Michael Jackson’s nephew, Taj, is demanding answers after the singer and Jackson 5 were barely mentioned in “The Apollo” documentary that premiered on HBO last week.
“How dare you erase black music history. Where is the Jackson 5? The group you helped launch on your stage. Black artists and celebs need to take note. This can happen to you too in the future. Not just my family, I’m so disappointed. Did @HBO @HBODocs make you edit them out,” he tweeted.
The iconic theater helped catapult the Jackson 5 to stardom when the band won its “amateur night” in 1967. One of Jackson’s last public performances was at the Apollo when he performed at a DNC fund-raiser for Bill Clinton in 2002.
Thousands gathered at the Apollo to mourn Jackson’s death in 2009.
But Jackson’s estate and HBO have been in a contentious, $100 million lawsuit since January when the cable network aired its Emmy-winning documentary “Leaving Neverland” — about alleged child sex-abuse claims against the late singer. His estate’s denied the allegations.
MTV quietly removed MJ’s name from its Video Vanguard Award in August.
Reps for the Apollo and Jackson’s estate didn’t comment.