Sony Hits Jax Back
Pedophilia charges ruining
his career, says music exec

By ISAAC GUZMAN
Daily News Feature Writer

Michael Jackson has ruined his own career with his bizarre antics and reputation as an accused child molester, a top honcho at the pop superstar's record company said yesterday.

Sony hit back at Michael Jackson yesterday, accusing him of playing the race card to cover the flop of his latest record. "Charges of pedophilia have really spooked a lot of American record buyers," said the top-ranking Sony Music executive. "There are a lot of parents who don't think he's a wholesome entertainer. It's shadowed him."

Pedophilia allegations against Jackson first surfaced in August 1993, when a then 13-year-old boy complained to a therapist that he had been fondled and sexually molested by the entertainer. The therapist took the information to the cops, who investigated but declined to file charges because the alleged victim refused to testify.

The boy's father later filed a civil suit against Jackson, who settled the case out of court, reportedly for $15 million to $24 million.

The exec also accused the Gloved One of playing the race card against Sony chief Tommy Mottola — who has a track record of backing black artists — to wiggle out of financial woes stemming from the flop of his latest release, "Invincible."

"He's trying to wage this bizarre campaign to rearrange his financial obligations," said the Sony executive, who asked not to be identified. "It's not going to happen."

The remarkable counterstrike came as Jackson prepared to attend a music biz "summit," along with lawyer Johnnie Cochran, at the Rev. Al Sharpton's Harlem headquarters this morning.

Sony boss Tommy Mottola was defended yesterday against charges by Michael Jackson.

The three and a panel of musicians, including rap artist Doug E. Fresh, (where was he when Prince was crusading?) will discuss how best to end what they see as inequities in record labels' treatment of musicians.

Jackson repeatedly accused Mottola of being a "devilish" exploiter of black talent Saturday, once at Sharpton's headquarters and again at a rally with about 150 of his fans outside Sony Music headquarters on Madison Ave.

The superstar held up a sign depicting Mottola with Devil's horns.

Sharpton backed away from Jackson's outburst yesterday, saying racism "has never been my experience with Tommy Mottola."

But the activist added: "Jackson has a right to speak his mind, and Tommy Mottola should answer."

Mottola has not responded to Jackson's charges.

Music insiders are convinced Jackson is trying to force Sony to spend more cash promoting "Invincible," which has sold an anemic 2 million copies in the United States. Sony insiders said the label has poured $55 million into the album.

Insiders also ridiculed the racism charges leveled against Mottola, noting that he has signed and nurtured some of the best-selling black artists in history.

"It's just ridiculous," one source said. "It's like going up to Mother Teresa and saying she's not charitable."

Sharpton and Cochran waded into the dispute last month, when they announced the initiative with Jackson to push for greater rights for [black] recording artists. At the time, they noted that Mottola had been open to talking with them.

Sharpton insisted the protest movement is about much more than Jackson's career. Jackson, he said, is a selfless star who wants to help others avoid being trapped in bad contracts.

"Here's a man that's sold 60 million records," Sharpton said. "Who better to shine a light on these practices than Michael Jackson?"

When are lame-ass journalists gonna do some research and get their facts straight? Invincible sold 7 million copies and was the fastest selling record EVER after 1 CRAP single. If it had had 9 singles and a tour etc like Dangerous and HIStory it would have equaled their sales of 25 and 18 million. Would someone please do the maths??? Sony execs are saying the paedophilia issue has dogged Invincible. It didn't dog HIStory when they put everything into promoting it! Why, 9 years on should it be MORE of a problem now? You Prince fans are such hypacrites! You defend Prince against the general cocensus that he is a gas-been but when it comes to Michael, you choose to ignore, like everyone else, the phenomenal success oh HIStory (the biggest double album ever) in 1995 and Blood (the biggest remix album ever) in 1997 and the sheer quality of Invincible? Sony are PLANTING these lies about poor sales. I give up.Once this is over, Michael and his fans will be having the last laugh as he will achieve what Goerge and Prince could only dream of.

what race is michael jackson (or sex for that matter) ?

Here's my advice for MJ...


