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MJ's 'Unbreakable' and The Notorious B.I.G. I've never seen any discussion as to why Michael Jackson featured the late, great, Biggie Smalls on 2001's "Unbreakable" from the Invincible album.
Any MJ fan worth his/her salt knows they were friends and had a great deal of respect for each other. Biggie had featured on "This Time Around" back in 1995, two years prior to his death. But 'Unbreakable' is a different scenario. Firstly, Biggie had been dead for 4 years by the time 'Unbreakable' came out. and secondly, Big's verse on the track was recycled from an old Shaquille O' Neal track called 'Can't Stop The Reign' that Biggie had two verses on. The one used for MJ's track was Big's second verse from Shaq's track. Ah, the Shaq connection. Of course everyone knows that MJ and Shaq are tight as well, Shaq having rapped on "2 Bad" from the HIStory album. My theory? MJ decided to put Biggie on the track because 'Unbreakable' is nothing more than an modern pop take on the Notorious BIG classic, "Unbelievable". It's not just the name that's similar. Check the evidence. Michael Jackson - Unbreakable (2001) The Notorious BIG - Unbelievable (1994) Peace. |
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moderatorMilitant said: I've never seen any discussion as to why Michael Jackson featured the late, great, Biggie Smalls on 2001's "Unbreakable" from the Invincible album.
Any MJ fan worth his/her salt knows they were friends and had a great deal of respect for each other. Biggie had featured on "This Time Around" back in 1995, two years prior to his death. But 'Unbreakable' is a different scenario. Firstly, Biggie had been dead for 4 years by the time 'Unbreakable' came out. and secondly, Big's verse on the track was recycled from an old Shaquille O' Neal track called 'Can't Stop The Reign' that Biggie had two verses on. The one used for MJ's track was Big's second verse from Shaq's track. Ah, the Shaq connection. Of course everyone knows that MJ and Shaq are tight as well, Shaq having rapped on "2 Bad" from the HIStory album. My theory? MJ decided to put Biggie on the track because 'Unbreakable' is nothing more than an modern pop take on the Notorious BIG classic, "Unbelievable". It's not just the name that's similar. Check the evidence. Michael Jackson - Unbreakable (2001) The Notorious BIG - Unbelievable (1994) Peace. fuck, you are right!!! well, I dislike the Jackson song anyway. I still can't beieve some people think this song could eb cool. Especially when you consider that THREE songs in a row almost sound same, with a rap part in it. And Jackson said he wants to be innovative. Also I hope he would get rid off this stupid rap thing. Michael Jackson was best when he didn't have had anything to do with rap. It's not that young people will dig MJ just because some rapper's featured!! | |
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It's funny how he starts an album off with a song called "Unbreakable",then follows it up with a song called "Heartbreaker" and throws in another song called "Break" of Dawn"  | |
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Yeah the synth replay of the DJ Premier riff.
Doesn't exactly scream "hip hop" to me. | |
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SoulAlive said: It's funny how he starts an album off with a song called "Unbreakable",then follows it up with a song called "Heartbreaker" and throws in another song called "Break" of Dawn"
 Damn, I just noticed that too! 
