ElectricBlue said:

I don't see the problem with Michael Jackson doing what he wants to do musically. It's not about following Prince, it's not about not looking like his career is "over". He's just doing whatever the hell he wants. Even if he released an album of old Rockabilly covers, wouldn't mean his career is over, just that it's taking a new turn. And it's not always a female single who sings the hook of a rap song. Infact, Michael Jackson was probably the first singer to sing the hook and nothing else on another artist's song. Remember "Somebody's Watching Me?". There's nothing wrong with having a voice so good that everyone wants you to sing the hook of their song. If this is all he did for the rest of his career, I wouldn't mind because it's his career. There's nothing wrong with a professional singer, doing his profession, by singing. James Brown, who everyone seems to have suddenly developed a false respect for just because he died, sung the hook of a Black Eyed Peas song called "They Don't Want Music". Is he a gimmick?

Michael Jackson is far from over. He's just not a rushed artist like Prince is. Instead of releasing albums every year with a few good songs and a lot of filler (come on, you must admit), he releases albums with all good songs and no filler. If you way it up, Michael Jackson has just as much good material on six albums as Prince does on the 30+ he's released. Not because Michael's a better songwriter or performer, but because Prince is rushed and doesn't take the time to eliminate the bad material and just record and release the good material. Where as Michael is slow and steady and takes the time to perfect every song and make sure the shit stays off the record and the good gets recorded and released.

DarlingDiana said:

Everyone had a hell of a lot of respect for JB before he died.

DarlingDiana said:

Rhondab said:

I'm Sayin ?!?!
MJ singin' about being "Gangsta" is the visual equivalent
to Janet taking her clothes of at every turn ( and, doin calenders )
[Edited 12/30/06 9:37am]

I don't see why people consider this a MJ song, it clearly isn't. He just did some background vocals.

DarlingDiana said:

Sorry to disappoint you Darling, but HIStory did have some fillers. Earth Song (AKA: more We Are The World-type shyt), Little Susie, Smile, and Childhood are perfect examples of that.

Bad also had a few fillers too with Speed Demon & Just Good Friends.

Prospect said:

ANSWER: R.Kelly!!!!

TonyVanDam said:

So did Invincible.

VoicesCarry said:

Correct! Invincible was an album with 50% fillers.

papaa said:

It's true. If I turned on my TV a month ago, they would be saying Elvis was king and James Brown was that dude that got in trouble a lot. Now, James Brown is king. No joke, I heard them refer to James Brown as simply "the King" on the news yesterday. There is no way anyone outside of his fan base would have referred to him as that before he died. If you are a James Brown fan and were long before his death, then you should know more than anybody that this respect he is getting he never got before he died and it hurts to know that some people aren't truly appreciated until they die.

DarlingDiana said:

JB ain't the king, he is the GODFATHER OF SOUL. He has always been known as that. And it has ALWAYS been a term of respect.
[Edited 12/30/06 19:11pm]

TonyVanDam said:

wtf? Earth Song a filler? One of the greatest songs ever. Little Susie is also a killer and Smile is a great cover. As for Childhood, well not many outside of his fan base appreciate that song but to me that is probably his greatest song ever. It's very special to him and to his fans. And you just completely fucked up your statement by calling Speed Demon a filler. That song is killer. Just Good Friends is pretty good too. As for Invincible, which you call 50% filler, it's his best album since Thriller to a lot of MJ fans, including me. There are as little as two or three (depending on the listener) fillers. And maybe for the more judgemental and critical listener, four filler. They would be You Are My Life, Privacy, The Lost Children and Threatened. But I know a hell of a lot of MJ fans who love You Are My Life because of its significance. I know a lot of people who love Privacy. Same goes for The Lost Children (some MJ fans rate that as his best song) and Threatened (which I personally love because it's kind of a Thriller sequel, which I see as really cool).

DarlingDiana said:

To sum up this post: every song Michael ever cut was the best thing EVAR and how DARE you think otherwise!!!!.

VoicesCarry said:

I'm just saying, that's what they called him on the news. Among R&B and soul fans, James Brown was the king, the godfather, whatever you want to call him. But outside of R&B and soul he had little respect compared to what he has now. It's taken a huge leap and I think it's just sad that he had to die to get so much respect from non-R&B fans.

