| Michael Jackson's Posthumous Sales Surge Posted: 29 Jun 2009 02:07 AM PDT Singer currently holds eight of top 10 slots on iTunes singles chart.
By Gil Kaufman 
Michael Jackson's <i>Thriller</i>
Photo: Anthony Verde/ Time Life Pictures/ Getty Images From Cairo to Compton, Harlem to Hanoi, last week, fans of the King of Pop were celebrating the life of Michael Jackson by listening and dancing to the iconic singer's music. They were also rushing out to buy as much of it as they could, creating a retail crush around the country (and the world) that will likely land a number of Jackson albums at the top of the Billboard catalog charts next week. Retailers across the country reported a mad rush on Jackson titles, with many saying that they had quickly run out of their stock of music within 24 hours of the singer's death on Thursday at the age of 50. The quickest-selling titles, according to Billboard, were the Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson compilations, as well as the expanded reissue of Thriller. Billboard predicted that those three sets, along with Jackson's studio albums Off the Wall, Bad and Dangerous, will likely leap to the upper reaches of the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart next week. The magazine said that Number Ones will probably take the top spot after resting at #20 last week on sales of 4,000. By comparison, the top catalog album last week was Christian act tobyMac's Portable Sounds, which sold 9,000 copies, while sources told Billboard that at least one of the Jackson titles sold more than double that total just on Thursday alone. Nielsen SoundScan tracks sales through Sunday (June 28), with the new chart rankings released on Wednesday, July 1. Keith Caulfield, Senior Chart Manager and Analyst for Billboard, said that he did not have any updated numbers on Jackson sales on Monday, but that "when an artist of a certain stature passes away, especially a sudden passing, there's always that instant reaction on the Billboard charts." But, unlike the deaths of such icons as Johnny Cash (2003) and Frank Sinatra (1998), both of whom were older when they died, Caulfield said whatever impact Jackson's passing would have is amplified by the fact that we are now living in the digital music age. "Now you have digital albums, which didn't really exist when these stars died in the past," he said. In a telling tale of the times, as of Monday (June 29), eight of the 10 best-selling songs on iTunes belonged to Jackson, with "Man in the Mirror" resting at #1 on a singles chart that also included such hits as "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Billie Jean," "Black or White," "Smooth Criminal," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Thriller" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)." The only other songs on the chart blocking Jackson's clean sweep were a pair of singles from the Black Eyed Peas. In total, 38 Jackson songs were in the top 100 on the iTunes Top Songs chart. Outside the top 10, 15 other Jackson and Jackson 5-related albums and anthologies made it onto the list of the 100 best-selling digital albums. Jackson's impact was even felt on the ringtones chart, where "Thriller" was at #2, "The Way You Make Me Feel" came in at #5 and "Smooth Criminal" slid into the #8 spot among the 17 Jackson ringtones on the chart. A spokesperson for iTunes would not comment on sales figures, referring questions to Jackson's Sony label. A spokesperson for the label had not returned calls for comment at press time. As befits the man who made the music video a true art form, Jackson had a complete lockdown on the Top Music Videos chart on iTunes, as well, taking the top 10 spots with such landmark clips as "Thriller," "Billie Jean," "Black or White" and "Beat It." In all, more than 40 Jackson videos made it onto the top 100 videos chart. Jackson wasn't the only one whose sales increased: "Weird Al" Yankovic's parodies "Eat It" (#94) and "Fat" (#81) also got some love, along with Alien Ant Farm's cover of "Smooth Criminal" (#94). The story was similar on the Top Albums chart, with Jackson monopolizing seven of the top 10 spots with The Essential Michael Jackson at #1, followed by Number Ones, Thriller, Off the Wall and Bad. Also in the top 10 were the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller and Dangerous. It was the same story at Amazon.com, where the top-25 single-track downloads featured 16 Jackson songs and half of the top 20 on the MP3 albums chart was populated by Jackson's solo albums or efforts with his brothers. London's Daily Telegraph reported a similar phenomenon in the country where Jackson was slated to make his comeback in two weeks at a series of now-scuttled 50 shows at the O2 Arena in London. A best-of album reached #1 on the U.K. charts over the weekend, and four other albums entered the top 20 alongside 43 singles in the top 200. Given the additional digital sales, the paper predicted that Jackson's posthumous sales could easily dwarf those of such fellow music icons as Elvis Presley and John Lennon. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered." Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| All Time Low: 'We Are A Haircut Band' Posted: 30 Jun 2009 03:51 AM PDT The group made a 'conscious effort to kind of try and grow outside the box a little bit' on new album, frontman Alex Gaskarth says.