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graecophilos said: fuck, you are right!!! well, I dislike the Jackson song anyway. I still can't beieve some people think this song could eb cool. Especially when you consider that THREE songs in a row almost sound same, with a rap part in it. And Jackson said he wants to be innovative. I thought it was just me. Those songs are definitely not his best and Biggie on there is just  Been gone for a minute, now I'm back with the jump off | |
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I always noticed the "breaks" too
I thought it sounded like You're the One for me by SWV | |
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Unbreakable would've been better if they had stripped it down a bit, and took Biggie's part out "We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world." |
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bboy87 said: Unbreakable would've been better if they had stripped it down a bit, and took Biggie's part out
I remember reading that MJ didn't originally want the Biggie rap added, but Rodney Jerkins convinced him to add it in. I believe BIG recorded this during the same session as "This Time Around". **--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••-
U 'gon make me shake my doo loose! http://www.twitter.com/nivlekbrad | |
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bboy87 said: Unbreakable would've been better if they had
 [Edited 9/8/08 10:19am] | |
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Cinnie said: bboy87 said: Unbreakable would've been better if they had
[Edited 9/8/08 10:19am] Been gone for a minute, now I'm back with the jump off | |
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I thought invicible was way too scattered as an album. The album made no sense, too many diff ideas lumped together. It had no flow to it. It sounded like MJ was trying to be "cool" and fit in with modern pop music. It sounded very trendy to me. My opinion is it was a well executed peice of crap lol, dont get me wrong i did like some songs on there, but it sounded like he was trying way to hard to be liked. The lyrics were pretty cheesy, especially on YOu Rock my World...that song was pure cheese. I love MJ and will always be a fan but he needs to stop trying to fit in, get new producers, and make a new sound. | |
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LizaWoman08 said: I thought invicible was way too scattered as an album. The album made no sense, too many diff ideas lumped together. It had no flow to it. It sounded like MJ was trying to be "cool" and fit in with modern pop music. It sounded very trendy to me. My opinion is it was a well executed peice of crap lol, dont get me wrong i did like some songs on there, but it sounded like he was trying way to hard to be liked. The lyrics were pretty cheesy, especially on YOu Rock my World...that song was pure cheese. I love MJ and will always be a fan but he needs to stop trying to fit in, get new producers, and make a new sound.
I see what you are saying. I despised Speechless and a few others, but there are some good trax on the album. I wish he would reissue it with the remix of Butterflies added as a bonus track. **--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••--**--••**--••-
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LizaWoman08 said: I thought invicible was way too scattered as an album. The album made no sense, too many diff ideas lumped together. It had no flow to it. It sounded like MJ was trying to be "cool" and fit in with modern pop music. It sounded very trendy to me. My opinion is it was a well executed peice of crap lol, dont get me wrong i did like some songs on there, but it sounded like he was trying way to hard to be liked. The lyrics were pretty cheesy, especially on YOu Rock my World...that song was pure cheese. I love MJ and will always be a fan but he needs to stop trying to fit in, get new producers, and make a new sound.
I agree. Invincible is an unfocused album, and though the album isn't crap as the media would have us believe. If it had been an album by Justin Timberlake or Usher it would be considered a great album, though not a classic. Invincible is an album of productions as opposed to real music, and it sounds over produced. Michael Jackson seems like a guest vocalist on his own album, it doesn't feel like a Michael Jackson album, it seems like his the co-producers Rodney Jerkins (MJ should never have worked with him) were dictating how they wanted Michael to sound, and it does work. Michael worked with around 3 or 4 different producers on that album, only wrote 2 songs by himself which were both ballards and very corny, and co-wrote with an average of up to 5 co-writers per songs. Unbreakable is in my opinion the best track on Invincible, though I agree it is more of a pop version of Unbelievable . But I do love Unbreakable, and like Biggie's rap on it but an instrumental keyboard or something would have been better. I do agree that Michael need to stop having rappers on his albums, it has ruined some great songs like This Time Around from the HIStory album and it sounds pretentious. [Edited 9/8/08 11:07am] [Edited 9/8/08 11:08am] BenS71 | |
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Posted same post twice. [Edited 9/8/08 11:01am] BenS71 | |
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BenS71 said: LizaWoman08 said: I thought invicible was way too scattered as an album. The album made no sense, too many diff ideas lumped together. It had no flow to it. It sounded like MJ was trying to be "cool" and fit in with modern pop music. It sounded very trendy to me. My opinion is it was a well executed peice of crap lol, dont get me wrong i did like some songs on there, but it sounded like he was trying way to hard to be liked. The lyrics were pretty cheesy, especially on YOu Rock my World...that song was pure cheese. I love MJ and will always be a fan but he needs to stop trying to fit in, get new producers, and make a new sound.