***STOP THIS WAR!---Let's be honest,very few people are gonna take Mike seriously.Everyone seems to think that he's just pissed because *HIS* CD didn't do that well.Does anyone TRULY believe that he cares about other artists who have been dogged by greedy record labels? Michael should just quietly cut his losses and walk away from Sony.He doesn't need to convince the world that Tommy Mottola is a "devil".Most of us have known that for years...lol...

***LET 'INVINCIBLE' REST IN PEACE---According to this article,Mike STILL wants Sony to pour more money into promoting 'Invincible'.Wtf?? Let the album die already! Move on! The album sold 5 million copies worldwide and debuted at Number 1 in 11 different countires.Most artists would be satisfied with those respectable numbers.

***GET A GRIP ON REALITY---As I've said numerous times,Mike needs to face the music.This ain't 1983 anymore.He's never gonna sell 50 million copies of an album again.Face reality.Concentrate on making great music that your FANS like,and stop obsessing over how many copies it sells.

***TAKE SOME CAREER ADVICE FROM MADONNA---Notice how she never has ANY major problems with her contract,or with the recording industry in general? She makes kickass music,pleases her fans,and puts the money in her bank...lol...no hassles,no drama,no silly wars.In addition,she is running a successful record label of her own.You never hear anyone calling her a "has-been".

***EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS---Michael is now a free agent.He owes Sony a Greatest Hits album with a few new songs.That could be in stores by Christmas.So,now Michael can explore his options.Shall he sign with another major company or start his own independent label? Take time and don't rush into any long-term deals.Check out the offers from various companies.Sign a one-album deal with a company and see how it works out.

On another message board,someone said that Michael is waging a war on Sony "like a second grader fighting with the playground bully" and I have to agree.I was no fan of Prince's tactics either,but Michael has hit a new low.If he takes my advice,he might be able to salvage his career.Otherwise,things could get real messy and ugly.

i think the fact that he has never mentioned prince in this matter once is appauling. specially because he was the original guy who made all of this record industry corruption known to people.

littleredcorvette1 said:

Some journalists are just too dumb, the amount they get paid you'd think they'd be cappable of doing a little accurate research.
Your right about the hypocritical Prince fans too

Prince fans love music in general with a rare diversity (see the thread "top 10songs", the less interesting was, by chance, scubydu's one, this girl is definitively uncultured) & are the worst Prince critics.
mj fans are pathetic asskissers who will follow blindly a man who is the biggest liar on this planet, as Shygirl said previously.

I think you just over generalise MJ fans. just like with any artist or entertainer (including Prince)you will get fans who will support thier every action and see nothing negative in that person. But you do get the fans who just over citicise every little appearance or every little action. If you go to any MJ board im sure you'll find the usuall dumb ass appreciation threads for just about anything imaginable but you should also find some threads which don't kiss MJ's ass and those types of MJ fans are the best MJ critics there are.
I have always seen myself as a huge huge MJ fan but I dont love every thing he does unconditionally like some MJ fans do, its just so irratating when you all assume MJ fans are the same.

"Doug E. Fresh, (where was he when Prince was crusading?) "


---

He was performing live and re-recorded 1999 with Prince during this time period.

I think it's extraordinary that a Sony executive would use the child molestation allegations against MJ as ammunition. They are hurting their own artist when they do that.

It's clear that Sony is through with MJ. There is no way that a Sony executive would have said such things if they wanted MJ to remain on their label.

EX-BOSSES TO JACKO: MAN IN THE MIRROR IS TO BLAME


By JEANE MacINTOSH

Michael Jackson's former managers yesterday blasted him for branding Tommy Mottola a racist, and said the Gloved One is using the Sony chief in an "absurd," "ridiculous" effort to explain why his last album flopped.

Managers Frank DiLeo and Sandy Gallin, along with music impresario Russell Simmons, were among those who rallied to support Mottola after Jackson's blistering weekend attack accused the music mogul of making a racial slur and called him "devilish."

"Tommy Mottola is not a racist," said DiLeo, who managed Jackson during the years of his blockbuster "Thriller" and "Bad" albums. "This whole thing is about Michael looking to put the blame for a bad record on somebody besides himself, and it's an unfortunate way to do it."

Jackson blames Sony for the failure of his new album, "Invincible."

"Despite what Michael says, he has been making his own marketing and management decisions for more than 12 years. What that kid really needs to do is stand in front of a full-length mirror and take a good hard look at the real problem," DiLeo said.

