Official at ABC News

http://abcnews.go.com/Ent...id=1246137


NEW YORK Oct 24, 2005 — Janet Jackson and James DeBarge, who were briefly married in 1984, had a daughter together, DeBarge's brother Young DeBarge has claimed on a radio program.

Young DeBarge said the child, named Renee and now 18, has been living with Rebbie Jackson, Janet's oldest sister. His comments lent support to reports that have circulated for years claiming Janet has a "secret" daughter.

Jackson's publicist didn't immediately return a call from The Associated Press on Monday. The singer and James DeBarge were married for less than three months when she was just 18. The marriage was annulled a year later.


"James and the Jackson family kept everything real close, real tight," Young DeBarge said Friday on New York radio station WQHT, known as Hot 97. "They weren't very revealing about what the relationship was about."

"No one really knew how it was working out until things kind of surfaced," he said.

He added, "There's no telling what (Janet Jackson) is telling her."

DeBarge said Renee "is a wonderful singer."

Jackson, 39, secretly married Rene Elizondo Jr. in 1991. They separated in 1999. She is now dating Jermaine Dupri.

Young DeBarge, 28, said he has recently finished an album.


Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

damn...thats some crazy shit. The Jacksons are pretty fuckin crazy. I dont think this is enough to completely put Janet in the same looney bin as MJ(then again, nothing would), but at the same time it might alienate a few people. And she's the normal Jackson...

Honestly, it's really no ones business. If she had a kid and no one knew about it, then fuck it. At least shes not giving away family secrets like Latoya or going on trial for child molestation like Michael

I heard of this "secret daughter" a few years back. I believe it.

She did keep her marriage to Rene secret for several years, so it's possible. But why? Did she think motherhood would ruin her popularity?
If it's true, it's just one more chapter in the history of a family that puts the funk in dysfunktional.

lyecry said:

Things don't add up. If "Renee" is 18 now, that means she was born in 1987, just when the last couple of Control singles were hitting. She didn't look anywhere near pregnant in the videos for Let's Wait Awhile or The Pleasure Principle. Even if it was a couple of years earlier, she was on Fame. When exactly did she supposedly carry this baby?

shygirl said:

damn...I forgot about the secret marriage...hmmmmm...now I'm wondering...

Rhondab said:

I'm seeing the story now on several media outlets, so I'm guessing it might not be too long before one of the Jackson clan says something.

vashti1999 said:

Supposedly she left Fame because she was pregs.

vashti1999 said:

If Janet's "secret" daughter is 18 years old, she would have to have been born in 1987 or late 1986 at the earliest. I remember seeing Janet in those videos for "The Pleasure Principle", "Control", and "Let's Wait Awhile" as well as seeing her on the 1987 AMA's, and no pregnant woman is going to dance as hard as she did on stage. Now I do remember that the the TV show Fame was cancelled in 1985, so there may have been a small (very small) window of time between the end of production of the TV show and the release of her Control album for her to have a child, but that child would be at least 20 years old today or going on 20.

Mama was a Rolling Stone.

Can anyone get a picture of this supposed "daughter"?

lilgish said:

Mama was rolling something, that's for sure

newskin69 said:

Most families have an aunt who always likes to pinch your cheeks even though you're not a little kid anymore.
The Jackson version:

Renee:" Uncle Micheal's coming? Aww...! He's still likes to dangle me out the window!"

728huey said:

She said she recorded Control in like 3 months on her"From janet. to Damita Jo" dvd so it's not possible...Exactly which month was Fame cancelled?

This rumor has been floating around for YEARS... it only popped up again now because "Young" Debarge has an album to promote & brought it up in a radio interview. The biggest problem is that he has his dates ALL wrong, which makes me question the rest of the info.

Janet was with his brother James DeBarge around 84/85 -- when she was on FAME -- if the alleged daughter is only 18 now -- she woulda been born in 1987, after Janet was long divorced (annulled) and after Janet was waaaaay deep into promoting CONTROL -- she was on her 6th U.S. single from that album (and a 7th on the way internationally). There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY Janet Jackson gave birth to a child in 1987 -- EVERYONE WOULD'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT.

IF there's any secret baby, he or she would've HAD to have been born back in 84 or 85 -- and sister Rebbie doesn't have any children born that year.. SO this whole thing just don't add up.

Kind of figured that?!!!!!

vashti1999 said:

Plus Rene and Janet starting seeing each other in 1986

728huey said:

Correction: Fame wasn't cancelled in 1985. Janet left in 85. Fame stayed on for 2 seasons after she left till 1987. Janet didn't stop no show.

ok...how many threads do we need to have on this one topic...

Rhondab said:

At least 2 or 3, apparently!

Here's a picture of the supposed daughter:

Man, this rumor is old as the pyramids. The Jacksons have so many rumors, secrets and have told so many lies or half-truths...

Supposedly Janet's 'people' and her mom, Katherine were asked about it but said 'no comment'. Heard it was on a radio somewhere but I didn't hear it myself so .

Anybody around Janet's age who followed her closely may remember there was a time when Janet looked like she could be nothing but pregnant. It was even acknowledged but soon after the talk faded away. A few months back I posted about Darryl or Darrel DeBarge being on Wendy Williams and saying he believed there was a kid. Also Chico was on and came close to tears talking about it. If Janet has two or three kids at this point I wouldn't be surprised at all.

I hope this is cleared up and this topic can be put to rest once and for all.

RipHer2Shreds said:

She looks just like Janet!

DavidEye said:

I don't even know where that picture came from (the logo beneath the "MJB" looks like an ABC logo). It's just from some gossip site that claims she's the young woman in questions, and it's labeled "Brandy Jackson."

JackieBlue said:

In 1984 or 85,Right On magazine actually reported that Janet was pregnant.I recall pics of her from that period,and she did indeed look pregnant.Some people say she miscarried though.

TurnItUp said:

A sidenote: "Fame" (the TV series) was absolutely horrible! I love the movie,but the TV show was so cheesy and silly.Janet was wise to walk away from that awful series,lol.


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