By James Montgomery 
All Time Low
Photo: adamelmakias.com Plenty of people write nasty stuff about All Time Low, whether it's dismissing their goofy videos with stuff like "the only way this clip could've been more offensive is if they would've performed it in blackface," or writing off their music as nothing more than generic pop-punk written by four dudes with swooping, fashionable haircuts. Frontman Alex Gaskarth has read (and heard) it all, and he'll actually agree with most of it. But he's more than willing to try and change people's minds. "We are a haircut band, for sure. We've been lumped into that category, but what a lot of people don't realize is that we've been doing this since we were freshmen [in high school]," Gaskarth told MTV News. "This is, like, our sixth year of this band now. We definitely notice it too, and it was definitely a conscious effort to kind of try and grow outside the box a little bit. "That's always been the point of this band. This band is admittedly very image driven ... and that was never intentional, and that's what sets this band apart from all the other 'haircut bands,' " he continued. "Those kids get signed because they have the haircut, not the songs. This band got signed because we had the songs ... and so, I truly believe in everything we do we try to set out and prove all the naysayers wrong." Which is exactly what ATL are attempting to do on Nothing Personal, their third full-length (due July 7). Produced by a grab-bag of big-name knob-twiddlers with even bigger résumés (Matt Squire, Butch Walker, David Bendeth, S.A.M. & Sluggo), it's jam-packed with the same razor-sharp hooks and lyrics that made their So Wrong, It's Right album a scene sensation (and nabbed ATL Band of the Year honors in Alternative Press), but it also showcases a newfound maturity and depth: "Too Much" is full of soft, double-tracked vocals that float on a shimmering blip-scape, and album closer "Therapy" is a waking-from-a-nightmare missive that builds to a power-chord enhanced crescendo. It's the kind of balancing act that "haircut bands" have been trying to pull off for a while now — the line between silly and serious. But here's the thing: All Time Low actually pull it off. "It's nice to get away from the pop-punk niche we came up in ... it's nice to try to broaden your horizons. To be honest, we wrote a lot of this album with that in mind," Gaskarth said. "It weighs on you when you see all these new bands start popping up and getting signed, because that's the nature of this terrible industry we're in. ... So, we definitely noticed that, and we definitely thought, 'What can we do this time around that isn't going to piss off our fans too much, but is going to set us apart from all these little kids that have deals and songs on MTV now?' " And songs like "Too Much" and "Therapy" are a step in that direction, for sure. But that doesn't mean that ATL are giving up on their goofy side, either. Official first single "Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)" is a crunchy slab of power-pop, full of shouted backing vocals, cooing synths and mentions of "tequila shots." It's a party-starter, to be sure ... and proof that, even as they try to grow as a band, ATL still aren't adverse to getting downright stoopid if the situation demands it. "We've always been a band whose image and stage banter has always been based on not taking anything too seriously, but I've never written to be funny. I don't consider our music to be a joke. We're not f---ing Bowling For Soup at all," Gaskarth said. "People pigeonhole us but, to be honest, we sort of pigeonhole ourselves. We try to disregard it and, for the most part, we can, because the criticism tends to get lost in the vast array of d--k jokes and bullsh-- this band is focused on." |
| Drake Signs With Lil Wayne's Young Money Label Posted: 29 Jun 2009 02:20 AM PDT 'It's just a great day,' Drake says of deal; his material will be distributed by Universal Republic.