Gallin, who managed Jackson for seven years in the 1990s, also weighed in, albeit reluctantly. "I don't want to take sides, but this is really the most absurd situation," he said.

Meanwhile, Simmons, who has known Mottola 20 years, said: "There are two
things I know: Tommy Mottola is not a racist, and, in black music, especially, you don't need $30 million to make an album successful. If it's a hit record, it'll stick on its own.

http://www.pagesix.com/ce.../18591.htm

littleredcorvette1 said:

Well now it's time for you to get your facts straight; Prince fans DID criticize Prince. Probably more than non-Prince fans. Not for what he did, but his method of doing it. Now it's Michael's turn, because quite frankly his process is more extreme than anyone who has undertaken this issue. Just because you don't like what a lot of Prince fans have to say about Mikey's to-the-extreme methods doesn't mean they're all hypocrites.



A good decision.



I think most would say he already achieved more in commercial terms. There is nothing left for him to conquer when it comes to sales.

DavidEye said:

DavidEye said:

I Agree with what you stated.but on Madonna Warners has tried to close down Her Maverick Label&She was quoted a Few Years back as saying that She always has to Prove HerSelf to the Company.even with the Success of Alanis Moressette(Misspelled) She still had to battle with Warners on Her Company.Madonna has survived I give Her that but only 10 years back following that "Sex" book&"Erotica' Album She was on the Ropes.I think if MJ scales back,fights for the Publishing Rights&keeps them,hangs onto His Masters&stay on His Business than He can Pass down His Legacy to His Children&Hopefully they won't have to settle things in Court like so Many Famlies have to do with there Famous Parent's or Offspirngs.

Rev. Al Responds To Unnamed Sony Exec Comments

I got this info from www.popdirt.com/index.php a site that collects articles about various artists.

After an unnamed record executive shot back that Michael Jackson's sales were poor due to his scandalous past, Rev. Al Sharpton told Access Hollywood Tuesday, "These are no new allegations. It took them eight years and Michael now questioning their racism for them to be concerned about allegations. They think we're going to buy that in Harlem?"

Here is my 2 cents>>>


Whatever move MJ made or route he took in taking on Sony Music, and in particular Tommy Mottola, the media will and would have slammed him. The reason is simply because the just do not like him. The reason behind that is that he does not play their game or allow them to dictate to him the rules and thus how he should act as a man, particularly an Afro-American man.

This was beautifully articulated by Muhammad Ali in the sixties, when he uttered “I ain’t gonna’ be what you want me to be, I’m gonna’ be what I wanna’ be.” He affirmed his right to be an individual and not have to conform to the stereotype, of the time, of a black boxer, of either being a Jim Crow or mean bad ghetto dude. Ali refused to play the game and become either of these clichés and the press buried him for it. They scoffed when he proclaimed himself ‘The Greatest’ and ‘beautiful’, they slammed him as a white hater for becoming a Muslim, when joining the Nation of Islam, and changing his slave name from Classius Clay to that of Muhammad Ali, and they labelled him unpatriotic, a traitor and a coward when Ali refused the draft, on conciseness and religious grounds, to fight in the Vietnam war. Of course the irony, today, is that Ali is embraced and regarded as an American hero but at the time when he made tough unpopular decisions, which he felt were right, he was savagely attacked from all quarters of the non-black press; all for quite simply refusing to conform to what THEY believed he should do and say. He set a dangerous precedent of giving an oppressed minority a figurehead that they could look up to and feel proud of; in turn feeling their self beauty and pride. I, for one, do not believe the white establishment would, in the last ten years, have so readily embraced Ali if it were not for his debilitating illness. For now the multi-nationals, who once ran a mile, can cynically portray him as an inspiration to all of the human spirit content in the knowledge that he is no longer the great vocal threat he once was. Fcuking parasites. Ali was not their hero to claim, because they never fought his corner when it damn well counted.