DarlingDiana said:

Well if you aren't a fan of the genre, I don't expect you to care one way or another. I don't know or care much about country music and I'm the first one to admit it. Loretta Lynn or Conway Twitty may be super-respected in that field, but they have never crossed my mind twice.

VoicesCarry said:

I'm just offering an alternative view on his music. Not everyone considers his music bad and you shouldn't judge his music until you know it. If you truly understood songs like Childhood and You Are My Life, you'd be tooting a different horn. People up in here are so clouded by child abuse allegations, plastic surgery operations, peter pan syndrome, beatles catalogue, baby dangling, that they refuse to look past it and listen to his music. My intial point with the whole filler topic was that Michael Jackson takes his time to eliminate filler and release an album of perfect material. If it works or not is up to the listener, but that's his objective. Prince is more about quantity and tries to release as much music as possible, which means he doesn't really care if some tracks aren't as good as others, he just wants his music to get out there, as much of it, as quick as he can. I wasn't by any means saying that all his music is the best ever and no one should question that.
[Edited 12/30/06 19:27pm]

DarlingDiana said:

What the hell are you talking about? I own all his damn records.



No, sorry, they're shit to me. Whenever he goes into sappy saccharine playland and babbles about emotions, I shut that shit OFF. Childhood is easily one of the worst songs he's EVER cut imo. Maybe some Michael stans like it because they like to think he's Peter Pan or whatever....to many others it's shit.



Michael takes time. A LOT of time. So much time worrying about whether or not his album is going to be the next Thriller that it ceases to be interesting anymore. He'd probably make a good album again if he just quit the worrying and got on with it.



Actually it means he's prolific, nothing more. Back in the day, much like Michael, no matter how much he released, 99% of it was good. They are both way past their primes, and it definitely shows now.
[Edited 12/30/06 19:35pm]

Neither Michael or Prince are past their primes. They still have so much more to offer.

DarlingDiana said:

Okay, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. They have both lost their edge. Prince is making boring A/C shit and Michael is now working with rappers.....WTF? There are simply no words to express my hatred for this...."song" or whatever you want to call it.

VoicesCarry said:

what's A/C shit?

I like it!

DarlingDiana said:

Adult contemporary! As in Te Amo Corazon.

VoicesCarry said:

I love that song.

DarlingDiana said:

To each his own. It's something I'd maybe expect from Diane Warren. To say Prince has lost his edge is an understatement.

DarlingDiana said:

1. IMDHO, Earth Song does (and should) count as a filler because it's the same old We Are The World-type song that Michael has done TOO often in his solo career. Man In The Mirror is one thing, because it a worthy classic gospel/pop songs. But Heal The World & Earth Song is too much of the same damn subject that was always done with We Are The World already!!! As a concern fan of music, I say f*** the world that doesn't want to be save & let start giving a damn about making people shake their asses on the dancefloor again!

2. Childhood was a poor choice of a song to have as a B-side to Scream, again IMHO. I meant, how the f*** do you go from being angry at the news media for mocking you (READ: Scream), to BTW I crying because I never had a childhood because I was too damn busy supporting my parents and (sometimes) my "no-job-having-ass" siblings (READ: Childhood)?!?

Oh give me a break!!!

VoicesCarry said:

To that conclusion: to any MJ-diehards that love to drink that kind of Kool-Aid!

Also, it's long past due for Michael to grow some backbone for a change. I'll take him going gangsta on They Don't Care About Us over Earth Song & Childhood anyday!!!
[Edited 12/30/06 20:22pm]

TonyVanDam said:

Well, not yet, cause R. Kelly's trial is just now getting started after all of these years. Im surprised it aint making headlines.

Prospect said:

No one cares, that's why. R Kelly is nothing anymore. Last week's news.

I bet Michael doesn't even know about this track..

I think it's just some kind of unreleased song by him.. can't believe he actually worked with.. ehh.. Tempamental?

It's so funny how he would work with ppl like Tempamental, Shaquille O'Neill,Eddie Murphy, R Kelly, Babyface,Teddy Riley, well talentless ppl but never recorded any tracks with James Brown, Bill Withers, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, well the real deal in terms of black music,.....just a thought