But it is., His sister, Bunny DeBarge,saidthe following year that her family still believes Jackson was pregnant by James when their marriage was annulled. Like any mother, I was so proud of my children, she said. At first, I felt like this was the worst thing in the world that happened to me. While El Debarge was in Houston for the Back To Me tour with Fantasia, he got a second chance at being a father when he was introduced to his daughter for the first time after 15 years. Through all the hurting and grief, the musical mother never wavered in her faith, nor was she tempted to numb her anguish with alcohol or pills. She said, Hes got three strikes against him: Hes a soldier, I dont know him and hes Caucasian, Mama D said. Her sons El and Chico recently released critically acclaimed albums (Els Second Chance was nominated last year for two Grammy awards). She also attributed weight gain at that time to the birth control she was on. Some People Think The Claims Against Him Were Just a Distraction. He was a nice guy., But although they felt safe with each other, DeBarge admitted, I dont know why anyone would trust me., The young lovebirds would sneak around to see each other as much as possible. In March 2017, James' sister Bunny DeBarge wanted to clear the air, so she reached out to Inside Edition, where all the classy air cleaning happens. James (Abney) taught El how to play chords. Follow us onTwitter. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Ive been able to give the right word from God in so many situations. So, did Janet has a secret love child? When the pop star would tour through Grand Rapids, she always made sure Mama D had tickets to the show. Her singing voicemail messages are just one way she takes after her daddy. He said, Okay, Ill be right back. And Im sitting in ahotel room in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by myself, just 18. Jackson said that while she thought of him as a sweet guy, their union ultimately ended because of his addiction to cocaine. During that same time, Jackson was working on the hit television series Fame. When she called the nearby Army base to talk to him, whoever answered the phone misunderstood and gave the phone to Robert DeBarge. Every one of them has musical ability, she said. Janet Jackson El Debarge girlfriends: El DeBarge was previously married to Monica Debarge. He had at least 2 relationship previously. El Debarge has not been previously engaged. El DeBarge has been in a relationship with Pebbles. We are currently in process of looking up information on the previous dates and hookups. James Abney moved to Grand Rapids with his brother, William Jr., his fathers namesake, who would become Bishop Abney, a legend in the Grand Rapids community for his leadership at Bethel Pentecostal Church, 834 Lake Drive SE. Shes always been so glamorous., She's an avid garage sale shopper, having picked up that thrifty tip from her mother, Bessie Abney. And at that time I thought that there was no other way I would be able to kind of get my own life unless I got married.. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Growing up in a famous family with a somewhat terrifying father, Janet Jackson has been in the spotlight since she was a child. The rumor was squashed after a paternity test proved he and the girl were not related. I remember times when I would find the pills and I would take them and try to flush them down the toilet, and we would be rolling around on the floor fighting for them 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. I can not wait for her documentary I'm very happy that she is telling her story in her own words. Janet Jackson's new Lifetime documentary promises to answer questions, but it also addresses rumors. "How could I keep a child from their father? We've received your submission. That has haunted the family a long time I think we all believe that James and Janet had a child.. Blogger Joy Sewing at 29-95.com captured this moment with the singer at a recent in-store at Serious Sounds Record in Houston: (For 22 years), DeBarge lived on and off the streets of Los Angeles using drugs . People always tell me, You all were supposed to be the next Jacksons, and I say, God knew I couldnt handle (that kind of fame) for my children, Mama D said. Janet was two years out from her first self-titled album and wouldn't release Control, the album that turned her into a mega-star, for another two years. The four-part docuseries includes never-before-seen footage and gives fans an intimate look at the making of her music. My daddy was the choir director at our church, and he would lead his children in singing a cappella the songs would always blend, Mama D said. Even when they were little kids, you could hear the washing machine going, and theyd be trying to get a rhythm going with the sound.. Jackson and DeBarge a member of his familys singing group, DeBarge, which had several hit songs in the 1980s eloped in 1984 