Akon talks to Rolling Stone in April 2007
I'm excited, im highly excited because I think it's gonna be magic when we get together.
All the stuff that he's going through, that he's been through the past two years, the stuff that's been out in the media... the stuff that hasn't been out, I think he needs to just take all that (and) put it in his records. It's a big story.
Nobody's ever really heard Mike's story... People go by what they heard or what they're told but nobody never really heard him and his story, and what captivated all those movements. If he takes that and accepts what's been out there and expresses his opinion, express his feelings, express what he felt on a record I think it'd take his whole album to a whole 'nother level because the album now becomes a soundtrack of his life from that point to this point and that's something people are gonna want to know about - that's something people are going to want to hear from him. And with his voice, and with our melodies, with the way and how we can bring it across I think it would be incredible.

Akon speaks to a reporter July 2007
(asked what he is doing with MJ) Whoo! It's gonna be incredible. He's incredible. I see why now he is so big. He is a genius. Yeah, he's a genius.

Akon talks on radio interview December 2007
(asked why he got in late) I was workin on MJ's new project. Yeah man, working on his new project, getting ready to launch his album. Oh man he got a surprise for you guys for Superbowl. Yeah man the guy's about to and take over 2008.
(asked is it a performance) I cant say anything.
I didnt say he was gonna perform. Im not gonna tell you too much, i may have told you too much already.
You see Mike has something totally separate going on, its just happening around the Superbowl time, so, ill give you a hint - His prescence will be felt around that time.

Producer Syience SOHH Exclusive July 2007
"I'm actually working on music for him now," he said. "I always wanted to be a part of anything he ever did. Nobody really knows what Michael Jackson is going to do. Even the biggest producers and writers are not sure what's going to happen with that, but we are all sitting back and still creating and trying to get on the project. They asked me to work on the project so we're working on it."

Ne-yo backstage at MOBO Awards September 2007
Michael Jackson.. definately workin' with him right now, putting some stuff together. Umm, i can't talk about it a whole lot, you know, he's very much tryin' to keep it mysterious, but ahh, it's definately gonna be something worth checking out.


Kanye West on Michael Jackson October 2007
I'm working on stuff for Michael Jackson. If I like a person's outlet or what a person brings to the table then I'll speak to them.

Ne-yo speaks to The Voice November 16th 2007

Yes, yes. I am currently submitting songs for Michael Jackson's new project.. ahh I don't know when it's coming out.. Really not much else i can say about it other than I have had conversations with the man.. Ive actually met him.. You know we talked about where he wants to go this time and everything and um, the KEY thing he was saying is that to keep it very hush hush.. he don't want no song titles coming out, no nothin. He want's the world to be shocked and surprised when it comes out.
(Reporter says will.i.am said it might come out next year [2008])
Um, it's possible, it's possible. He said he definately wants it to come out soon. Yeah.
(Asked about will.i.am calling Ne-yo about working with MJ)
Yes yes, we are actually supposed to be doing some songs together but you know his schedule has him over here and mine has me over here so we're trying to work it out.

Michael Jackson talks to Bryan Monrow from Ebony Magazine November 2007
(asked can we expect more of Michael Jackson)
I'm writting alot of stuff right now. I'm in the studio, like, every day. I think, like, the rap thing that is happening now, when it first came out, I always felt that it was gonna take more of a melodic structure to make it more universal, 'cause not everyone speak English. (laughs) And you're limited to your country. But when you have a melody, and everybody can hum a melody, then that's when it became France, The Middle East, everywhere! All over the world because they put that melodic, linear thread in there. You have to be able to hum it, from the farmer in Ireland to the lady who scrubs toilets in Harlem to anybody who can whistle to a child poppin' their fingers. You have to be able to hum it.

After years of this, I don't know how anybody can get excited over a few comments. Forget the chatter, people want to see results and there is none. I don't think anyone he's worked with should be able to talk about anything until the campaign is ready to go. Not only does it seem ridiculous, it's sorta unfair to fans. He's not in direct communication the way some artists are letting fans know why things aren't happening. What was the point of the Billy Bush interview sit-down? He knows the fans getting excited and hang on ever tidbit of info. Obviously some of it is beyond his control but alot of is within his control and it seems like this constant big tease. Dude hasn't been productive in years and isn't worth all the speculation. Sorry I don't count the rehashing of Thriller as work. My

Finally, Michael speaking six months ago.



Here, when asked a straight question about the future, Michael responds with two clipped sentences and then COMPLETELY CHANGES THE SUBJECT. Suddenly, he moves to a generalized analysis of music. Errr, that's great Mike, but why the sudden change of subject?

I'm writting alot of stuff right now. I'm in the studio, like, every day.

midnightmover, while I like some of your points I absolutely dislike the way you talk with others ("brainless" "do you have a school education?")
anyway, your knowledge is profound and I see that - like me and many other critical MJ fans - you just feel let down by MJ...

i'm dissapointed as well...

especially that "OTW for today" crap has been said in 2000 as well, when Bruce Swedien was asked to describe the new songs...

this time last year MJ fans were saying MJ's album would be out before Madonna's.

this time last year MJ fans were saying MJ's album would be out before Madonna's.

ehuffnsd said:

I remember starting a thread last year titled "Madonna and Michael are releasing new albums this November---who will come out on top?"

