Paris Jackson has claimed she wasn’t invited to the 2018 Billboard Music Awards so couldn’t be at the ceremony to support her aunt Janet Jackson.
The 20-year-old actress – the daughter of Janet’s brother, late pop icon Michael Jackson – was criticised by social media users for failing to be in the audience when ‘Scream’ singer Janet was presented with the Icon Award.
Paris had already taken to her Instagram Story to tell everyone to respect her privacy but now she has told her followers on the photo sharing platform that she wouldn’t have been able to see Janet’s moment of triumph.
She said: "No one from my mgmt reached out to me about attending billboards or about the award, and no one from my family did either. I had absolutely no idea until y’all spammed with hatred. [sic]"
Although Paris, 20, didn’t appear at the event over the weekend, her brother Prince, 21, was there with grandmother Katherine and aunt Rebbie.
The star had shared a screenshot of her cousin, her aunt Rebbie Jackson’s son, Austin Brown, praising Janet’s set at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas – the ICON Award winner’s first televised performance in nine years – and agreed with him.
He wrote: "Couldn’t be more proud of my aunt for not only delivering a stellar performance but also showing people greatness is ageless. Congrats on your Icon award."
And Paris added "Ditto."
She has also asked fans for privacy regarding any issues with her famous family, and echoed the sentiment of her late ‘Thriller’ hitmaker father Jackson – who died of acute Propofol intoxication in June 2009 aged 50 – who wanted his children to remain out of the public eye.
In the lengthy rant, she wrote: "Dear social media followers, friends, stalkers, lovers and haters, and fellow moonwalkers: Please do not tell me/demands/try to control how I handle my relationship with the people in my life, specifically my family. As amazing and as s***ty as things can be, it is no one’s business but ours. I understand that some of you feel some sort of connection or need to be a part of our lives considering you watched us grow up.
"However, I am handling my situation exactly how my father did. And I am happy keeping it that way. I will always have love and respect for my family. ALWAYS.
"There is nothing more or less than that, that you need to know. (sic)…"
Paris Jackson wasn’t invited to Billboard Music Awards
