Janet Jackson Says Brother Michael Jackson Was Verbally Abusive

Although  Michael and Janet Jackson were one of the most significant musical sensations to hit the world of music, their relationship with each other left much to be desired.

In Janet Jackson's new documentary, "Lifetime," age opened up about struggling with body image issues. She also reminisced on how her brother, Micheal Jackson, teased her about her appearance as a growing child.

"There were times when Mike used to tease me and call me names. 'Pig,' 'horse,' 'slaughter hog,' 'cow,'" she said. "He would laugh about it, and I'd laugh too, but then there was some­where down inside that it would hurt," she said. "When you have somebody say you're too heavy, it affects you."

According to the Daily Mail, her weight struggles started when she was on the 1990 sitcom "Good Times" at age 11. She claimed that her body started developing fast, and the people she worked for bound her chest to create a flat-chested look. "I did Good Times, and that's the beginning of having weight issues and the way I looked at myself."

Per the same article, she referred to herself as a stress eater whose weight fluctuates with her mood. "When I get stressed, or something is bothering me, it comforts me," she explained of her distressing relationship with food.

This put the singer in a stressful situation both at work and at home. It also led to decades of dieting and being on the receiving end of cruel jokes; she was applauded when she lost weight and criticized when she gained weight.

However, Janet Jackson has learned to love herself and appreciate all the gifts her body has bestowed on her.

"Knowing I have these problems with body image, I ask my friends and family to tell me when I've lost too much, too," she explained to the Prevention magazine in 2012. "Because I will continue to pick on myself, like all women do, and say, You need to lose more here, more there."

She also acknowledged that her body issues might have been mitigated if she didn't have a career that was susceptible to public approval. "I probably would have wound up not having a problem," she concluded.

Michael Jackson was initially introduced as the youngest member of "Jackson 5." He grew up in the public eye and went on to release hit singles like "I Want You Back" and "ABC."

In Janet Jackson's documentary, she and her brother's relationship slowly deteriorated as they both rose to the limelight.

"I remember loving the Thriller album, but for the first time in my life, I felt it was different between us; a shift was happening," she remembered. "That's the time Mike and I started going our separate ways. He just wasn't as fun as he used to be."

She recalled being very upset while they worked together on the song "Scream." On her part, she felt he didn't advocate for her during the production.

"Michael shot nights, I shot days," she mentioned in the documentary. "His record company would block off his set, so I couldn't see what was going on. They didn't want me on set. That hurt me because I felt I was there fighting the fight with him, not to battle him," she continued. "I wanted it to feel like old times between him and me, and it didn't. Old times had long passed."

Besides her weight struggles, she explained that living in her brother's shadow came with his issues, like controversial court cases.

"It was frustrating for me," Jackson mentioned. "We have our own separate lives, and even though he's my brother, that has nothing to do with me. But I wanted to be there for him, to support him as much as I possibly could."

The singer's legal problems began in 1993 when a 13-year-old accused him of inappropriate touch. The case was eventually settled for 23million dollars.

"Michael wound up giving money to the family. He just wanted it to go away, but that looks like you're guilty," she concluded.

The singer referenced her woes in relationships and expressed her desire for a healthy one even after three divorces.

The documentary also covered her career since she began performing at age seven. It'll last four hours and will be filled with personal and intimate montages from both Janet's professional and personal life.

This is my story, told by me. Not through someone else's eyes," she explained about the film. "This is the truth. Take it or leave it. Love it or hate it. This is me."