Nationwide — Janet Jackson is reportedly engaged to Mustapha Farrakhan Jr., the son of Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan. The singer has kept her relationship private, but reports of a possible engagement have started to spread. Jackson and Mustapha have reportedly been dating quietly for almost a year.
According to Media Take Out, sources close to the Jackson family claim that the singer has appeared especially happy in recent months. The sources also believe she could be preparing to make the relationship public. Her May 16 birthday celebration has been mentioned as a possible time for an engagement announcement, although neither Jackson nor Mustapha has confirmed the reports.
Mustapha has mostly stayed out of the spotlight despite his well-known family. He played basketball at the University of Virginia before continuing his career in the NBA G League and later playing overseas in Australia. His connection to the Farrakhan family has also drawn attention to the reported relationship. The Jackson and Farrakhan families have known each other for decades, making the connection between the two more than a recent celebrity rumor.
The reported relationship also comes after several major relationships in Jackson’s life. She married James DeBarge in 1984, but their marriage was annulled the following year. She later had a private marriage to songwriter and director René Elizondo Jr. and was also in a long-term relationship with music producer Jermaine Dupri. In 2012, she married Qatari businessman Wissam Al Mana. The couple welcomed their son, Eissa, before separating in 2017.
Mustapha was also married to his wife Karen for decades, and they raised five children together. Karen suffered cardiac arrest in 2020 and never fully recovered. In the years before her death in 2024 at age 63, Mustapha reportedly helped care for her as her health declined.
Jackson has been open about some of the challenges she faced in her past relationships. She has described previous marriages as disappointments and discussed dealing with controlling behavior. She also said she was praying to God to help her see potential partners differently. Those comments have gained new attention as reports about Mustapha continue to circulate. For now, the engagement remains unconfirmed. It is also unclear whether Jackson plans to address the rumors when she turns 60.