ALTEREGO said:

Nobody ever said Prince's action wasn't. Maybe you missed all the criticism of him about that by his own fans, or conveniently forgot. And now it's Michael's turn since his silliness includes: admonishing fans to take the time and energy to protest for this multi-millionaire, taking a caravan around New York shouting about Mottola, telling the world Mottola said this, that, is the devil, and called me a ni***...etc.
[This message was edited Sun Jul 7 17:45:23 PDT 2002 by Supernova]

2the9s said:

he just went to high school. and looks what he went on to do! sigh...

Supernova said:

try billionaire!

I support artist rights and anyone who brings that subject to light but there is something about how MJ is handlng it that just doesn't sit right with me. Would he REALLY be doing this if Invincible had sold twice what it had sold? I don't think so.

Rev. Al Sharpton was on Geraldo Rivera's show on the Fox News Channel tonight talking about this story and all the questions Geraldo asked Sharpton was everything I wondered. Sharpton's like, "We need a big name like MJ to bring this to light cause people listen to him when he speaks." Al Sharpton's head is so far up MJ's ass it would take an act of God to get it out. First, plenty of artist have complained about this subject but this really didn't get any light until Prince brought it out in the open in 1994. After that, more and more artists started to complain about Record Companies.

Plus, no one takes MJ seriously anymore, especially when you look at how MJ's stuff is always promoted when something new comes out. And he's lying about the promotion thing because he had that 30th Anniversary special in November on CBS and around 25-30 million people watched it. If they wanted that album so bad, they would have brought it. But the album sucked and You Rock My World was a clear indication as to how the rest of that mediocre CD called Invincible was going to sound.

MJ's motives to me are very suspect and we'll just have to wait and see what happens next, but I think it'll get worse for Michael before it gets better.
Peace

During the interview the reporter asked MJ what his financial status was. MJ replied, "I just wrote a $500 million dollar check the other day". If that's true (and I pretty much question everything that comes out of MJ's mouth), then racism in the music industry has been very, very good to Michael Jackson. Some of those millions MJ has probably belong to other artists.
If Invincible had done better, and if his lame tribute song had been released, Michael wouldn't be hollering racism and calling Tommy Mottola the devil.
The music industry has been racist as long as there has been a music industry. Michael Jackson, pedophile and plastic surgery junkie, using racism to get attention is just plain gross. He could care less about other artists. It's all about Michael Jackson to Michael Jackson. This is a man who visited children in hospitals with the TV cameras rolling, while behind the closed doors of the Neverland Ranch he was molesting children. Only the Catholic priests who molested children sink lower on the monster scale than Michael Jackson.

Invincible was promoted like hell here in the U.S. The huge big budget videos (for Ghost and Rock My World) were played heavily, there was a TV special with interviews and stuff on the day the album dropped, they even released it with a few different color covers to try and bring sales up. Michael Jackson has nothing good or interesting to add to the music world. He's a has-been and Sony dropped him.

Strangely, it was recently reported that MJ is partnering up with Sony to buy some more music publishing libraries. I guess it's only racist when it suits him. What a pathetic excuse for a man he is. I think he's really sick and actually illiterate (have you ever seen his handwriting? It's like a four year old's!)

