Janet Jackson sizzles in rare red carpet appearance after claim she wouldn’t kiss Tupac Shakur without ‘AIDS test’

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Janet Jackson was seen in public on Tuesday at the Dancers Against Cancer Gala in Beverly Hills, marking a rare outing for the singer.

The 59-year-old pop star looked stunning in a short black dress as she arrived at the Beverly Hilton gala, where she was being honored.

Just a day after reports surfaced about a new book detailing the making of the 1993 film Poetic Justice, Janet Jackson was seen in public. The book alleges that Jackson requested Tupac Shakur, her costar, get tested for AIDS before she would film a kiss with him.

I’ve heard from the Daily Mail that they’ve contacted someone on Jackson’s team for a statement, but so far, they haven’t gotten back to them. I’ll keep you updated if I hear anything new!

Janet Jackson looked radiant at Tuesday’s gala, wearing a shiny black satin minidress with long sleeves. This appearance comes as her niece, Paris Jackson, is involved in a legal dispute concerning the estate of her late father, Michael Jackson.

The dress had a short, flowing train, and Jackson added a bold touch with sleek, black leather boots that reached her knees and had pointed toes.

She added a touch of glamour to her simple outfit with several rings covered in diamonds. Her hair, styled in soft caramel waves that fell to her shoulders, highlighted her remarkably young-looking face.

Jackson hosted the second Gala of the Stars, a major fundraising event benefiting Dancers Against Cancer.

The organization’s website states that the gala helps dancers, choreographers, and their families affected by cancer by providing them with financial support and a sense of hope.

Jackson was being honored with the Gala of the Stars’ Icon Award.

Tupac Shakur’s highly anticipated biography, “Only God Can Judge Me,” began generating buzz on Tuesday following the release of an excerpt in The Hollywood Reporter on Monday.

The passage discussed the making of John Singleton’s 1993 movie, Poetic Justice, featuring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur.

Despite a strong on-screen connection that helped the movie succeed, Pearlman claims Jackson and Shakur had a difficult relationship off camera.

Reportedly, at the lowest point in their professional relationship, Janet Jackson insisted that Tupac Shakur get an AIDS test with a negative result before she would agree to film any kissing scenes with him. Shakur was tragically killed in 1996 at the age of 25.

The movie features Jackson as a poet who works as a hairstylist. She embarks on a road trip from Los Angeles to Oakland with friends—one of whom is a postal worker played by Shakur—to cope with the recent loss of her boyfriend, who was killed in a shooting.

As a big fan, I’ve always heard stories about 2Pac being a bit of a free spirit, and apparently that extended to the set of ‘Poetic Justice’! Joe Torry, who co-starred with him, has said that Pac was often late – sometimes by hours! It’s just part of the legend, I guess, but it definitely caused some issues during filming.

Tupac Shakur reportedly hadn’t learned many of his lines for the movie, and his habit of improvising during filming was starting to frustrate director John Singleton.

Adding to the problems, reports suggest the rapper’s performances were poor because he was frequently under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Unlike others, Jackson was known as a consummate professional. This dedication stemmed from the strong discipline she built up throughout her career, starting when she was a young performer.

According to Pearlman, Jackson and Shakur’s professional relationship fell apart near the end of filming, just before they were scheduled to shoot a kiss.

He says that Tupac spent a lot of time before the incident describing how he planned to passionately kiss Michael Jackson.

The singer, known as Control, wasn’t impressed with Tupac Shakur’s boastful behavior. Reportedly, she told producer Steve Nicolaides just before the filming of their kiss scene that she’d only do it under one specific condition.

According to reports, Jackson said Tupac had a reputation for being someone who was often out and about, and Jackson didn’t want to risk getting sick by kissing him until he was certain Tupac was healthy.

Jackson said she had previously told the film’s director, John Singleton, what she wanted, but he simply walked away when she mentioned it again during the meeting. She was with her fiancé, dancer René Elizondo Jr., at the time.

When Nicolaides told Jackson that Shakur should get tested for AIDS, Shakur supposedly replied with disbelief, saying, ‘You’re joking, right?’

Shakur reportedly responded with a highly offensive and dismissive statement, telling the person to convey a similarly abusive message to the woman in question. He explicitly stated he would not assist her in any way.

I remember hearing that the producer initially wasn’t sure if Shakur was serious, because he actually smiled after saying something shocking. So, the producer had to ask him directly if he meant what he said, and Shakur emphatically replied, ‘Absolutely not!’ It was a really intense moment.

“He genuinely seemed to enjoy it,” Nicolaides explained to Pearlman. “And honestly, I understand why Janet asked. It was the early 90s, and AIDS was still a deadly disease. Plus, Tupac, bless his heart, was known for being a bit of a wild card.”

Nicolaides explained that Shakur wasn’t tested for anything, but Jackson went ahead and filmed the kissing scene with him anyway.

I was so thrilled when Janet Jackson received an Oscar nomination for her beautiful song ‘Again’ from ‘Poetic Justice’! While Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Streets of Philadelphia’—from that incredible film starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington—ended up winning, it was still amazing to see Janet recognized for her talent.

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2025-10-22 17:39