By Shaheem Reid 
Drake
Photo: Young Money Mixtapes are a movement. For some, giving away music could mean much more than trying to sell their tunes — but Drake played the game right. He started giving away his mixtape So Far Gone earlier this year, and the word of mouth spread with fans, his peers and record-company executives: a recent New York concert found [Warner Music exec] Lyor Cohen in the crowd, standing among screaming fans, along with Kanye West and Talib Kweli. Well, the wait is over: After weeks of speculation, Drake has chosen to go with the home team and sign with Lil Wayne's Young Money Records, according to a source close to the situation. The deal breaks down as a joint venture between Young Money and Cash Money, with Universal Republic distributing. Drake's management was adamant that he should be viewed as an independent artist, although Universal will distribute the project. "Today is a definitely a comfortable day for me, having my team now that's been in place for a couple of years. It's just a great day," Drake told MTV News recently in New York. "It's something new, but it feels familiar." Drizzy is excited about having a corporate push to help with the momentum he's gained independently. "Independent is a funny term," he told MTV News on the set of his video for "Best I Ever Had." "I can go independent, but you need distribution, period. You need somebody to distribute your record and you need that army that a label has to really push the record." So Far Gone became this year's most talked-about mixtape because, in effect, Drake combines the best of both worlds by being a strong singer and rapper. His singing talent is prominent on the tracks "HoustonAtlantaVegas," "Little Bit" and "A Night Off"; his rapping on songs like "Uptown" and "Ignorant Sh--" is as sharp as a broken bottle in a barroom brawl. He rhymes are just as strong: "The game needs change and I'm the muthaf----n' cashier" (from "Successful"); "Account's in the minus, yet I'm rolling round the f---ing city like your highness" ("Say What's Real"). His popularity has gotten so strong that Drake performed — along with Weezy and the Young Money crew — in a prime slot at the BET Awards on Sunday night. Drake's official debut LP, Thank Me Later, is currently in production and due later this year, with Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z listed as possible collaborators. This summer, look for Drake on tour with Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy and Soulja Boy Tell'em as part of the Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'Gossip Girl' Star Taylor Momsen Talks The Pretty Reckless Posted: 30 Jun 2009 03:51 AM PDT 'Music feeds my soul,' the actress says about her band.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Taylor Momsen
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic If Taylor Momsen's band, the Pretty Reckless, somehow found themselves playing one of Jenny Humphrey's school dances on "Gossip Girl," does Momsen think that her fictional alter-ego would be into her music? "I think she'd like it," Momsen told MTV News. "Her dad's a rocker. We're trying to bring rock back with the Pretty Reckless here, so I think she'd like it. She put the Ramones in her fashion, so [yes]." It's fairly obvious that Momsen loves to show her rock side. Whether she's name-checking Nirvana, Joan Jett and Hole or hitting a red carpet in leather, bleached-blond hair and red lipstick, it's clear that Momsen and the Pretty Reckless aren't softies. "In everything I do, I'm influenced by music. Music feeds my soul," she said. "As far as style, I'm influenced by eras that had music [I] liked. Music became a persona to me." That persona started when Momsen was a kid. If Jenny Humphrey's dad is a rocker, Taylor Momsen's dad is a rock fan. He used to play music for the "Gossip Girl" star, music that prepared her for her future job as a rock star. "I grew up listening to the Beatles on vinyl with my dad," she explained, citing "Strawberry Fields Forever" as one of her favorite songs. "So I grew up kind of listening to good records. I worked my way into Joan Jett and the Runaways records and Blondie and Garbage. Garbage became a huge influence on me." |
| Michael Jackson's Last Tour Rehearsals Filmed For Possible Release Posted: 29 Jun 2009 06:12 AM PDT Show included floating orbs, aerial dancers.
By Gil Kaufman 
Michael Jackson at rehearsals for his "This Is It" tour
Photo: John Shearer/AEG/Concerts West via WireImages Following Michael Jackson's death on Thursday, 750,000 people who bought tickets to see him perform at the O2 in London will never get the chance to experience the stunning visual and musical spectacle the singer had in store for them. But, according to reports, AEG Live, the promoter of the "This Is It" 50-date residency, recorded enough of Jackson's rehearsal material to release at least one live CD/DVD. Entertainment industry Web site The Wrap reports that Jackson's final rehearsal at the Staples Center on Wednesday was recorded in multi-camera, high-definition video and multi-track audio. The recording could be released as the singer's final album, according to unnamed sources close to the now scuttled tour, which was reportedly due to go around the globe following the O2 residency. The recordings were made as part of a deal cut by AEG Live with Jackson, which included plans to produce a live album and DVD of the singer performing his greatest hits. If the reports are true, the recording could help AEG Live recoup some of the estimated tens of millions of dollars it is expected to lose as a result of Jackson's untimely death. A spokesperson for AEG Live could not be reached for comment at press time. The Wrap reported that Jackson had failed to appear at "many" of the scheduled rehearsals over the past two months, but he did appear at the full run-through on Wednesday