---1) you always Black No Matter what.He still gets treated like a
Negro.funny How The Eagles got to tie&Pass Him for the Biggest
Selling Album through Columbia House&I can't Name 2,000 People that
Have that Hits Album from 71-75?? The Eagles don't Even Have a Deal?2)
MJ is a Brat like anybody else in Hollywood but again if Bro Man
ain't making Loot the Powers that Be would Have His Ass on the Sony
Sidewalks.you can believe that.they&the others labels take the Janet
Jackson stance"What Have You Done for Me Lately"?3)Catelog that He
was Schooled on from Paul Mccartney who by the way Owns Buddy
Holly's&Others&He was too Damn Lazy to Buy His Own Catelog with Yoko
Ono.Paul could have had it for 20 Million instead of
Crying&tripping.He still is Crying about it&also the Fact that on the
Beatle Album Credits it says Lennon&Mccartney as to saying
Mccartney&Lennon? What a Buster??4)I Know the Standards are different
for what a Black Artists Sells today compared to 20 years ago.when
MJ,Prince,Rick James,Stevie,EWF,Marvin,Aretha,Whitney,Lionel&a Few
other folks it was a Big Deal.MJ has fallen off but it ain't all
because of Music.His Image has taken a Major Beaten but Yet His Album
still Debuted at Number 1&He had a top 10 Hit.in fact aside
from "Blood on the Dance Floor" MJ has had 3 of His last 4 Albums go
Number 1.you will never have that 80's Expereince again so Forget
about that but MJ did do better than Mick Jagger,Lenny Kravitz,Pau
Mccartney all Combined who had a Higher Profile this Past Year.if a
Major Label is still fucking with a Black Artist in there 40's in
this day&age then you still matter.sad to say Irv Gotti&Murder INC
are gonna work with Him on His Next Project.I can't stand them
Busters but that alone shows MJ still matters because I Can see Him
still pulling down some Numbers.but it's a whole different Era.there
is no More Loyal Bases or that Mega SuperStar Vibe.folks want Clones&
in a Hurry.MJ needs to kick the Yes Men to the Curb,Scale Down on his
Image,&High Gloss Vibe&Get Back to Basics.I Miss Him&Quincy Jones
together but on a whole I Know He has done some Good Stuff Minus Q
but I feel that at least 2-3 Songs together would be cool.He put that
CBS Show over without Sony lifting a Dime for it so that alone shows
the Guy still has a Chance to Survive.but like I said you can't be
Over the Top in this Day&Age like back in the 80's folks just want
Down to Earth type Artists.MJ,Prince&Others from the High Gloss 80's
caught a Rude Awakening with Garth Brooks,Seattle Sound,Rappers,etc..
that have Dominated the Charts,Airwaves,etc.. since the 90's.MJ has
to just let Himself flow forget chasing the Game.Prince is Hip in
that He knows that He can't get a Fair Shot really again.MJ is a
Smart Cat but He has to Understand Folks aren't in AWE Forever
different Era&Atitude that makes up this Generation of Music
Ears.Acts out today aren't gonna be Hip to what the Biz is all about
until there Older&Have to bring in a Producer or somebody they don't
wanna work with.ask LL.COOL J about that???

subyduby said:

Try; not quite. But beside the point.

fonkywonder said:[quote]---My pal mistermaxx from another Prince board made some excellent points about about the MJ vs SONY war:

1) you always Black No Matter what.He still gets treated like a
Negro.funny How The Eagles got to tie&Pass Him for the Biggest
Selling Album through Columbia House&I can't Name 2,000 People that
Have that Hits Album from 71-75?? The Eagles don't Even Have a Deal?2)
MJ is a Brat like anybody else in Hollywood but again if Bro Man
ain't making Loot the Powers that Be would Have His Ass on the Sony
Sidewalks.you can believe that.they&the others labels take the Janet
Jackson stance"What Have You Done for Me Lately"?3)Catelog that He
was Schooled on from Paul Mccartney who by the way Owns Buddy
Holly's&Others&He was too Damn Lazy to Buy His Own Catelog with Yoko
Ono.Paul could have had it for 20 Million instead of
Crying&tripping.He still is Crying about it&also the Fact that on the
Beatle Album Credits it says Lennon&Mccartney as to saying
Mccartney&Lennon? What a Buster??4)I Know the Standards are different
for what a Black Artists Sells today compared to 20 years ago.when
MJ,Prince,Rick James,Stevie,EWF,Marvin,Aretha,Whitney,Lionel&a Few
other folks it was a Big Deal.MJ has fallen off but it ain't all
because of Music.His Image has taken a Major Beaten but Yet His Album
still Debuted at Number 1&He had a top 10 Hit.in fact aside
from "Blood on the Dance Floor" MJ has had 3 of His last 4 Albums go
Number 1.you will never have that 80's Expereince again so Forget
about that but MJ did do better than Mick Jagger,Lenny Kravitz,Pau
Mccartney all Combined who had a Higher Profile this Past Year.if a
Major Label is still fucking with a Black Artist in there 40's in
this day&age then you still matter.sad to say Irv Gotti&Murder INC
are gonna work with Him on His Next Project.I can't stand them
Busters but that alone shows MJ still matters because I Can see Him
still pulling down some Numbers.but it's a whole different Era.there
is no More Loyal Bases or that Mega SuperStar Vibe.folks want Clones&
in a Hurry.MJ needs to kick the Yes Men to the Curb,Scale Down on his
Image,&High Gloss Vibe&Get Back to Basics.I Miss Him&Quincy Jones
together but on a whole I Know He has done some Good Stuff Minus Q
but I feel that at least 2-3 Songs together would be cool.He put that
CBS Show over without Sony lifting a Dime for it so that alone shows
the Guy still has a Chance to Survive.but like I said you can't be
Over the Top in this Day&Age like back in the 80's folks just want
Down to Earth type Artists.MJ,Prince&Others from the High Gloss 80's
caught a Rude Awakening with Garth Brooks,Seattle Sound,Rappers,etc..
that have Dominated the Charts,Airwaves,etc.. since the 90's.MJ has
to just let Himself flow forget chasing the Game.Prince is Hip in
that He knows that He can't get a Fair Shot really again.MJ is a
Smart Cat but He has to Understand Folks aren't in AWE Forever
different Era&Atitude that makes up this Generation of Music
Ears.Acts out today aren't gonna be Hip to what the Biz is all about
until there Older&Have to bring in a Producer or somebody they don't
wanna work with.ask LL.COOL J about that???