I agree. Invincible is an unfocused album, and though the album isn't crap as the media would have us believe. If it had been an album by Justin Timberlake or Usher it would be considered a great album, though not a classic. Invincible is an album of productions as opposed to real music, and it sounds over produced. Michael Jackson seems like a guest vocalist on his own album, it doesn't feel like a Michael Jackson album, it seems like his the co-producers Rodney Jerkins (MJ should never have worked with him) were dictating how they wanted Michael to sound, and it does work. Michael worked with around 3 or 4 different producers on that album, only wrote 2 songs by himself which were both ballards and very corny, and co-wrote with an average of up to 5 co-writers per songs. Unbreakable is in my opinion the best track on Invincible, though I agree it is more of a pop version of Unbelievable . But I do love Unbreakable, and like Biggie's rap on it but an instrumental keyboard or something would have been better. I do agree that Michael need to stop having rappers on his albums, it has ruined some great songs like This Time Around from the HIStory album and it sounds pretentious. [Edited 9/8/08 11:07am] [Edited 9/8/08 11:08am] why does it sounds peretentious? | |
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I do agree that Michael need to stop having rappers on his albums, it has ruined some great songs like This Time Around from the HIStory album and it sounds pretentious.
I actually liked that song with the rap, I thought the rap added a lot to the song. It kinda fit perfectly I thought. But the raps on invincble i didnt like | |
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LizaWoman08 said: I do agree that Michael need to stop having rappers on his albums, it has ruined some great songs like This Time Around from the HIStory album and it sounds pretentious.
I actually liked that song with the rap, I thought the rap added a lot to the song. It kinda fit perfectly I thought. But the raps on invincble i didnt like I agree, I think the rap works well with This Time Around. Unfortunately, the raps on the Invincible tracks don't. At all.  | |
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Annika said: LizaWoman08 said: I do agree that Michael need to stop having rappers on his albums, it has ruined some great songs like This Time Around from the HIStory album and it sounds pretentious.
I actually liked that song with the rap, I thought the rap added a lot to the song. It kinda fit perfectly I thought. But the raps on invincble i didnt like I agree, I think the rap works well with This Time Around. Unfortunately, the raps on the Invincible tracks don't. At all.  Co-sign."Whitney was purely and simply one of a kind." ~ Clive Davis | |
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Annika said: I agree, I think the rap works well with This Time Around. 
listen, i got problems of my own flashing cameras, taps on my phone even in my home i aint safe as i should be things always missing, maybe it could be my friends, they ain't friends if they robbin me stoppin me from making a profit see..... |
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Militant said: Annika said: I agree, I think the rap works well with This Time Around.
listen, i got problems of my own flashing cameras, taps on my phone even in my home i aint safe as i should be things always missing, maybe it could be my friends, they ain't friends if they robbin me stoppin me from making a profit see..... That's a fricken quality verse and that whole song was kickin. That part of the rap quoted there really encapsulated what Mike was going for brilliantly IMO. _ Music, sweet music, I wish I could caress and...kiss, kiss... | |
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Militant said: Annika said: I agree, I think the rap works well with This Time Around.
listen, i got problems of my own flashing cameras, taps on my phone even in my home i aint safe as i should be things always missing, maybe it could be my friends, they ain't friends if they robbin me stoppin me from making a profit see..... The best part of the rap is the haunting voices underneath it. | |
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LizaWoman08 said: I thought invicible was way too scattered as an album. The album made no sense, too many diff ideas lumped together. It had no flow to it. It sounded like MJ was trying to be "cool" and fit in with modern pop music. It sounded very trendy to me. My opinion is it was a well executed peice of crap lol, dont get me wrong i did like some songs on there, but it sounded like he was trying way to hard to be liked. The lyrics were pretty cheesy, especially on YOu Rock my World...that song was pure cheese. I love MJ and will always be a fan but he needs to stop trying to fit in, get new producers, and make a new sound.
