, the oldest of Tito Jackson’s kids, was born on August 4, 1973, and was featured on the cover of Jet magazine the same day (per the fansite Jackson Source). Even though he began performing with his siblings at an early age, he also had another interest, one he shared with his uncle Michael: sports. Taj stated that his uncle exposed him to the fields of film and photography in a GQ Portugal interview. Taj’s first camera was a gift from his uncle. Additionally, the two discussed the possibility of collaborating on a movie before Michael passed away.
Without his uncle, Taj began making feature films in 2014. According to Market Wire (via Yahoo! News), Taj had been chosen by Big Screen Entertainment to direct and co-write a zombie film dubbed “Code Z” with the Sco triplet writing team. Although Taj’s personal website only has a clip from a proof-of-concept short made in 2015 as of 2021, it was meant to be the first instalment in a trilogy.
According to Variety, Taj was one of the producers of the reality show “The Jacksons: Next Generation,” and in 2019 he used his family as a source of inspiration once more. According to an I Heart Radio story, Taj was preparing the documentary “Re-Righting HIStory” on his well-known uncle. Taj had harshly condemned HBO’s “Leaving Neverland,” thus it was meant as a rebuttal to that film. GoFundMe was used by the director to solicit donations from fans; as of 2023, less than half of the intended money has been raised.
TARYLL JACKSON
Taj Jackson stated in an interview with GQ Portugal that while his younger brother Taryll was most passionate about music, he most enjoyed discussing movies and photography with his uncle Michael. According to Taryll’s personal website, by the age of 12, his aptitude was obvious enough to earn him a contract offer, which he declined. Taryll was the main writer for the band 3T when he first entered the music industry, together with his brothers. He also served as their producer, a role he had played for other musicians including Bruno Mars and Jennifer Lopez.
By 2012, Taryll had made the decision to start working alone while continuing to collaborate with his brothers. He released “My Life Without You” and “Best of All Time” as his two songs in 2012. The first was a memorial for his late mother, and the second was for his late uncle. 2019 saw Taryll begin on his first solo live performances and the release of his album “Crazy Love.”
When promoting the album’s release on Grown Folks Music (via YouTube), Taryll revealed that the album’s inspiration came from a 20-year-old challenge to write 10 songs in 10 days. He attributed the activity with inspiring him to complete his musical compositions rather than toiling over them for nothing but personal use.
TJ JACKSON
TJ Jackson, the third and youngest son of Tito Jackson, had his own bond with his uncle Michael. Taj Jackson revealed to GQ Portugal that TJ enjoyed discussing the music industry as a business, even if he and their uncle connected through movies and Taryll over music as art. Michael and he would also talk about children’s schooling. Ebony said that TJ and his grandma Katherine were appointed as his uncle Michael’s legal guardians after his death.
As a performer, TJ was until 2017 solely associated with his brothers as a part of 3T. TJ moved to Nashville, Tennessee on the advise of friends because he wanted a unique musical identity (per News Channel 5 Nashville). After releasing his debut solo single, “Insomnia,” two years later, he declared that he had thoroughly loved the process and was ready to base his future solo endeavours in Nashville. “Pressure,” TJ’s debut album, was released in 2022. (per Rated R&B). He made a cover of his uncle’s song “Human Nature” in the interim.
According to the fan website Jackson Source, TJ dabbled in acting and ran a real estate business for a while. In 2017, he and his wife, Frances, founded The Family Rules, a website with parenting and marital advice.
YASHI BROWN
Yashi Brown, Michael Jackson’s niece by Rebbie Jackson, was only temporarily drawn to the music industry. She was a kid star in one of her mother’s music videos, according to the Jackson Source fan site, and she thought of starting a musical trio to release music on her uncle’s label, but poetry was her preferred means of expression. Without a personal problem, it might not have developed into that way.
Brown informed APB that she had a nice and loving childhood, but after going through a difficult time in her adolescence, she suffered from severe depression and started acting and speaking based on her racing, irrational ideas. Bipolar I disorder was ultimately determined to be her condition. Brown was able to focus her emotions through artistic outlets after receiving counselling and mood stabilisers as treatment, and poetry was her preferred creative outlet.
Brown got interested in mental health advocacy in 2011 after going through a mental health crisis at a period when such topics were hardly ever acknowledged in public (per her personal website). She has spoken on panels and news shows, performed recovery-themed poems, and contributed to Obama administration mental health initiatives. For their efforts in 2016, she, her mother, and her sister Stacy Brown all won the Special Recognition Voice Award.
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence. On their website, you can also discover further resources, information, and help.