AKON TALKING ABOUT "PLANS" TO WORK WITH MIKE



Now, I don't know if you ever went to school, but if you did, they may have told you about these things called tenses. Now, there are basically three tenses. Past, present and future. I say this because all these quotes from Akon which you think describe his work with Michael, actually describe no such thing. They are talking in the FUTURE TENSE. Look at the bits in bold. He's not saying he's done anything new with Mike. He's saying he's going to. The only work he actually says he's done with Mike is for the "tribute album" as he put it, coming out at "Superbowl time 2008". Well, that's already come and gone so we know what that was. It was called Thriller 25. It was a remix.

HOPEFUL PRODUCER SUBMITTING TRACK


All this says is that the guy is sending Mike some instrumentals and hoping Mike will write something over them. It doesn't say that Mike has actually used them in any way. Do you know how to read?

HOPEFUL YOUNGSTERS ALSO SUBMITTING TRACKS


Again, all these quotes say is that NE-Yo and Kanye are sending him tracks in the hope that he will use them. It means nothing more than putting a CD in the post, and crossing their fingers. NOWHERE do they say that anything has actually happened beyond that stage. The only concrete thing that Michael seems to have actually done with them is talk. These quotes describe an awful lot of talking, but no actual work on Michael's part. That's what you missed.

Let me break these quotes down into their respective categories and expain them to you since you obviously don't know what they mean. First of all...

TWO YEAR OLD MICHAEL QUOTES



Okay, anyone with a brain in their head knows Michael is the most unreliable source. Michael said in 2005 he was doing a song for Hurricane Katrina. It never happened, did it? Now, these comments here were made two years ago and we've still heard nothing. I don't think anyone doubts that Michael has worked on bits and pieces, but the issue is how intensely he's working, and with how much hunger. These quotes tell us nothing about that. It's because you failed to realize this that you thought his album would be out in 2007. You were wrong about that. The reason you were wrong is because you misinterpreted quotes like these.

WILL.I.AM'S GRADUALLY DIMINISHING PRAISE



Okay, ALL these quotes refer to sessions that took place in late 2006 and early 2007. Most of that work was done 18 months ago, and we've heard nothing. More importantly, you'll see how in the early quotes he is SUPER EXCITED to have worked with his childhood idol, yet in the later quotes he is cooler and describes basically being fobbed off by Michael. When asked about the songs recently he TOTALLY CHANGED THE SUBJECT. Will's friend Slash recently revealed that things didn't turn out well and that Will said Mike won't have any material out for some time. Don't you think those recent quotes are FAR MORE relevant than the older ones? And also, do you think Slash has any reason to lie about that?

STATEMENT FROM A PUBLICIST NONE OF YOU TRUST


Again, this tells us NOTHING about how serious Michael is. We know he had recording sessions in late 2006/ early 2007, but no one knows whether they amounted to anything. Michael's Jewish doctor friend (I forget the name, but I'll check it in a minute) described how, in the early '00s, Michael would arrange sessions with musicians, but nothing would get done because Michael lacked motivation. He said Michael was a "shadow of his former self". Don't you also think it's strange that all this work took place in late 2006/ early 2007 yet not much seems to have happened since then? Oh, and just in case you think it has, read on, while I explain these other quotes to you.
[Edited 5/10/08 11:21am]

AKON TALKING ABOUT "PLANS" TO WORK WITH MIKE



Now, I don't know if you ever went to school, but if you did, they may have told you about these things called tenses. Now, there are basically three tenses. Past, present and future. I say this because all these quotes from Akon which you think describe his work with Michael, actually describe no such thing. They are talking in the FUTURE TENSE. Look at the bits in bold. He's not saying he's done anything new with Mike. He's saying he's going to. The only work he actually says he's done with Mike is for the "tribute album" as he put it, coming out at "Superbowl time 2008". Well, that's already come and gone so we know what that was. It was called Thriller 25. It was a remix.

HOPEFUL PRODUCER SUBMITTING TRACK


All this says is that the guy is sending Mike some instrumentals and hoping Mike will write something over them. It doesn't say that Mike has actually used them in any way. Do you know how to read?

HOPEFUL YOUNGSTERS ALSO SUBMITTING TRACKS


Again, all these quotes say is that NE-Yo and Kanye are sending him tracks in the hope that he will use them. It means nothing more than putting a CD in the post, and crossing their fingers. NOWHERE do they say that anything has actually happened beyond that stage. The only concrete thing that Michael seems to have actually done with them is talk. These quotes describe an awful lot of talking, but no actual work on Michael's part. That's what you missed.

Finally, Michael speaking six months ago.



Here, when asked a straight question about the future, Michael responds with two clipped sentences and then COMPLETELY CHANGES THE SUBJECT. Suddenly, he moves to a generalized analysis of music. Errr, that's great Mike, but why the sudden change of subject?

Then why am I hearing he has no clue what Soulja Boy is?

Why is MJ so obsessed with having a hip-hop based sound?? I just don't get it.When has that style ever worked for him? It's ridiculous for him to be working with guys like Akon!! He needs to get back to basics and do a retro-sounding R&B/funk album.Hell,bring Rod Temperton back on board!

alphastreet said:

I wish I was that lucky.
[Edited 5/11/08 10:29am]

He's trying to do the same thing he did with Bad and Dangerous, take the current sound and blend it with his signature sound, whatever that may be

why does he have to choose Akon and will.i.am?? Why not choose Timbaland....he's a better producer than both of those guys.Or he could really go in a bold direction and do a few songs with

Dangermouse.

Dangermouse.

Dangermouse.

Dangermouse.

Dangermouse.

I just don't understand why everyone chooses to work with the same predictable people.I'm sure Michael has also contacted R.Kelly for a few songs too

Akon and Ne-Yo are making bland,faceless music that doesn't stand out one bit.Michael is on track to making another 'Invincible'.

SoulAlive said: