Most knowledgeable people, in and outside the music biz, don't see the Jackson initiative as altering the music industry or providing anything useful to musicians at the bottom or raising legitimate issues of concern to all recording artists. While organizations like the RAC and the FMC are actually doing the real work, today's generation of black artists are saddled, once again, with performance as politics. Jackson and Sharpton, both students of James Brown, may just be talkin' loud, but sayin' nothing . . . and doing even less.

Excerpt from the article here:
http://www.villagevoice.c...kelley.php

Are you obsessed with Jacko?

Are u obsessed with Prince?

are ya'll obsessed with bein obsessed?

anyway--i could care less about the tantrum jacko's throwin. 30 years in the biz and he's just now talkin stuff, just cuz somethin didn't go his way. puh-leeze.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

If only it really was that simple, eh?

well Al Sharpton has retracted his concerns about MJ and Sony..He is now asking people to listen to what MJ is saying because there is a lot of truth within...I guess Tommy Motolla talks alot of talk..But when it comes down to it, there are very few African American execs within the company...Al Sharpton has called it exploitation..Very intersting turn of events...

Personally, I think Jackson's crusade, much like Prince's is a very selfish one. When there are numerous organizations & artist coalitions already fighting the fight, why go it alone when the support of (an at least once) name artist would no doubt lend some muscle to their fight?

I really think Jackson is trying to generate publicity for himself & sympathy for his waning time in the limelight. You're not on top forever, he just must have liked it up there too much.

I can't believe MJ thinks that Invincible didn't sell because it wasn't promoted. It didn't sell because it sucks plain and simple. And honestly, I would love to see MJ lose his beloved Beatles catalog, that should belong to Paul McCartney and John Lennon's estate, THAT is the true crime right there. And I'm not a MJ hater at all incase someone thinks that, Off the Wall is still my favorite of his, I LOVE THAT ALBUM.

IrishEcho said:

It's pretty much my reponse on some other thread you created on this topic
(kinda out of control on this topic eh?).

These public vendettas make the artist seem real petty and venal. Only concerned
about the money leaving his pocket and makes one wonder about the epiphany
that got them out on this quest "all of a sudden".

I can't feel much sympathy for anyone who as wealthy (or as eccentric) as Prince or MJ.

PFunkjazz said:

I kind of think having any threads regarding Michael Jackson's tantrum is out of control, but NY area media is being bombarded with articles about the whole thing because of the recent "summit."

EverlastingNow said:

with the exception of a Few songs on "Invincible"&Some Decent Vocals it's not amongest His Best.but MJ should have there Catelog.He got it&was Schooled by Paul Mccartney Himself on the Publishing Game.Mccartney Owns Buddy Holly's Catelog&where is the Uproar? Yoko Ono ain't Hatin on MJ.Business is Business Paul mccartney had a chance to Buy His Catelog back for 20 Million back in 80&slept on it.this whole thing with MJ is about that Damn Catelog.but I Hope MJ passes it on to His Kids&His Family.nobody cried when Berry Gordy Sold Motown for 61 Million&then a few Years later it was Sold for 300 Million?? Cry for Berry Gordy as well.MJ handled His Business.He learned the Game&didn't get Hustled.for all the stuff He has been through&all His Issues to still have something Valuable besides His Creativity in that Business speaks Volumes about Him to Me.I'd tell MJ Bro Man don't give them Mother's back Shit!

"Groups such as RAC and the Future of Music Coalition (FMC) have been doing the heavy work thus far, while most major black recording artists have been MIA. When asked by the Voice why Jackson had not gone that route, Sharpton called the question "arrogant and insulting"

EverlastingNow said:

The thing is,we will never know how many copies 'Invincible' would have ultimately sold because there weren't any follow-up singles from it.I agree,the album is not his best but considering that MOST songs in the Top 40 are crap anyways,I think 'Invincible' could have done much better.Sony lost interest in the album too quickly.Consider:

***The second single "Butterflies" reached Number Two on the R&B charts,based on radio airplay alone.If there had been a video and a stronger promotional campaign,this song could have easily went to Number One on the pop charts,in the process increasing the overall album sales.Many people considered this to be the best track on the album.

***The song "Whatever Happens" with Carlos Santana had "hit" written all over it.With a killer video and a little promotion,radio would have ate this one up.

***The song "Heaven Can Wait" recently entered the lower reaches of the Billboard R&B charts,just based on radio airplay alone.A few stations were playing this song and it got a great response.But,with no video or any promotion from Sony,the song didn't stand a chance.And it's a kickass song too!

The bottom line is,an album needs proper promotion and follow-up singles and videos to become a big seller.You can't just release one single (and let's face it,"You Rock My World" isn't one of the strongest tracks) and expect the album to sell based on that one song.But MJ deserves some of the blame too.There are MANY things he could have done to insure the albums' success,namely a world tour.
[This message was edited Thu Jul 11 1:31:49 PDT 2002 by DavidEye]