LONDON: Janet Jackson - the grieving sister of late pop icon Michael Jackson - has reportedly split from her long-term boyfriend, music executive Jermaine Dupri.

Janet Jackson has reportedly split from her boyfriend.

The singer - who is still grieving the death of her brother, Michael Jackson - and music executive Jermaine Dupri have apparently decided to part because Janet felt suffocated by her lover.

Jermaine produced several tracks on the 43-year-old star's last two albums - '20 Y.O.', released in 2006, and 2008's 'Discipline' - and she felt he was becoming too involved in all aspects of her life.

A mutual friend of the pair told Us Weekly magazine: "You shouldn't mix business with pleasure. Janet felt their lives were too crossed and they should have kept things separate."

Another source said: "They've been moving in different directions for a while now."

It has also been claimed Janet - who started dating the producer in 2002 - had grown tired of Jermaine's outgoing personality.

A source said: "Jermaine likes to be out there, mingling with everybody, and Janet's more shy."

The 'All For You' singer is still devastated by the sudden passing of her brother Michael - whose death is now being treated as a criminal investigation - and is trying to be strong for the sake of his children, Prince Michael I, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, who is known as 'Blanket'.

A source close to the family said: "Janet's the family backbone. She's busy caring for the kids, while trying to cope with her own loss. As everyone knows she and Michael were very close."

Earlier this week, it was revealed Janet may get custody of the kids.

The late 'Scream' star reportedly told his sister he wanted her to care for the children in the event of his death and was even planning to draft a new will to amend custody details.

A source said: "Ultimately, he wanted Janet to look after the children, with help from his mother Katherine, and was planning to draft a new will to reflect those wishes. He trusted Janet implicitly.

"When he had health concerns, he had a talk with Janet about how much she meant to him and the children, and how if anything happened to him, he wanted her to make sure the children would be loved and cared for in the same way he was raising them. She told him of course she would."

Michael's most recent will, written in 2002, named Katherine as the children's guardian.