Michael Jackson’s youngest son, Bigi Jackson, likes to lead a low-key life away from the media spotlight. Nonetheless, being the son of a celebrated legend, it’s impossible to stay completely out of the spotlight. He recently made a rare public appearance at the world premiere of his father’s biopic in Berlin. While the curiosity around the 24-year-old remains at an all-time high, do you know that he was initially named Blanket Jackson?
Prince Michael Jackson II, who is better known as Blanket Jackson, changed his name to Bigi Jackson during his teenage years. If you’re wondering about the origin of his name, two theories rule the internet. According to Unilad, the 24-year-old changed his nickname after being known as Blanket for 10 years.
.@thetalentguru #MichaelMovie Berlin premiere 10 April 2026.
Bigi (Blanket) Jackson, on the red carpet for his dad MJ’s biopic. He seems as shy as the King of Pop, but comes alive when interacting with & signing autographs for MJ fam fan. He’s so cute!😊pic.twitter.com/0hKvMu5aln
— ♿️🕺 #MichaelMovie #MichaelJackson #Jaafar 🎦 📺📚 (@thetalentguru) April 11, 2026
The report suggests that his father, Michael Jackson, was often seen wrapping him in a blanket to protect his identity and maintain privacy, leading to the nickname “Blanket.” It was nearly a decade ago, in 2015, that Blanket changed his nickname to Bigi and became widely known as Bigi Jackson.
Talking about the infamous balcony incident, when Bigi was 9 months old, the legendary pop icon hung his son over a fourth-floor balcony in Berlin. At the time, his head was covered with a towel, and he held his infant son over the balcony to show him to fans. While he intended to make the announcement in his own style, it resulted in severe backlash for endangering his little one’s life.
“One of the most infamous moments in pop history: In November 2002, Michael Jackson sparked worldwide outrage by dangling his 9-month-old son ‘Blanket’ over a Berlin hotel balcony to greet fans. Holding the baby one-handed with his face covered, the King of Pop later called it a… pic.twitter.com/z56DCJ8362
— JACK CARTER (@JACKCARTER009) December 20, 2025
The intensity of criticism was such that the Smooth Criminal singer had to issue a public apology. According to the Los Angeles Times, “I offer no excuses for what happened. I made a terrible mistake. I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children,” Jackson had said.
Coming back to Bigi Jackson’s name, according to People, in an earlier interview with an unnamed source, the late star explained that “Blanket” was an “expression” that he used with his family and employees. He added, “I say, ‘You should blanket him, you should blanket her with something.’ A blanket is a blessing, it’s a way of showing love and caring.”
Jaafar Jackson alongside his Uncle Michael Jackson and cousin Blanket. pic.twitter.com/hNLUsycpLn
— 👑 J³ABz👑 (@Jabz_CFC) April 24, 2026
Unlike his father, Bigi followed his passion for filmmaking and environmentalism. In 2024, he made his screenwriting and directing debut with a short film titled Rochelles, followed by Joni the following year.
It was earlier this month that Bigi made a rare public appearance to attend the world premiere of his father’s biopic, Michael, in Berlin. His older brother, Prince Jackson, and cousin, Jaafar Jackson, who played the King of Pop in the movie, also joined to celebrate the legend’s legacy.
Michael Jackson’s three kids – Prince, Paris, and Biji – made a rare joint appearance at the ‘MJ: The Musical’ press night performance today in London. pic.twitter.com/BD7TytxoZ9
— Reels (@benditochicas) March 28, 2024
Bigi was born as Prince Michael Jackson II on February 21, 2002, through surrogacy. After his father passed away in 2009, his grandmother, Katherine Jackson, raised him. He also has two siblings: Prince and Paris, who were born in 1997 and 1998, respectively. According to a 2019 People’s report, a source revealed that “Prince and Bigi are best friends,” adding that they have shared interests in science and sci-fi.
