With their first single 'Anything' 3T started their amazing career. Not just in their homeland, but also in Europe the balled became a huge hit for Tariano Adaryll (Taj), Taryll Adren and Tito Joe "TJ" Jackson. Just a little while later their new single would be released called '24/7'. After TJ has graduated on June 15th 1996 Michael Jackson's three nephews will go on tour. In BRAVO the guys often talk about their childhood, love and their mother's death!'

Two hours before their performance at 'BRAVO TV' in Hamburg the three Jackson-brothers Taj (22), Taryll (20) and TJ (17) took time out to have an interview with BRAVO-reporter Alex Gernandt. A big surprise: The three came with their famous father Tito Jackson (42) - in the 70's he was a big superstar himself with the Jackson 5-. No wonder Tito is really proud at his successful sons. 'My three boys are doing really well! They will bring the Jackson-name into the next century...'

Childhood

Taj: 'We had a really wonderful childhood, in which we didn't have to worry about a thing. Our father made a lot of money while being a member of the Jackson 5, so we didn't have to miss anything. We lived in a beautiful villa in Encino, California. Our grandparents Joseph and Katherine still live there.'

Taryll: 'But we weren't stuck up like kid of other stars. We didn't always get everything we wanted. When we were 15 we still got about 50 DM pocketmoney every month. Father always said: 'To be successful I had to work very hard myself. You don't get anything without working for it!'

Parents

TJ: 'Our parents have always supported us and our different talents. Every time I had an important baseball-game at the 'Buckley High School', my dad stood in the front row. That really supported me.'

Taj: 'It was the same with our mother 'Dee Dee'. She supported us in being musicians and she had told us long ago that there would be a day we would be famous and we would have done it ourselves. It's a shame she can't be here to see us now!'

School

Taryll: 'None of us had big problems going to school. We never failed a class. Taj and I studied 2 semesters in college after graduating high school. Because of 3T we took a break.'

TJ: 'My big hour is on the 15th of Jun (laughing). Then I'm going to graduate. I'm very nervous already, because I was in Europe for the past 5 months and I had to study with my teacher Rick every day in the hotel, when my brothers had some time off. My dad really wants me to end my school properly. And I don't want to disappoint him.'

Music

Taryll: 'We grew up with music. When I was two my auntie Janet taught me how to stepdance. We were very impressed by our dad and the Jackson 5. When I was 8 we already stood in the bedroom trying to pretend we were the Jackson 5 having tennisrackets as guitars, singing 'I want you back' or 'ABC'. Those were our very first performances.' (laughing)

Taj: 'It was very important to our parents that we learned how to play instruments. We play keyboard, drum and guitar. We don't want to be a 'playback' band. We want to be real musicians, who write their own songs!'

'Doo Doo'

TJ: 'That's what we call our uncle Michael, because it doesn't sound as powerful as Michael Jackson. He's our biggest idol!'

Taryll: 'When you know him as a person Michael is a really nice person, who loves to trick us and who often tells stories.'

TJ: 'We see uncle 'Doo Doo' once every two or three months. He gives us important tips for our career. When we got into the charts he called us and congratulated us!'

Love

Taj: 'Love is the most important thing in the world. Without love mankind would be doomed. Unfortunately not all people seem to understand that. Everyone of us have already had at least one steady relationship and none of us is still a virgin (laughing). But none of us are types to have one-night-stands. At then moment we are all single and we live very lonely like monks. We don't have time for love. But I still have to find my big love.'

Taryll: 'We don't have sex without love! There are still girls who want to get to know us, just because they want to get in our hotelroom. No way! It's not very romantic being on tour. You always have to hurry and you almost don't have one peaceful moment. How could I get romantic of that...'

TJ: 'Stop! I can tell the BRAVO-readers a little secret. I'm very much in love. My love is named 'Yabo' and she is my dog (laughing). But serious, I often miss holding a girl in my arms who's really mine. Being in love with a girl is the best feeling in the world!'

Drugs

Taryll: 'With the Jacksons there aren't any drugs! All three of us sport a lot. We often play baseball and sometimes football, tennis and soccer. When you do drugs you end up laying in the gutter. We never tried drugs and we will also stay away from drugs in the future.'

TJ: 'We don't even drink champagne to celebrate a hit or a good performance.'

Taj: 'And above all we don't smoke. I can't be with a girl who smokes cigarettes! Nicotine is very bad for your health and it stinks! We are very happy that there are always non-smoking-areas in restaurants. In the USA it's not allowed to smoke in every public building. That's good. In Europe a lot more people smoke than in the USA!'

Death

Taj: 'Even though we are still young, we've already been in contact with death. Our beloved mother died in August 1994 in the swimmingpool under mysterious conditions. That was a big shock to us! People say she drowned, but we think her boyfriend killed her. Our parents divorced in 1992, but they were still very good friends. Even now, we still didn't get over our mother's death. We really miss her. Every day we are with her in our prayers and we hope she's watching us from heaven.

TJ: 'We have been in lifesenting conditions ourselves as well: A few months ago we were followed by a person in a car in downtown L.A. He had a gun and pointed it at us and he shouted at us. We were really scared to death and we drove really fast, when he took a sidestreet with his car we were so happy!'

Tour

TJ: 'As soon as I get my highschooldiploma we can go on tour!'

Taj: 'We are very good at singing our songs together, but we still have to work at the choreographics. As perfect as our uncle we'll never be. Not even with 1.000 hours of practising (laughing). Michael says it's important that we don't copy anyone, but create our own style!'

Taryll: 'One thing is for sure: When we come on tour, we'll also come to Germany. At the moment we have even more success in Germany than we have in the USA.'

The Future

Taj: 'The future's name is 3T for us. But when our career doesn't work out, we'll have to think of something else we can do. I want to be a moviedirector. I already read books on this subject!'

TJ: 'I don't plan as far in the future as Taj. I just concentrate on my exams. Our biggest wish is to be on stage with our uncle 'Doo Doo' as his warming up-act for his HIStory tour. Maybe this dream will come true one day. Up till now, we didn't dare to ask him yet...'

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