Jacksons at War: Jermaine’s Explosive Diss Track and the Feud That Rocked the Family

Being in a band with your siblings might sound like a dream—but for the Jackson family, it often played out like a nightmare. At the center of this turbulent story lies a feud between pop icon Michael Jackson and his older brother Jermaine, a rivalry that reached a boiling point in the early 1990s and became public through a fiery diss track that shocked fans around the world.

From Unity to Discord

Though the Jackson 5 projected a united front in their Motown days, internal competition and diverging career paths caused deep fractures. By the 1990s, Michael and Janet Jackson had become two of the most successful entertainers in the world, while Jermaine and other siblings struggled to remain relevant. Joseph Jackson, the family patriarch, attempted to capitalize on Michael’s star power by arranging a $7 million concert deal in South Korea involving Michael, Jermaine, Tito, Randy, and Rebbie. But legal trouble soon followed, as the deal collapsed amid accusations of fraud and embezzlement, with claims that the funds were redirected into a bogus escrow account and spent on luxury cars and cash payouts.

Michael, through his representatives, denied any involvement, further distancing himself from his family’s business entanglements—reminding many of the tensions that marred the Victory Tour a decade earlier.

Jermaine Strikes Back

While the family chased business ventures like Jackson-themed supermarkets and entertainment pavilions, Jermaine set his sights on resurrecting his music career. He became the first major act to sign with the then-nascent LaFace Records, working with legendary producers L.A. Reid and Babyface on what he hoped would be his big comeback.

But Jermaine’s dreams were dashed when Michael—also searching for new collaborators—summoned Reid and Babyface to his Neverland Ranch. The producers halted work on Jermaine’s album to entertain the possibility of producing for Michael, leaving Jermaine frustrated and humiliated. When confronted, Michael showed little sympathy, allegedly saying, “Did he sign a contract? Then he’ll have to live with it. Those are the rules.”

This perceived betrayal lit a fire in Jermaine. He channeled his anger into a scathing diss track titled “Word to the Badd”, in which he accused Michael of turning his back on family, race, and reality. The song’s original version included biting lyrics like “once you were made, you changed your shade,” alluding to Michael’s changing appearance and controversial public persona.

Though Jermaine later released a toned-down version on his 1991 album You Said, the original track mysteriously leaked to radio stations in New York and L.A., sparking a media frenzy. While Jermaine denied orchestrating the leak as a publicity stunt, many speculated otherwise—especially given that Michael’s own single “Black or White” was leaked around the same time.

Epic Records was livid. Michael was reportedly furious, using his industry power to have the track removed from airwaves almost overnight. L.A. Reid admitted he didn’t know what Michael did, “but it went away in a flash.”

A Public Fallout and Private Reconciliation

Jermaine stood by the track, calling it a creative response to his anger. “I was mad at him at the time—very, very angry,” he told the Los Angeles Times. Despite the bitterness, he insisted that his love for Michael ran deep. Eventually, the brothers met and talked it out. “The first thing Michael asked me was, ‘Why?’” Jermaine recalled. The conversation ended with an agreement to never be too busy to take each other’s calls.

Still, the damage was done. Jermaine’s album failed to chart significantly, and critics lambasted its lack of direction. Some suggested Jermaine was aiming for a teen audience he could no longer connect with, while others blamed the diss track for alienating fans loyal to Michael.

Telling Their Own Story

In the aftermath of the feud, Jermaine shifted focus to reshape the Jackson family narrative. He spearheaded the production of The Jacksons: An American Dream, a four-hour ABC miniseries chronicling the family’s rise from Gary, Indiana, to global superstardom. Working alongside Motown legend Suzanne DePasse and Roots creator Stan Margulies, Jermaine was deeply involved in the script and casting. Surprisingly, Michael was supportive of the project, approving key creative decisions from afar.

The miniseries aired in November 1992 and was an immediate hit, drawing more than 38 million households and becoming one of the most successful music biopics of the decade. While the show acknowledged the family’s struggles—Joseph’s infidelity and strict discipline—it avoided more controversial claims, particularly La Toya Jackson’s allegations of abuse. It concluded on a triumphant note, with the Jackson brothers reunited on the Victory Tour and Michael emotionally thanking their parents for realizing the American Dream.

A Legacy of Brotherhood and Betrayal

In the end, Word to the Badd remains one of the most infamous diss tracks in music history—not just because of its content, but because it came from family. While Michael and Jermaine eventually reconciled, the song exposed deep wounds within the Jackson dynasty that fame and fortune couldn’t heal.

Behind the glamour of the Jackson name was a family grappling with jealousy, pressure, and the immense shadow of one brother’s unprecedented stardom. As Jermaine himself once said, “Love for Michael goes deeper than anyone can imagine.” But sometimes, even love isn’t enough to stop a war between brothers.