What makes is particularly hard with Michael Jackson is we all remember the time when he was embraced and, apparently, loved by all. We remember when he was quite literately on top of the world and seeming nothing could change that. Then the events of 1993 occurred. The media went after him with a vengeance. Yet, when Roman Polanski admitted to having sexual relations, in the US, with his 13 year old cousin, when Charlie Chaplin also confessed to have sex with a minor, ditto Jerry Lee Lewis not to mention Woody Allen admitting to having a relationship with his adopted daughter the fall-out was much less. Do you ever see these allegations repeated at the end of a story on these artists as with Michael Jackson? Quite simply, as Ali before him, MJ does not play the media game, and they are determined to make him pay. He lives on a ranch with a zoo rather than inhabit a Bel Air mansion, he shuns movie premiers and restaurant openings rather than play the game, he crossed musical genres when it is cleary deemed this is only the preserve of white artists, he sings about world harmony and peace which HE is mocked for doing but is perfectly OK for the likes of Bob Dylan and John Lennon to do and worst of all he showed himself to be a truly sharp business man; surely getting above his station in the same way Ali did when a boxing world champion became a figurehead and voice for his people’s oppressions. When MJ bought the ATV/Northern catalogue it was, and incredibly still is, portrayed as stealing the Beatles songs. Yet, they wilfully sold the publishing rights to those songs in order to achieve substantial tax breaks and everyone is more than aware that they wrote their hits. But the countless black artists who have been ripped off after penning hits for the likes of Elvis Presley got neither the money nor the recognition. But still the Beatles songs, and the perceived injustice of them not owning the publishing rights, are much more heavily focused on by much of the press – if that is not clearly racially motivated then I do not know what is.

So when Michael Jackson, perhaps the most kind mannered and least likely person in music to talk ill of a person, comes out and call Tommy Mottola racist the press, and even some posters on this board, go into shock and assert that his comments are totally out of order. Firstly, to be clear, Mottola IS a racist. I know for a fact that the incident that MJ is referring to is true and it is by no means an isolated one. Incredibly some have cited that because Tommy Mottola has several black artists that he can in no way be racist. What an absolute pile of bull @#%$. He has them because he can make money from them – it’s simply good business. That does not mean for one minute that he does not and has not acted in a racist way or indeed even in anyway respects these artists. Of course MJ realises the impact and consequences of his words and he is not the one panicking because he knows he can back them up.

Now, the media has also counted that MJ is opportunistic claiming that he has suddenly discovered black issues due to what they deem the disappointing sales of Invincible. It is a common tactic for the press to always question what artists from minority backgrounds have done for ‘their people’ as if they are under a moral obligation to do so, whereas American whites are not subject to the same questions. This is again the press telling, in this case, a black person how they should act and behave. The press constantly claim MJ is ashamed to be black due to his skin turning white. This IS a blatant and constant form of racism because they know full well he has vitilligo. This constant accusation that MJ does not want to be black is directed at the black and all other minority communities; its message is that MJ is ashamed to be black so ditch him – the method of conquer and divide. It is racist because its purpose is to play on the physcy of minority people, especially black, by trying to reinforce in their head, using an age old tactic, that being black is not beautiful – see here even the most successful black man wants to be white. What they fail to realise is being Black, Latino, Asian is not to with the colour of the skin but with the soul, beliefs and culture – this comes from within and can never be taken away. But of course they do know this because when a white person chooses to burn their skin in the Sun, risking skin cancer, the same people do not claim that those people are ashamed to be white.

However, for the record, Michael has always given generously to black charities and causes including many millions to the United Negro College fund and the NAACP. He has also covered the funeral expenses of several black artists who have died penniless. The fact is that he does not do this to gain favourable publicity for this because he does this because he believes in doing it; he has no interest in the good press it could generate. As for bringing the Sony issue and the racism is the music biz all out in the open now; it is simply because he can. Before he was under contract and if he had gone after Sony they would have simply made sure that he did not record another album ever again. Had Invincible been successful I know he would have still come out against Sony, because many of the issues he has with them have a long history, but due to their dirty tactics perhaps the level of intensity IS greater than it would have otherwise been.

The bottom line is this is happening and it is do to do with race; from the record companies taking advantage of minority artists, Mottola’s being a racist and the way the press chose to report on stories which centre on racial issues.

