Janet Jackson embodies empowerment, legend status, and serves as a blueprint for many. She’s a warrior, a pinnacle of showmanship. Yet, when it comes to matters of the heart, her love life has traversed a rocky terrain, leading many, including Janet herself, to believe in a sort of curse looming over her relationships. Each romance seems to meet a tumultuous end, prompting speculation and reflection on why her journey through love appears so fraught.
Let’s rewind to what many perceive as Janet’s inaugural significant relationship back in 1983, with none other than basketball icon Magic Johnson. The public caught a glimpse of their connection at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, where photos captured Magic wrapping his arms around the young Janet, even sharing a kiss in one shot. Janet was merely 16 at the time, while Magic was 24. Reflecting on these images in 2020 sparked a discourse about Janet’s formative years. The public pondered the implications of a teenager engaging publicly with someone significantly older, hinting at potential complexities behind the scenes.
Following this high-profile flirtation, Janet ventured into marriage with musician James DeBarge in 1984, tying the knot at a tender age of 18. Her decision to marry at such a young age seemed to stem from a desire to break free from the shadow of her father, Joe Jackson, known for his controlling nature and allegations of abuse, as echoed by Janet and her siblings.
In essence, Janet Jackson’s love life, while adorned with achievements and accolades in her professional journey, has been marked by turbulence and scrutiny in her personal relationships, prompting introspection and conversation about the complexities she has faced behind the glamourous facade.
He’d cover you in oil, so when the scorching iron hit, it felt like you were melting away. It was like facing death, sweat dripping everywhere, while my mother’s panicked voice echoed in my head, warning Joe about the danger. I’d just resign myself to it, seething with resentment towards him. He’s exactly the kind of person you’d want to escape from.”
Not surprisingly, Joe was adamantly against Janet’s marriage, doing everything in his power to sabotage it. Ultimately, the marriage fell apart due to James’ addiction, leaving Janet in the difficult role of caretaker. She recounted the struggles of finding pills and trying to dispose of them while wrestling with James. Can you imagine dealing with all that at just 18? Janet cared deeply for James, believing in his potential, but realizing she couldn’t be the one to save him. In 1985, Joe Jackson had their marriage annulled.
When it comes to James, there were rumors swirling around that Janet might have had a child with him in secret, supposedly taken care of by her sister Reby.
Janet mentioned, “I have a feeling I might have a sister out there.” Interestingly, in 2016, James himself hinted at the possibility of a child, although both Janet and Reby vehemently denied such claims.
If there’s any truth to it, I guess we’ll find out when she’s ready to share. But putting aside any secret family matters, Janet’s romantic journey took a significant turn in 1987 when she started seeing Rene Elizondo Jr., a talented Mexican songwriter and music video director whom she met while he was dancing backup for her sister LaToya. Their relationship was marked by collaboration, with Rene co-writing songs and directing several of Janet’s music videos. What’s fascinating is that they actually got married in secret in 1991, a fact that only came to light when Rene filed for divorce in 2000. As for the reason behind their split, Rene explained that their relationship had evolved more into a partnership in business and creativity rather than a romantic one, prompting them to call it quits. Janet also admitted that their marriage, although kept private, was for the wrong reasons.
“We opted to keep it between ourselves, something deeply personal. Only a few family members were privy to it. We took off and tied the knot on a whim, driven by a mix of love and a misguided sense of rescuing each other.
On the other hand, my relationship with Jermaine Dupri was more public. It all began around 2002, backstage at one of my concerts. Despite Jermaine not being a big name back then, our bond grew from friendship to something more. Interestingly, while I was already well-known, Jermaine’s presence helped me break free from the shadow of my family’s fame and truly shine in the spotlight.”
You know, I ended up exposing her to a whole bunch of stuff in life that I never thought I could introduce someone to. You’d figure someone as famous and loaded as her would’ve seen and done it all. But there was this whole world we were living in, right here, filled with experiences and cultural nuances that she hadn’t encountered in L.A. So, that’s where things really clicked between us – sharing and showing each other all sorts of new things.
After spending a couple of years together, Jermaine came to realize that the relationship just wasn’t the right fit for him, prompting them to part ways. Surprisingly, they managed to maintain a friendship despite the breakup. In Janet’s documentary released in 2022, Jermaine spoke affectionately about her, confessing that they had remained friends for over a decade following their split and expressing his intention to continue their friendship into the future.
“I’m not entirely sure about buying into all the gossip swirling around Jermaine, especially considering how he may have wronged Janet. But speaking of Janet, she decided to give love another shot and crossed paths with Wissam Al Mana, a Qatari businessman, back in 2010. They hit it off and before long, in 2012, they exchanged vows. Fast forward to January 3rd, 2017, they welcomed their son, Eissa Al Mana, into the world.”
“Nowadays, my son takes precedence in my life. My whole work dynamic has shifted – don’t get me wrong, I still love what I do, but he’s my priority.”
However, by April of the same year, there were whispers that Janet and Wissam had called it quits.
“Let me level with you guys. Yes, I’ve separated from my husband. We’re sorting things out legally, and I’m leaving the rest to a higher power.”
Rumor has it, the split happened shortly after Eissa’s birth, with Janet and Wissam facing significant cultural clashes. Allegedly, Wissam was imposing his cultural norms on Janet, causing tension.
