El DeBarge and Janet Jackson: What Really Happened Between These Two 80s Icons

You’ve heard the whispers. Maybe you saw that old Jet magazine cover from the 80s or caught a late-night rerun of a documentary. There is this persistent, sticky rumor that just won’t die: did Janet Jackson have a secret baby with a DeBarge? People usually point to El DeBarge, the falsetto-voiced frontman with the "Rhythm of the Night" curls. But honestly, if you want the real story, you have to look at the brother standing right next to him.

The connection between El DeBarge and Janet Jackson is often a case of mistaken identity, but the drama is very real. Janet didn't marry El. She married his brother, James DeBarge. They eloped in 1984 when she was just 18 years old. It was a move that shook the Jackson family to its core.

The Marriage That Sparked Decades of Rumors

Janet was the "baby" of the Jackson dynasty. Joe Jackson had her life planned out—music, acting, the whole nine yards. James was part of the DeBarge family, Motown’s answer to the Jacksons. They were young, beautiful, and deeply in love. Or at least, they thought they were.

The marriage lasted barely a year. It was annulled in 1985. Janet has since opened up about the heartbreak, describing how she would spend nights searching the streets for James when he would disappear on drug binges. It wasn't a fairy tale. It was a nightmare disguised as a teen romance.

But why does everyone keep bringing up El DeBarge and Janet Jackson together?

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Part of it is just the DeBarge name. El was the face of the group. When people think of that era, they think of El’s voice. Also, the two families were incredibly close. They hung out at the Jackson's Hayvenhurst estate. Bobby DeBarge (the eldest brother) actually dated La Toya Jackson first. It was basically a crossover episode of the two most famous families in R&B history.

Did They Actually Have a Secret Daughter?

This is the big one. For thirty years, the "secret baby" story has been tabloid gold. James DeBarge has even gone on reality TV, specifically Growing Up Hip Hop, to claim that he and Janet have a daughter out there somewhere.

Janet finally addressed this head-on in her 2022 documentary. She was blunt. She didn't have a child with James. She explained that the rumors started because she gained weight while filming the TV show Fame. She was taking birth control pills, her body changed, and the gossip mill did the rest.

"I could never keep a child away from James. How could I keep a child from their father? I could never do that, that’s not right." — Janet Jackson

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Despite her denial, the DeBarge family remains divided. Some of James’s siblings, like Bunny DeBarge, have claimed they remember Janet looking pregnant back then. There's even a woman named Tiffany Whyte who came forward years ago claiming to be the long-lost daughter, but DNA tests and Janet's camp have never validated these claims.

Why El DeBarge is Always in the Mix

If you're looking for a romantic link specifically between El DeBarge and Janet Jackson, you won't find a marriage certificate. However, they shared a deep mutual respect as artists. El has often spoken fondly of the Jacksons, but he’s usually the one defending his brother James or talking about the "what ifs" of that era.

The confusion also stems from the sheer amount of music they were both putting out. In 1984, Janet was promoting Dream Street. The DeBarges were everywhere. They were the "it" kids of Los Angeles.

The Reality of the DeBarge-Jackson Connection

The truth is less like a soap opera and more like a tragedy. The DeBarge family struggled heavily with substance abuse, which is ultimately what destroyed the union between James and Janet. While the Jacksons were known for their strict, almost military-like discipline under Joe Jackson, the DeBarges were a bit more chaotic.

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When Janet left that marriage, she didn't just leave a husband; she left a lifestyle that was spiraling. She went on to record Control, an album that was literally about her taking back her life from her father and her past.

What You Should Take Away

The fascination with El DeBarge and Janet Jackson isn't just about gossip. It’s about a specific moment in pop culture when two musical dynasties collided.

1. Check the facts: Janet married James DeBarge, not El. The confusion is common because of El's higher profile.
2. The "Secret Child" remains unproven: Despite James DeBarge's public claims, Janet Jackson has categorically denied having a child in the 1980s, attributing her physical changes at the time to birth control and stress.
3. Legacy over Gossip: Both artists defined the sound of the 80s. Instead of focusing on 40-year-old rumors, listen to the production on Control or the vocal arrangements on In a Special Way. That’s where the real magic happened.

If you’re digging into this because you love 80s R&B history, the best thing you can do is watch Janet’s self-titled documentary and listen to El DeBarge’s solo work. It gives you a much clearer picture of the pressure these young stars were under than any tabloid ever could.