Superstar Janet Jackson addressed the rumors that she and James DeBarge had a love child in her new Lifetime network documentary, Janet.
The “Control” singer was married to James DeBarge from 1984 until 1985 before their marriage was annulled, and rumors have persisted ever since that the two had a love child. According to the grapevine, Jackson’s sister, Rebbie Jackson, or brother, Jackie Jackson, raised the baby.
Jackson directly addressed the rumor in the documentary and said she would never keep a child away from their father.
“Back in the day they were saying that I had a child and I kept it secret,” Jackson reportedly said. “I could never keep a child away from James. How could I keep a child from their father? I could never do that, that’s not right.”
She also described their wedding night when she was just 18-years-old, which played second fiddle to DeBarge’s drug habit.
“When we got married and came back to the hotel he said, ‘OK, I’ll be right back,'” revealed Jackson. “And I’m sitting in the hotel room in Grand Rapids, Michigan by myself, just 18, and for three hours, he never came back. I don’t know, maybe it’s this person in me that wants to help people subconsciously. When it comes to relationships, somehow I’m attracted to people that use drugs.”
She went on to say that she tried to help him by flushing his pills and rolling around on the floor fighting him for the drugs, but nothing could keep him clean at the time.
“I sit and I say, ‘Were you stupid, were you dumb?’ But it wasn’t that. I cared so much for him, and I saw the good in him as well and I just wanted that to take precedence as opposed to this ugliness. ‘Cause I knew that he needed help. But I wasn’t the help that he needed.”
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Jackson added that while she loved DeBarge, it was ultimately too painful to continue the relationship because she was so innocent, and DeBarge would take advantage of it.
The five-time Grammy-winning recording artist also revealed secrets about her weight issues.
“A lot of the kids thought I was pregnant, ’cause I had gained weight, and I had started taking birth control pills,” said Jackson. “And back then, you could pick up weight taking them.”
The singer spilled the family tea in the Janet Jackson documentary as well. Janet aired over a two-night period beginning on Jan. 28 on Lifetime at 8 p.m. ET.
