Michael Jackson’s nephew Taj Jackson came for comedian Chris Rock on Twitter for comparing his uncle with recently incarcerated singer R. Kelly.
The moment happened at the beginning of Rock’s Selective Outrage Netflix special.
Rock expressed that he had a problem with selective outrage, meaning when people pick and choose to be angry at one thing but don’t show the same anger to a different but similar thing.
He used Michael Jackson and R. Kelly as an example.
“Like the kind of people that play Michael Jackson songs, but won’t play R. Kelly,” he said, earning laughter from the audience. “Same crime. One of them just got better songs. Well, I’ll play ‘Startin’ Something,’ it’s a party. I play ‘Bump n’ Grind,’ now you are activists.”
In response to Rock’s comments, Jackson ran to Twitter to express his disappointment.
“Chris Rock has used my family as punching bags for his entire career,” the tweet read. “Yet I am supposed to feel bad for him getting slapped and humiliated on the Oscars.”
He continued, “(Sic) After seeing a new clip of him attacking my dead uncle in the first minutes of his ‘Retaliation-I’m still relevant’ special, I have 3 things to say. 1. What did my family ever do to you to warrant these decades of harassment and your constant bullying disguise as jokes? 2. Just because you were bullied early on in life doesn’t give you the excuse to bully others now. 3. Thank you Will Smith.”
Rock compared Michael and R. Kelly because both singers faced sexual assault allegations. Michael was accused of sexually assaulting young boys, while R. Kelly was sentenced for sexually assaulting teenage girls.
Twitter had a mixed reaction to Taj’s post, with many people agreeing with him and not Rock.
— Kelly Jackson (Michael Jackson’s Wife)?? (@KellyBills14) March 6, 2023
To be fair, everyone made fun of Michael, not only Chris Rock, so to single out Chris isn’t really fair to me… The press has done a lot worse to MJ than any comedian out here. Sorry.
— Princess Consuela Bhammock ? (@PrinConsuella_) March 6, 2023
He’s allowed to have an opinion on a man like Michael Jackson. We all are. People can come to their own conclusions there’s enough information out there to do that. You being so triggered says a lot. You saying Thank You to Will Smith shows you in a worse light than Rock
— Weiv (@tweetofrealness) March 6, 2023
What he said and has said about Michael Jackson is ignorant and not right… A lot of the other stuff he said last night was pretty on point though ? Just wish he’d look in the mirror regarding his own Selective Outrage. #MichaelJacksonIsInnocent
— Andy Signore (@andysignore) March 6, 2023
ALSO, 1) Did he call a white woman a bitch, or is that only reserved for black women? 2) What has Meghan done to him to have so many bullets sprayed at her? Why feed the pro monarchy UK media by hating on her? Chris planned this whole show to chase clout and create “controversy“
— TheFuture
(@OnlyFac39514488) March 7, 2023
ALSO, 1) Did he call a white woman a bitch, or is that only reserved for black women? 2) What has Meghan done to him to have so many bullets sprayed at her? Why feed the pro monarchy UK media by hating on her? Chris planned this whole show to chase clout and create “controversy“
— TheFuture