---also to add: MJ&Prince both have strong Points both Artists though
will hopefully benefit Up&Coming Artists because though they have a
Strong Case the Powers that Be within the Business are Essential
through with the Both of them.they are PAWNED OFF.Prince's case is
different because He Signed a Deal&didn't have anything on them
MotherF*** at Warners.but MJ: they just want that Beatles
Catelog&they are gonna make Him Pay.MJ ain't as Looney as you may
think.He had the Catelog long before TOmmy Mottola got to Sony.this
is truly Personal&MJ isn't following Prince like some folks are lead
to Believe MJ is on the Board&is in a Decision Making
Situation.Prince was Employed by Warners MJ was not Only Employed by
Sony but also a Partner in there Business.if you are following it
closely.MJ ain't a Disgruntal Worker like Prince&He isn't Going
Postal without Cause they are messing with Him to get the Full
Catelog.MJ&Black POWER who knew 20 years ago that this would coem to
Light?? MJ as a Artist shouldn't Be asking for any Sympathy but as a
Black Man working within a Business Structure as a Partner He has
Every DAMN Right to Wanna Get at Tommy Mottola.that's just my take on
the matter. Wise words or what?

fonkywonder said:[quote]

fonkywonder said:

---As a Artist you have to be accountable for what you take on
Advances,Loans&Sales Projection.however Sony didn't get behind this
Project&WHITEBALLED Him with this Release.A Michael Jackson Album
with only One Video&No Singles Released in Stores?? that ain't even
Normal if you have followed His Career.Hell "Blood On The Dance
Floor" had more promotion&It was only a 5 Song Album&Remixes overall
but there was a Video,Remixes&some type of push.He has to Be
Accountable for what He does as a Artist no Doubt but this isn't all
about the Music this is Also about the Behind the Scenes
Business.like I said in the Previous Post MJ&Sony are Business
Partners.SONY/ATV.Publishing WorldWide so it's gonna stay Ugly until
one or other Backs off.but from the Business Side MJ is right.from a
Artistic Point of View: MJ though While still Creative if a Record
Company picks to CLose you off then you are done.we shall see.and
anyway I can't get into Details on all of this because there is more
to it but lets say MJ knows what He is doing.He is also weighing His
Options down the line.

PopcornFetus said:

Indeed.

I like and agree with the person that said how can MJ fight for artist rights when he bought the rights to Lennon and Mccartney songs after befriending Paul Mccartney. A lot of people don't buy his records because there is a chance that he really did molest children.

Maybe he just thinks it's racism and it's not.
What goes around comes around.

And what's the problem?

Aerogram said:

Actually,compared to most artists who battle their record companies,Michael is luckier than most.He had one of the most lucrative record deals ever,and he owns his master recordings.In addition,he owns 50% of a Sony publishing company.That's why I'm a little skeptical about his recent behavior.

PopcornFetus said:

The "Ghosts" video is not from 'Invincible'.That video is from 1997 and Michael financed it himself.

NikkiDarling said:

Agreed! This is one reason why I was offended when Prince started writing "slave" on his cheek.Regardless of their undesirable record deals,Prince and Michael are multi-millionaires.They are NOT "slaves"!

cranshaw62 said:

yeah, and the year he took Brooke Shields to the AMA's (or was it the Grammys?) he kissed Quincy Jones and Emmanuel Lewis instead of Brooke.

and i'd bet $100 that his "wife" was impregnated via turkey baster rather than by Michael's apparatus...

twonabomber said:

How cam you compare Michael and Madonna?
Madonna has sold her soul. Her songs are made for Kids (8-15). These people just want to make money. For money they would sell everyhing. M. Jackson is a genius, Madonna is just a singer with no respect for the art. Prince and Michael don't need to change. They don't have to follow trends. No serious artist follows trends.