when she was 18 years old and he was 21. DeBarge says the woman wanted to keep their new connection private. All Rights Reserved. They were my babies. Son Bobby was born the next year, followed by Tommy, Randy, Marty, El, James and Jonathan Chico. Twins Darrell and Carol, aka Peaches, were born in 1971. "She has been denying me for many years. UPDATE: Private Investigator Details How Whitney Houston Was Murdered, You Must Ask Your Daughters Boyfriend These 10 Questions. And its just hurtful for someone to see that and just try to take advantage of it Its still painful., In a 2016 appearance on Growing Up Hip Hop, in which his daughter, Kristinia DeBarge, was a cast member, DeBarge himself seemed to confirm the rumor. This had to be some serious inside work being done with the paperwork. Janet did eventually become a mum, giving birth to a son Eissa in January 2017, shortly before her split from businessman husband Wissam Al Mana. Happy Friday ? "There are a lot of nights that I would go searching the streets looking for him eight o'clock in the morning, four o'clock in the morning," Jackson said. He died at age 39 of AIDS, which he contracted in prison. We care about your data. The miniseries will be based on her 2008 self-published memoir, The Other Side of the Pain., God will receive the glory from this miniseries, she said. El and Chico have relaunched successful solo careers, and the group DeBarge is back on the road, with James as lead singer along with Marty, Randy and Tommy, plus grandson Andrew DeBarge on lead guitar and granddaughter Alana DeBarge singing Bunnys vocals. , Watch El DeBarge and Faith Evans Lay It Down In the Studio, El DeBarge on His Return From Drug Addiction, Lizzo Shut Down Candace Owens Fatphobic Comments With An Affirming Instagram Reel. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. My brothers mentored and loved my children. I could never do that, that's not right.". DeBarge said the woman asked if they could take a paternity test, but it hasnt happened yet because hes afraid to meet her. DeBarge People loved to hear our family sing.. The album featured the first of several Top 10 R&B hit singles, Therell Never Be., Jermaine loved Bobbys voice, Mama D said. The New Lifetime Documentary 'Janet' Lets Janet Jackson Tell Her Own Story, Was Michael Jackson Framed? Cause I knew that he needed help. That eventually led to the duo deciding to get married in 1984, with Jackson getting a blessing from LaToya though she kept her plans hidden from the rest of her family. #ControlTheNarrative #Iconic Janet4ever @lifetimetv, That said, Bunny didn't buy it. How could I keep a child away from their father? Her top-selling albums includeControl, The Velvet Rope, Rhythm Nation 1814,andUnbreakable. He knew I was going through all this heat, but he wouldnt let it scorch me. The two met when the sibling group DeBarge made its debut on Soul Train while Jackson was there with sister LaToya and brother Jermaine. Inside Janet Jackson's scandalous marriage to James Sadly, it seems that the once-talented singer's legacy and claim to fame is tied up with the women in his life: his daughter, Kristinia DeBarge, and his ex-wife Janet Jackson. I dont know, maybe its this person in me that wants to help people subconsciously. As often as she could, Mama D took the beatings for her children. Hesaidthe womanclaimed that Janet was her biological mother. I tried many times to get out, but I couldnt, she said. It depends on who you ask, but we're gonna go with what Janet Jackson herself says which is no. No matter what happens and comes your way, love one another through thick and thin.. I think we were just so both in love with each other that we just needed to block everyone else out.. Brady: Janet Jacksons Super Bowl Nipplegate was good for the NFL. Well James supposedly tells Radar Online that a young woman claiming to be his daughter recently reached out to him, wanting a paternity test. After decades of rumors about Janet Jackson and James DeBarges daughter and claims they had a secret child before their divorce, the conspiracy theories have officially been shut down. She has earned countless honors and recognition for her lifetime contribution as a performer. We were very poor, but we didnt realize we were poor it was all we knew, she said. They didnt know what they were doing, bless their hearts. And its time for everyone else to do the same.. Janet Jackson Finally Addresses Secret Love Child It was very painful for them; they were so close, and they couldnt see themselves as not working together. Theres no way it could not have been hidden. How could I keep a child from their father? YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Janet Jackson She was only 18 years old. WebEl DeBarge has 12 children. arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine. Born in Detroit in 1935, she and her twin sister, Ernestine, were the youngest girls in William and Bessie Abneys family of 