Thank you Bonnie. Will.I.Am is a gem. He is the first person that is connected to the musical industry that has the guts and wisdom to stand up for whats right. He is the first person to put the "money" aside and care about what Michael would really want.
Michael was very religious and read the Bible every day. Here is 2 Bible verses that pertain to Will.I.Am's wisdom that Michael would approve of.
Matthew 6:21 - Remember, where your treasure is there your heart is also.
Mathew 6:24 - You cannot serve two masters. You will either hate one and love the other, or be attentive to one and despise the other. You cannot give yourself to god and money.
Frank DiLeo, the people at Sony, and Michael's inner circle all treasure money. Therefore money is their God.
Will.I.Am is absolutely correct, in my opinion. "How much can you suck from Michael's energy, and what's wrong with what he already gave to the world" pretty much sums it up in a nut shell for me.
Unfortunately, there are music execs and even some well meaning MJ fans who are never satisfied with what Michael gave.
Also you may recall Michael already expressed the same sentiments about the "This Is It" movie. He said that he would only want out there "the very best" of what he has to offer as a performer; and to me that would mean as an artist as well.
Here is a quote from that session: "...those fans that know me well will know that I would not want the public to see and hear unfinished work..."
Michael, being the perfectionist that he is, would not want out there songs that are being put out without his final touch.
Will.I.Am who is a very talented and unique artist in his own right, knows exactly what this means. As mentioned above he has collaborated with Michael for the 2008 release of Thriller anniversary album. Some here may want to take a look at the interview taped in 2007 during a work session with Michael and Will.I.Am in Ireland, posted in the "Michael Jackson's Legacy" thread.
I do believe this collaboration has had a major influence on his speaking out for Michael.
Last Edited by on Nov 08, 2010 10:46 AM
Michael Jackson: Will.I.Am calls new album disrespectful to King of Pop November 13th, 2010 3:01 pm ET Do you like this story?
The new upcoming album from Michael Jackson, Michael, will be released on December 14. Many people have pre-ordered the album, and there has been a mixed reaction about the news. Some people feel it should not be released, while others are eager to support it. A song from the album, "Breaking News" has been streaming all week on Michael Jackson's official website. There have been mixed reactions over the song as well. Some are skeptical about whether Jackson's vocals are in fact included on the song, while others have insisted that he is on the track. According to a new report, Black Eyed Peas member and producer Will.I.Am is speaking out about the new MJ album, and he believes it to be disrespectful.
As EW reports, Will.I.Am said of the album: "Whoever put it out and is profiting off of it, I want to see how cold they are ... He just wasn't any ordinary artist. He was a hands-on person. To me it's disrespectful. There's no honoring." He went on to say: "Michael Jackson songs are finished when Michael says they’re finished ... Maybe if I never worked with him I wouldn’t have this perspective. He was very particular about how he wanted his vocals, the reverb he used ... he was that hands-on."
Last Edited by on Nov 14, 2010 11:02 AM
I agree with you Irina, especially since in addition there is the disgusting issue of further lineing the pockets of the infamous promoters, against Michael's will and that of most of his fans. So there are two major issues as I see it.
I can understand Akon's point of helping to continue his legacy by releasing this album, but the down side carries so much more weight, in my opinion!
It's fascinating to me how Akon supposedly "slammed" anyone. If you watch the TMZ video about Akon being interviewed- he is standing there very calm by a car, looks like a curb by the airport- and simply states that he disagrees.
That in my opinion is really "parasitic" by so called journalists. Akon stated his opinion, just as Will.I.Am did. But in journalist speech "to say" becomes "to slam", "to admit" or "to confess". Like trying to build some non-existent feud between those two that only happens in tabloids.
By the way, many composers, authors and writers have given precise instructions what should happen with their unfinished (versus incomplete) work. Some of the greatest "works" on this planet are posthumous releases. Mark Twain, Franz Kafka, J R R Tolkien- we would have missed out on a lot if publishers didn't go ahead. Thanks to the bigger historic pictures they had in mind- we now can read these books because somebody released them posthumously. At no point in time did MJ give instructions that all of his remaining work should be destroyed upon death- even if one thinks that the current will that is being executed is fake. Michael loved to build his own legend, he has an uncanny eye for his own contributions, he does. There are current living artists that have made this preference known while alive- MJ was a perfectionists but he did not order all works to be destroyed.
People love to compare Mozart and Michael Jackson- but some of the greatest parallels go unwatched. People sit and listen to Mozart's Requiem and often have no clue just HOW contested this piece once was. What happens to Teddy Riley (in forms of being attacked by people who have no more insight than you and I), once happened to poor Franz Xaver Süßmayr- the guy that finished the Requiem based on outlines from Mozart. Same controversy. Is it really a work of Mozart if Mozart is gone...well, couple of years later- what was the question?
Same thing will happen to Michael Jackson. This man was one of the greatest artists of the latter 20th century who remained relevant way in the 21 century. If people could detach themselves a little bit from their imminent pain that we all share- one could try finding the joy in his music even without Michael's immense charisma filling it. I do. I truly do. Hearing these unreleased tracks gave me immense joy and I danced happy through my kitchen. Guess what, Michael dances too.
Is a great Mozart tune not a Mozart tune just because Mozart isn't the one playing it? It still is a wonderful tune and I for one cry tears of Happiness that at last Michael Jackson in death is reclaiming his own spot in music history. All the Sneddons, Bashirs and Dimonds, all the traitors (count Sony in if need be) STILL couldn't erase this artistic genius from the world part. These people tried so hard to break him and calling him the scum of these scum- no more. A few misguided folks still entertain their bizarre phantasies about this wonderful being- but in essence they have not won. Michael's music lives on.
A posthumous release is just that- an interpretation based on the knowledge of those that once worked for him. Mozart, Tschaikovsky and Michael Jackson are no longer here physically to supervise their work- but I can still see the genius behind the notes. They left us plenty to love.
I also trust the genius Michael who on numerous occasions chose to work with someone such as Teddy Riley- Riley called MJ his mentor. And if know one thing- the mentor MJ will teach his student a thing or two, I have that faith. All great artists-painters, composers- it was the norm that the trusted student filled out his mentors work. Countless painting have been finished by students trusted and taught by their mentors, countless students finished the orchestrations for their mentors- that was part of being a student. Same here.
In 1992 I wished with all my heart to hear another major collaboration between Teddy Riley and Michael Jackson, when Michael passed away I so wished to hear more of the work between them- to hear the very first posthumous song to be essentially Riley/Jackson work- I felt like witnessing my own little "make a wish" dream that came true.
Michael's murder mystery is still dark but listening to Michael's work (as unfinished as it may be) makes tears of Happiness roll down my cheek. It doesn't evoke all sorts of dark feelings in me, I have enough of those.
And I personally thank Akon for a job well done, there is enormous pressure to be responsible for presenting the world a work by one of the greatest artists that ever lived- every time you present the world a song like that- you open yourself up and make yourself vulnerable- especially if the name is Michael Jackson. Hold My Hand is (and yes, I know that MJ didn't write the tune and that someone else is responsible for the producing and orchestration) beautiful and a pleasure to listen to.
Michael's legacy to me is not measurable in who makes the most money off of him- or not. Is is immeasurable. Publishers come and go- Michael Jackson's music though- that is here to stay. One could even say that is it an ironic twist of fate that the same Sony is now the one who will be cementing him into music history- that's pretty ironic. Forget the money- money doesn't buy you a place in history and you won't take it with you. But Michael's name remains. And that I celebrate.
Last Edited by on Nov 18, 2010 10:06 AM
Well, at least at one point in time (2002) he did set up an Estate that was authorized to strike these kind of deals. Again, people can argue that the will being executed is not the latest etc, that he must have written another one.
But the Estate is currently executing precisely what he instructed to do. Looking for all works that even partially carry his name.
I am not trying to argue here, by the way. Wanting to see him here and alive certainly doesn't have to exclude cherishing his art. Most definitely I would rather see him alive and especially taking care of his children, whom he probably didn't envision on Oprah and bound by contract (if that is the real contract-again, I don't trust all documents just because TMZ proclaims to own a copy) to a porn producer.
I'm just trying to see more sides than pronouncing Sony guilty off all evil.
Those that refuse to support Sony by buying this album need to respected- and those that will buy this album need to be respected.
"Quincy Jones won't be sending Kanye West a Christmas card. One of the hottest producers of the 20th century has spoken out against the hottest producer of, er, late 2010, dismissing West as "just a rapper". "We come from two different sides of the planet," Jones said. "There's no comparison."
Jones has arranged, written for and produced artists including Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Donna Summer and Sarah Vaughan. He has won 27 Grammy awards. Oh yes, and he produced a little album called Thriller. As for Kanye West? His Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the highest-rated album of the year so far. But when Us magazine mentioned to Jones that people were comparing him to West, the 77-year-old launched into a furious rant.
"How, man?" he said. "No way. Did [Kanye] write for a symphony orchestra? Does he write for a jazz orchestra? Come on, man ... I'm not putting him down or making a judgment or anything, but we come from two different sides of the planet. I spent 28 years learning my first skill. I don't rap. It's not the same thing. A producer has to have some sort of skills that enable him to be a producer. It's a whole different mindset. No comparison. None."
West is no arranger but Jones's criticism does seems a little naive. Kanye has always been a producer first and a rapper second – the sounds he created on Jesus Walks, Gold Digger and Jay-Z's Takeover are some of the best beats of the decade. He has also produced tracks for Ludacris, a rapper Jones described as one of his "favourites".
But Jones is the first to admit he doesn't "think about [Kanye] much".
Instead he has been reflecting on the legacy of Michael Jackson, with whom he worked several times. It's "sad", Jones said, that the Jackson estate has decided to release the singer's unfinished material. "It's all to make money," he complained. "[Michael] wouldn't have wanted it to come out this way ... It should have all stayed in the vault."...
ARTICLE HERE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/nov/24/quincy-jones-kanye-west
Last Edited by on Nov 24, 2010 10:40 AM
Thx for posting this Irina. I am so happy to see someone who worked so closely with Michael is coming out against the unfinished material being released. God bless you Quincy!
Michael Jackson never publicly dissed another artist as "just xyz", not even Eminem when he crossed the line. Simply said to Eminem that it should be beneath an artist to talk bad about another artist. I hope that's just press looking for trouble, like so many interviews get taken out of context.
And I am not a Kanye West fan at all, because I am not into rap at all.
I hope MJ will read me the riot act should I ever call another artist "just a photoshop artist" just because I happen to be heavily into, I don't know, Opera.
That observation totally aside from the question whether unpublished stuff should be released or not.
True observation about Michael. Kanye has been getting "negative" treatment by the press. This maybe another one of these for all we know.
I have heard some of his music, thanks to my son and recently on NBC's SNL, and he does have talent for the niche he is in, which in this case is rap. I have not dug deep into his lyrics though.
The article story could all, or in parts, be fiction. You just never know. My focus was the comment Quincy made about the new album.Lets see if there are going to be more of these types of quotes from the industry insiders. It will give us a better perspective.
Chaturi, Jane,
Thank you for the notes above.:) Happy Turkey Day! (Can't say that the Turkey agrees. I am sure he'd rather be having a Holiday of his own; someplace out of the country.) :)
Last Edited by on Nov 25, 2010 4:45 AM
Exclusive: Will.i.am Explains His 'Disgust' for New Michael Jackson AlbumIn an interview in 'Rolling Stone,' he says he will never allow his collaboration with MJ to be released
By Rolling Stone DECEMBER 13, 2010 4:54 PM EDT In an interview in the December 23 issue of Rolling Stone, Austin Scaggs asked Black Eyed Peas mastermind Will.i.am about his "disgust" for Michael, the posthumous Michael Jackson album released Monday.
"Hell, yeah, I feel that way, and I'll tell you why," Will told Rolling Stone. "A couple of months before Michael died, he called me on the phone really upset. 'Hey, it's Michael,' " Will recalled, imitating Jackson's voice. "'Somebody leaked one of these songs. Why would they do that? Who does that?' I said, 'What song, Mike?' 'Some song called 'Hold My Hand.' I swear to God I had this conversation with him."
Last month, will.i.am said he considers Michael that was released today, "disrespectful," saying that Jackson was such a perfectionist about his songs that releasing any of them without his approval would dishonor the singer's memory. Will.i.am also swore that none of the songs on which the two collaborated will see the light of day.
Check Out All of Rolling Stone's coverage in "Michael Jackson Remembered"
"I knew this man," he told Scaggs. "And he was very critical about every single detail. He stood in the studio himself, mastering and mixing everything. How can you release a record without that Michael Jackson? It's not Michael Jackson. I heard the song that's on the Internet now ['Breaking News'] and I'm like, 'That ain't Mike.' He wasn't there to do his micro-Michael-managing that he did with 'Thriller' and 'Billie Jean.' It disgusts me."
Over the weekend, Teddy Riley, who produced several songs on Michael, slammed longtime Jackson collaborator Quincy Jones for his comments about the album.
"Look at his age. He can barely hear you talk. How the hell could he hear Michael?," Riley said.
Ne-Yo: MJ Album a Travesty 12/20/2010 6:10 AM PST by TMZ Staff
"Ne-Yo is staging a one-man boycott of the new Michael Jackson album -- telling us he doesn't want to listen to it because he doesn't think MJ would have EVER wanted it to be released."