I could not believe it!! I thought that I was dreaming!! Well it just goes to show you, here is some more proof of what the corporate music industry is doing! Prince had the right idea, even though at the time back in 1994, I thought that he was crazy!! The industry wants all of your power!!! Michael Jackson is not the only artist going through this these days!! Let's stop supporting the bad decisions by the industry and lets get to hearing the music again!!!

theC said:

I gave up after about 2 weeks - kudos for hanging in there so long!!

Hell, they should give you something just for linking to the site, reminding folks that they're still around!

HAN said:

Madonna did NOT sell her soul! She is making the kind of music SHE wants to,on her own terms,and is still quite successful too.She's actually one of the *FEW* artists who seems to be doing everything right these days.

subyduby said:[quote]mj is getting it to the surface of unexpectating ppl. about the music industry. of course, mj's album didn't do as well so he complains. it makes sense. for ex. america didn't do MUCH about the holocaust although they knew about it. only until they were hit, they got involved. same thing mj is doing but with the record industry!invincible sold 7-8 million with one video of him in it!!!
the other blah blah quote
What did allied armies were supposed to do, genius, bomb the concentration/death’s camps & kill everyone?
Go read Primo Levi & stop sucking mj’s dick here , you're really a brainded moron to talk about a genocide & jackson's records sales in the same sentence.

Maybe Prince should send MJ the song "Slave 2 the System" for MJ's next album?

They own the masters but MJ and Warner-Chappell own the publishing. MJ apparently owns the masters to Invincible though.


masters - the original tapes of the songs

publishing - the rights to use a song

a lot of you guys are complaining that artists like prince and mj are not slaves becuase they are millionaires.that's a bad statement. it is like saying slavery is ok unlike the holocuast since ppl. were actually more fed and clothed,etc. that is not the point! they could make more, they should have more. but the record company's have full power of artistic control and the future of the artist. there is some ugly issue behind the scenes none of know about. like someone said here, the remix album with 5 songs got more notice as in tributes to videos and singles. mj is known for his videos, he would never boycott his own video unless something was up.
i think mj pulled the tribute concert dedicated to himself over sony. i too remember the videos being played of mj before invincible was released. those videos,etc. got mj to #1! but for a full year effort of more videos,singles,etc. ; there was nothing. if mj was not MJ of the ealry 90s and 80s, he wouldn't have sold as much.
i don't think mj would have been acting like he is now if sony has supported him throughout and if his album sold 16 million instead of 8 million. now, since the war has begun; mj is going full out to attack record companies and sony.

mj did own the beatles songs before tommy mottala(spelled wrong) got in. for those of u who said mj should give the songs back becuase he took it selfishlessly, paul mccartney bought off others'songs just like mj did. anytime paul makes money; do u hear him thanking the artist or crediting the artist for making the song so he can make profit??? but i do think mj did be-friended paul by buying what he wanted,but on a matter of business; mj did the right thing. paul could have given more money but didn't.

In 1995,Sony paid MJ $95 million for a 50% share of the Beatles catalog (this catalog also includes songs by Sly and The Family Stone,Babyface and others).Sony and MJ recently acquired the publishing rights to a ton of classic country music hits(Acuff-Rose).They paid $157 million for the publishing rights.In his Fox News interview yesterday,the reporter asked MJ if he was having financial problems."I just wrote a check to someone for 500 million",Michael stated."I am doing well financially".

So,THAT is why he gets no sympathy from me! How the hell is he a "slave" when he has all types of lucrative,money-making deals and publishing rights?
[This message was edited Mon Jul 8 5:56:23 PDT 2002 by DavidEye]
[This message was edited Mon Jul 8 6:03:37 PDT 2002 by DavidEye]

He's a nut with a rubber butt (amongst other body parts...)

HAN said:

MJ a genius???!!! What a joke...the guy is a good entertainer, but he couldn't play an instrument to save his life...he's talented, but not a genius. People use that word too liberally these days.

applekisses said:

So being able to devise a plan and a career that makes you a good entertainer is not
a "stroke of genius"?