Janet Jackson Asked Tupac Shakur To Take AIDS Test Before Kissing Scene

Janet

Jackson and Tupac Shakur have electrifying chemistry in Poetic Justice — but a new book claims that their relationship on set was anything but friendly. In an excerpt from Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur published in The Hollywood Reporter, author Jeff Pearlman claims that the "That's the Way Love Goes" singer wanted her costar to get checked for AIDS before they performed a kissing scene for the 1993 film, according to the film's producer.The book claims that Jackson said, "You know, Tupac's reputation is that he's a cat about town" during a conversation with producer Steve Nicolaides. "And I don't want to swap saliva with him until I'm really sure that he's healthy and clean," she allegedly added.

Pearlman claims that Jackson told Nicolaides she had already asked director John Singleton to address her concerns to no avail. "John just walked off when I mentioned it," the singer alleged, in Pearlman's telling. "So I'm asking you to handle it."Also Read: Good Boy Indy The Dog Asks Oscars To Consider Animal Actors Too!The book goes on to recount an alleged conversation between Nicolaides and Shakur. "I'll just spit this out to you, man…Janet wants you to have an AIDS test before you kiss her," Nicolaides said (per Pearlman).The book claims that Shakur was displeased with Jackson's alleged request, responding with choice phrases such as "F--- her," "Hell no," and "I ain't doing s--- for that bitch. Tell her to go f--- herself."According to Pearlman, Nicolaides later said, "I honestly think he found it amusing," of Shakur's evaluation of the situation. "And the truth is, I can't blame Janet for asking. It was the early 1990s, and people were still dying of AIDS. And Tupac, God love him, had a reputation."Poetic Justice was Singleton's second film, following his Oscar-nominated debut Boyz n the Hood. The film sees a poet-slash-hairstylist (Jackson) form an unexpected bond with a postal worker (Shakur) as they travel from Los Angeles to Oakland with their friends. Jackson received an Oscar nomination for the film — not for her acting, but for her original song "Again," which she co-wrote alongside Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song ultimately lost to Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia" from Philadelphia.