I think the problem is with the uptempo tracks.Songs like "Heartbreaker",the title track and "2000 Watts" don't go anywhere.The ballads and slow jams are fine... "Butterflies" "Whatever Happens" "Speechless" "Heaven Can Wait" "Break Of Dawn" I can even tolerate "Cry" (although I hate R.Kelly)
If he had taken those six tracks and recorded six *GREAT* uptempo tracks (produced by someone other than Rodney Jerkins or Teddy Riley),he might have had a brilliant album. | |
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daPrettyman said: bboy87 said: Unbreakable would've been better if they had stripped it down a bit, and took Biggie's part out
I remember reading that MJ didn't originally want the Biggie rap added, but Rodney Jerkins convinced him to add it in. I believe BIG recorded this during the same session as "This Time Around". The Rap on Unbreakable is from 1995 and was on the song "Can't Stop The Rain", I think. It had already been released  "We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world." |
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graecophilos said: BenS71 said: I agree. Invincible is an unfocused album, and though the album isn't crap as the media would have us believe. If it had been an album by Justin Timberlake or Usher it would be considered a great album, though not a classic. Invincible is an album of productions as opposed to real music, and it sounds over produced. Michael Jackson seems like a guest vocalist on his own album, it doesn't feel like a Michael Jackson album, it seems like his the co-producers Rodney Jerkins (MJ should never have worked with him) were dictating how they wanted Michael to sound, and it does work. Michael worked with around 3 or 4 different producers on that album, only wrote 2 songs by himself which were both ballards and very corny, and co-wrote with an average of up to 5 co-writers per songs. Unbreakable is in my opinion the best track on Invincible, though I agree it is more of a pop version of Unbelievable . But I do love Unbreakable, and like Biggie's rap on it but an instrumental keyboard or something would have been better. I do agree that Michael need to stop having rappers on his albums, it has ruined some great songs like This Time Around from the HIStory album and it sounds pretentious. [Edited 9/8/08 11:07am] [Edited 9/8/08 11:08am] why does it sounds peretentious? It's a point of view. Why do you sound like you want to start an argument ? BenS71 | |
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SoulAlive said: LizaWoman08 said: I thought invicible was way too scattered as an album. The album made no sense, too many diff ideas lumped together. It had no flow to it. It sounded like MJ was trying to be "cool" and fit in with modern pop music. It sounded very trendy to me. My opinion is it was a well executed peice of crap lol, dont get me wrong i did like some songs on there, but it sounded like he was trying way to hard to be liked. The lyrics were pretty cheesy, especially on YOu Rock my World...that song was pure cheese. I love MJ and will always be a fan but he needs to stop trying to fit in, get new producers, and make a new sound.
I think the problem is with the uptempo tracks.Songs like "Heartbreaker",the title track and "2000 Watts" don't go anywhere.The ballads and slow jams are fine... "Butterflies" "Whatever Happens" "Speechless" "Heaven Can Wait" "Break Of Dawn" I can even tolerate "Cry" (although I hate R.Kelly)
If he had taken those six tracks and recorded six *GREAT* uptempo tracks (produced by someone other than Rodney Jerkins or Teddy Riley),he might have had a brilliant album. 1.Unbreakable- edit the opening and take out the rap verse, and reduce some of the production 2.Invincible-take that wack ass verse out and give it some better music 3.Break of Dawn 4.Heaven Can Wait- take out some of that bass and make it about 30 seconds longer 5.You Rock My World- take out the intro that was cringworthy and it's better....ALOT better
6.Butterflies- I heard a radio edit of the song that had some added adlibs that wasn't on the album. Get that version 7.Seeing Voices- I don't know if that instrumental is real, but it's damn good 8.Fall Again 9. Xscape 10.Don't Walk Away- I want it longer 11.Whatever Happens and there you have it "We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world." |
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unbreakable is fucking fantastic I'll leave it alone babe...just be me | |
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bboy87 said: daPrettyman said: I remember reading that MJ didn't originally want the Biggie rap added, but Rodney Jerkins convinced him to add it in. I believe BIG recorded this during the same session as "This Time Around". The Rap on Unbreakable is from 1995 and was on the song "Can't Stop The Rain", I think. It had already been released The fuck was Rodney thinking and what was Michael thinking agreeing with it? | |
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I still don't understand how the hell you are my life was chosen over Fall Again. True his son Prince got sing so he never finished the final vocals for it, but he had 2 years to do it, and if he really wanted to, he could have. | |
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badujunkie said: unbreakable is fucking fantastic
I hope Michael performs Unbreakable when he tours again. It would make a really cool opening song to a concert. BenS71 | |
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