Standing up for the tough issues is never going to be easy and perhaps not popular. The press will continue to slam this but so fcuking what? This is all about sticking by your convictions and standing up when it counts and I know where I stand – firmly and squarely behind Michael Jackson like I've done with Prince. If this train is moving to fast for you, and you do not have the stomach for what is going on, then simply step off. But as was the case when Ali lit the Olympic touch at Atlanta, when this, in 20 yeas, is talked about as a defining moment in popular culture, and perhaps Michael Jackson is once again embraced, be sure it is your victory and your moment to celebrate.

fonkywonder said:

I think it's a little absurd that Sony would use the child molestation issue against Michael at this point in the game.If they were REALLY concerned about this,why didn't they drop MJ from Sony back in 1994 when all this was happening? Why did they continue to support him and spend millions on his music after the charges? If they didn't think an "accused child molester" could still sell records,why did they keep him on their label?

It's obvious that,as far as Sony was concerned,Michael was nothing more than a money-making machine for them.He has made BILLIONS for that company! So,I agree with some of Michaels' claims,but I just feel he's going about it the wrong way.
[This message was edited Wed Jul 10 3:30:12 PDT 2002 by DavidEye]

I'm just spreading rumors (forgive me) but has anyone else heard Mike owes them 200 mil for all the advances, etc. & that's part of the reason for all this?? :O

DavidEye said:

Perhaps you're forgetting that it takes Jackson several years to release an album, so all the child abuse allegations that came to light in the mid 1990s might not have shown their full impact on his appeal to record buyers until recently. What had he released before Invincible? A greatest hits package? Those don't always sell well. Now that Invincible has tanked, they're well within their right to cite his public image as a valid reason for its failure. It's no different than people getting tired of all of the "slave" crap & other weirdness with Prince. If you combine a freakish public image with less than stellar music, people will not buy it. Their crazy behavior in the 1980s was easier to ignore when they were putting out albums like Thriller and Purple Rain.

CalhounSq said:

That is a rumor.Sony has denied this.

CalhounSq said:

Well, the same 'unnamed top noch xcex' at sony have been feeding the 200 mil number 2 the media since November or something. MJ has denied the debts, and Sony has denied making such statement. the same 'unnamed sources close 2 the label' disclosed Sony would lay hand on the ATV catalogue bcause of this debt, MJ has denied this, sony has denied they ever made such statement. And i predict the same will happen with these reports. There r only 2 possibilities: or the media is making them up 2 make mj look bad, or Sony is really anonimously spreading this, destroying their artist in a very uncool way. Either way it will b a bumpy ride 4 Mr.Jackson. I'd advise him, if he has anything on paper 2 go by, 2 sue their asses, stop playing the racism card, shop 4 a lucrative one album deal and let the music do the talking.

Did you guys read the new comments that MJ made at yesterday's summit? I'm sure somebody will cut and paste it,but this time,he really made some sense.I'm sure that even Prince would agree with what he said...lol..

what strikes me is that mike is completely alone in 'his' struggle. okay, you got the rev., his former lawyer, couple of artist, but that is it. where do mike's 'real' family and friends stand on this? have they responded on mike's actions? has janet said anything at all about her brother? what about jermaine, tito, elisabeth taylor? and does mike still have a team that manages him, a spokesman or woman? what he's doing and saying comes across as amaturistic and spontaneous (in the wrong sense of the word). it feels as if he himself comes up with the public speeches. before, i'm talking up till '95, he and/or his management was/were very careful and precise in what to say to press and public. now it's the contrary. he just says what's on his mind, not really thinking about the consequences. i'm afraid this is gonna and up bad for him. last night i watched the 'legend continues' tape from '89 or something. elizabeth taylor said this about mike: "he's going to be a stayer." back than i'd have said "hell yeah!", but now.. it kind of made me laugh.

SpcMs said:

Yeah,I'm amazed at all these crazy rumors I keep hearing,most of them by "anonymous sources".It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.Sony and MJ need to sit face-to-face and settle this once and for all.He needs to hand them the new songs for that final "Greatest Hits" set,and then both sides can move on.

Michael Jackson Says Industry Labeled Him 'Freak' At Harlem Summit (www.mtv.com)
07.09.2002 5:16 PM EDT


"They called me a freak, a homosexual, a child molester. ... They did everything they could to turn the public against me. It's a conspiracy." — Michael Jackson


NEW YORK — Hot on the heels of Saturday's controversial press conference during which he called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola a racist, Michael Jackson returned to Harlem on Tuesday (July 9) to address artist rights.

