Lord have mercy!
Ashley Jackson, 15 (pictured here), with her famous civil rights activist father, reverend, preacher Jesse Jackson, was born out of an affair her mother had with Jackson when she worked for him at Operation PUSH in Washington, DC.
Dr. Karin Stanford (pictured inset with Ashley), conceived her daughter during a secret four-year affair she had with the married Baptist minister and father-of-five, despite the fact she was 20 years his junior.
When Ashley was just 20 months old, news of Jackson’s extra-marital affair went public – causing a national scandal. Jackson, who had just counseled then-president Bill Clinton through his own affair scandal with Monica Lewinsky, was forced to admit to the affair in 2001 and publicly apologized to his wife and other children in an emotional statement.
Fast forward and fourteen plus years later and Karin says “She and the Rev are on good terms and focused on supporting their daughter“.
Ashley is very aware of her parents back story and scandal but is keen to focus on her career.
‘I know about all their issues but I just consider them my parents’ issues not mine,’ Ashley revealed.
The multi-talented teen, who sings, raps, dances and acts, said she is keen to incorporate her father’s legacy in her music and use her creative talents to help people. She hopes her latest single “Just Do Me” will encourage people to be themselves.
Of course Rev Jackson had envisioned his 15-year-old Ashley to maybe follow him or her incarcerated half brother Jesse Jr., into politics or perhaps become an academic scholar like her mother but it looks like the youngster has her heart focused and set on fame.
And although Ashley writes her own music as well as being a gifted artist, she’s adamant she won’t let her pop dreams stop her from finishing her education and going to college although she makes no mentions of her academic status or GPA via the exclusive interview she gave to mailonline.com.
Ashley is currently looking for a record deal and says her dream is to one day be as successful as megastar Beyonce and collaborate with rapper Nicki Minaj.
Conversations Of A Sistah 