It is a highly anticipated project by fans of the King of Pop. The biopic Michael, dedicated to Michael Jackson and directed by Antoine Fuqua, shines a light on a promising young actor, who is none other than the singer’s own nephew Jaafar Jackson, who was tragically lost in 2009. Let’s introduce you to this discreet member of an impressive family of artists.
Where does Jaafar fit in the Jackson family? Born in July 1996, Jaafar is the son of Jermaine – the 4th of Joe and Katherine Jackson’s 9 children – and Alejandra Oaziaza, who are also parents to Jermajesty (2000). The couple separated in 2004, and after the separation, he and his brother lived for a long time with their paternal grandparents. Jaafar has other half-siblings. And here is where it gets a little complicated!
His mother Alejandra had two children, Genevieve (1989) and Steven (1992), with Randy, the youngest Jackson sibling (who are also his cousins). She also raised Donte (1992). As for Jermaine, he is also the father of Jermaine II (1977), Autumn (1978), and Jaimy (1987) with Hazel Gordy; as well as Jeremy (1986) and Jourdynn (1989) with Margaret Maldonado; not to mention Dawn (whose mother is unknown) and the youngest, Abu Bakr, with Maday Velazquez.
Jaafar is also the cousin of the 3T (Taj, Taryll, TJ), Tito’s sons.
Jaafar Jackson didn’t always want to be an artist Even though he grew up in a very musical environment, as a child, Jaafar did not think of becoming a singer or even a dancer, but… a golfer. But he definitely had the music gene in him. In 2019, after impressing with cover songs of Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, he released his first single, “Got Me Singing”. At the same age, Michael Jackson had released “Thriller”, the best-selling album of all time.
In an interview with Today, he remembered the time spent with his uncle, to whom he was close: “Michael used to come visit me and we would spend whole days playing board games.” He would also visit him at his Neverland ranch, a real amusement park for the child he was. Michael passed away just a few weeks before Jaafar celebrated his 13th birthday.
In the biopic “Michael”, he plays his own uncle. A delicate role, as the comparison with his iconic uncle is inevitable. This film marks his very first foray into the world of cinema. And during an interview with the magazine Interview, Jaafar revealed that he had kept a secret from his family, for “an entire year”, that he would portray the legendary interpreter of “Beat it”. “I kept the secret until I felt comfortable enough to talk about it,” confessed the young man. “But when my mother saw me on screen, she was very moved. She had trouble recognizing me, it really touched her.”
Jaafar, a man in love In his personal life, Jaafar Jackson has been in a relationship since 2016 with Maddie Simpson, who is also a singer. The couple got engaged in 2024.