As part of the Music Industry Initiative summit, Jackson appeared at the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network to lend star power to the fight for better contracts, royalties and distribution for black artists.

But with Jackson's fight with his record label and his personal attacks on Mottola overshadowing the purpose of his alliance with Sharpton and attorney Johnnie Cochran (see "Michael Jackson Shocks Al Sharpton By Calling Tommy Mottola A Racist"), the summit came off more like a vehicle for damage control than a constructive outlet for record industry reform.

Trying to take the focus off of himself and his accusations that Sony failed to promote his last album, Invincible, Jackson addressed criticism that his alliance with Sharpton was born out of self-interest and not out of a genuine interest in the plight of black artists and civil rights. (What do you think of Jackson's claims? Take our poll.) Saying that the record industry system was corrupt, Jackson again spoke of a conspiracy that not only keeps black artists down but also co-opts their music and dance forms.

"I'm tired of the manipulation," said Jackson, who would not allow the media to tape his brief remarks. "The press has manipulated the truth. They're liars. History books are a lie. You need to know this, you must know this, that all forms of popular music, from jazz to rock to hip-hop, and dance, from the jitterbug to the Charleston, are black. But go down to the corner bookstore, and you won't see one black person on a cover. You'll see Elvis Presley. You'll see the Rolling Stones. But where are the real pioneers?"

Citing Otis Blackwell as one such pioneer deserving of larger recognition, Jackson said that there was something terribly amiss in a system that would find Blackwell dying penniless despite having penned such classics as "Don't Be Cruel," "All Shook Up" and "Great Balls of Fire." "They didn't write one book about him that I know of, and I've searched the world over," Jackson said. "And he was a prolific, phenomenal writer."

Jackson then said that as soon as he starting gaining power, the system that once propped him up started working to destroy him. "Once I started breaking sales records," he began, "I broke Elvis Presley's record, I broke the Beatles' record — once I started doing that, overnight, they called me a freak, a homosexual, a child molester. They said I bleached my skin. They did everything they could to turn the public against me. It's a conspiracy."

He added, "I know my race. I look in the mirror, and I know that I'm black."

Before Jackson's speech, Sharpton exhorted the 300-person audience to consider not just how much record labels spend on their artists, but also where and how. Jackson echoed Sharpton's call for discussion and action when he asked the crowd to not forget why they were assembled.

"Let's not leave this building and forget what was said," Jackson said. "Let's do something about it. ... And remember, we're all brothers and sisters, no matter what color we are."

Sharpton then called upon the crowd to break into discussion groups to address issues such as royalties and distribution. At this point, however, Jackson — escorted by Sharpton and Cochran — left the building. This caused a slight disturbance as those attending attempted to follow them — some almost toppling a speaker stack on the trio, some even chasing his car down the block — leaving the actual work of the summit for another day.

"They called me a freak,a homosexual,a child molester...They did everything they could to turn the public against me.It's a conspiracy"

Wow,those are bold statements.I wonder who he is referring to? Does he mean the "media","Sony" or the music industry in general?

Thanks fonkywonder for cutting and pasting that article:)

hmm. Good work Funkywonder & David Eye for spreading facts not fiction.
David Eye with the advice n Wonder with the facts to knock you on your ass!
I still want MJ to give Paul back what is his.

That's ok...I may be a Prince fanatic, but I do like MJ (even I ain't happy with some the crap he has done). Basically MJ is telling it like it is Elvis etc are often portrayed in the histry books as the first pioneers of R'n'B, when in reality it came from black artists. Same applies with Jazz. Also back in the 80s MJ did surpass them in some categories and broke alot of records and broke down barriers (from the time he was 10) whether you like it or not...so you can't mock MJ for that! These morons writing in some cases inaccurate articles don't know their music history!

"I still want MJ to give Paul back what is his." Well if tht is the case Sir Paul should give back all the music catalogues he bought/owns too (eg. Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly etc)!

fonkywonder said:

This is well known. Yet it has NOTHING to do with his personal inability to sell records anymore. Is he going to throw a tantrum everytime he doesn't sell 27 million copies of a record? I bet half of the people at this summit thing didn't even buy a copy of Invincible & were there just to "freak gaze."