11 children. This story has been shared 158,551 times. She confirmed it on the deathbed., James said he always had his suspicions that Janet had a baby. She claimed that when Janet and James split up, she personally saw Janet pregnant, and that James was also aware of the alleged pregnancy. At 17, Etterlene and her twin sister were hanging out at their favorite place, the roller rink, when she met an Army soldier named Robert Barnes. When it comes to relationships, somehow Im attracted to people that use drugs., Binge watching old interviews ? He thought El would be most likely to succeed, Mama D said. Tommy and Bobby were the first of Mama Ds brood to strike out in the music world. My emotions were all over the place. When we got married and came back to the hotel, he said, OK, Ill be right back,' she recalled of their wedding night. Janet Jackson, a two-night four-part documentary, premieres on Jan. 28 at 8:00 p.m. EST on Lifetime. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Selling over 100 million records, the five-time Grammy winner has been awarded 11 American Music Awards, 10 MTV Video Music Awards, and 11 Billboard Music Awards. Bobby was Switch.. In her new docuseries, Janet Jackson reminisced about her. DeBarge claims that in the emails he received from the woman, he was told that Jackson had allegedly put her up for adoption. Janet was 18 years old and was looking for a way out, so she married her childhood friend and fellow musician James DeBarge. After they eloped to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where they were married by DeBarges uncle I even remember putting a ring on my finger and putting it on the wrong finger, said Jackson the groom left his bride alone on their wedding night. It would have to be hidden from me if she wasnt a part of my life all the time and I didnt know anything about her, he explained. And I thought it was wise for me to speak out now because it needs to be addressed., To be honest with you, I didnt know, he continues. "I remember times when I would find the pills and I would take them and try to flush them down the toilet, and we would be rolling around on the floor fighting for them, that's not a life for anyone," Jackson said in the documentary. Janet Jacksons ex-sister-in-law has revealed that she does not DeBarge claims that he wouldnt have cut the girl out of his life had he known she existed for sure. In 2017, a Philadelphia woman named Tiffany Whyte claimed to be Jackson and James daughter an occurrence Bunny DeBarge says has happened at least 10 times. Questions still loom if Tiffany could be Janet Jacksons daughter or if the singer had a child in the late 80s, and her former mother-in-law, Etterlene DeBarge, is on a quest for the truth. Janet Jackson also discussed some of the rumors told about her over the years, including one that addressed a secret baby with her ex-husband James DeBarge. Celebrities That Had Kids At A Shockingly Young Age. According to new reporting fromPeople, one of the long-standing rumors to be addressed is that Jackson had a secret child during her brief marriage to James DeBarge. He told me, If any man ever talks to you, let me know. He didnt want me wearing jewelry or wigs or makeup, because he didnt want me to look pretty.. Janet Jackson and James DeBarge | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images. How could I keep a child from their father? DeBarge was convicted decades later, in 2011, of possession of a controlled substance. Im tired of the truth not coming forward and people being a coward when it comes to it, he tells his daughter in response to an article shes read. Mama didnt look at her children as addicts, Peaches said. 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 #janetjacksondoc encore 2nite @8pm on @lifetimetv ? Weve kept up somewhat of a relationship, so I do feel like I know him, Kendall said. This story has been shared 147,544 times. It was dangerous to the point that I was afraid to go outside.. DeBarge was one of the few Motown success stories of the 1980s. Throughout the 2000s, Janet Jackson was romantically linked to record producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri. Jackson, who is known for keeping her personal life low-key, had previously been married to DeBarge singer James DeBarge in the 1980s and video director Ren Elizondo in the 1990s. She bought an upright piano, which she paid for in installments, and the family thrived in the rich gospel music tradition at Bethel. "I still love garage sales, through thick and thin." I could never do that, thats not right." I pray for and support and love all my children, no matter what.. I think I was hurt because I had mixed emotions. However, the marriage was annulled just one year later in 1985. In 2017, a Philadelphia woman named Tiffany Whyte claimed to be Jackson and James daughter an occurrence Bunny DeBarge says has happened at least 10 He kept me continuously pregnant, she said.