in anticipation of the July 13 kick-off of the London shows. The final rehearsal reportedly included dancers, musicians and aerial performers, as well as Jackson suspended from a crane at one point and a 3-D view of a "Thriller"-inspired haunted mansion. On Monday (June 29), USA Today pulled back the curtain on the closely guarded rehearsals, describing an over-the-top Jackson extravaganza that was to feature floating orbs, a flaming bed, lots of pyrotechnics, 20-foot-tall puppets, giant spiders and Jackson breaking out all his signature dance moves. "He was trying, and succeeding, in structuring the biggest, most spectacular live production ever seen," said Johnny Caswell, co-owner of CenterStaging in Burbank, California, where Jackson worked on the show from late March to early June before shifting rehearsals to larger venues, according to the paper. "By the time he left my facility, he had graduated through several studios and was on a soundstage taking up 10,000 square feet," Caswell said. "They moved to The Forum, outgrew that and needed the height at Staples. The show was getting so damn big, they couldn't finish it in time. That's why they had to delay." Caswell said reports that Jackson had delayed the start of the engagement due to health problems were "nonsense," explaining that the ballooning size of the production caused the push back. While it has been reported that Jackson had been taking a number of powerful prescription medications prior to his death and that he died following cardiac arrest, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office has deferred determining his cause of death pending further toxicology tests. Despite some suggestions that the frail singer with a history of medical problems might not have been strong enough to complete his first full-fledged tour in 12 years, according to USA Today, he was very engaged during Wednesday's final rehearsal at the Staples Center, where he worked with a crew of more than 80 dancers, choreographers, band members and crew to polish the show. Jackson began what would be his final rehearsal by putting on a headset and walking to an elevated platform to sing the song "Dangerous," at first a cappella, then joined by his band. "Misfits of Magic" founder Ed Alonzo, who worked on illusions for Britney Spears' Circus tour, joined the Jackson show six weeks ago. He said he designed a number of stunning effects for the King of Pop, including a glowing glass sphere that would float around Jackson and then into the crowd during the opening song, 1982's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." A version of "Dirty Diana" was to feature a flaming bed with a pole-dancing aerialist "playing the part of the fire," Alonzo said. After the fire woman pursued Jackson around the bed, she would tie him to the bed posts with gold rope, and a sheet of red fabric would spring up in front of him as he struggled in silhouette. When the sheet fell, it would be revealed that it was the woman struggling, not Jackson, and he would then materialize on a stage in the middle of the arena. "It was an amazing show," Alonzo said. "The thing was just days away from being perfected. It was incredible. Even though it was just a walk-through with the dancers, his moves were dead-on — the same Michael Jackson we (saw) through the years in music videos." Alonzo said that while Jackson seemed underweight, he appeared to be in good health and was energetic during the rehearsal. Jackson's manager, Frank DiLeo, told the Hollywood Reporter that after finishing the final run-through around midnight on Wednesday, Jackson was feeling good about the show. "He found me and said, 'Frank, I am so happy. ... This is really our time.' He put his arm around me," DiLeo said. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered." Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson's Family Still Considering Funeral Plans Posted: 29 Jun 2009 01:44 AM PDT Father Joe Jackson calls press conference to announce record label; says Michael will not be buried at Neverland.
By Gil Kaufman 
Rev. Al Sharpton and Joe Jackson on Monday
Photo: Charles Dharapak/AP Photo Reporters gathered outside the Jackson family compound in Encino, California, on Monday morning for a press conference from Michael Jackson's father, Joseph, during which they expected to hear about plans for the singer's funeral. But instead, Joe Jackson deflected most of those questions and talked about a new record label he's launching with a former member of the classic R&B group the Chi-Lites, even as he defended detractors who questioned his comments about the label on the red carpet the previous night at the BET Awards, which were a tribute to the singer. When asked about funeral arrangements, the Jackson family patriarch said, "We don't have the time frame yet because we want to see how ... the second autopsy turns out." He said the family was in no hurry to make plans for a memorial, and family friend the Reverend Al Sharpton said, "It is a determination of the family to be careful and deliberate on how they plan this celebration of life. ... This is not something you do carelessly and spontaneously. We must also remember that they are still grieving." Joe Jackson, 80, said the family expects the results of the second autopsy "soon" and that they will move ahead with funeral plan at that point. The county coroner conducted an autopsy on Friday, then deferred a decision on the cause of death pending toxicology reports, which could take four to six weeks. Though no details were forthcoming on the funeral, Joe Jackson denied reports that Michael would be buried at Neverland Ranch, the former amusement park/zoo/mansion that was the pop singer's longtime home. "That's not true," Joe Jackson said. Just hours after his wife, Katherine, was granted temporary custody of Michael's three young children, Joe Jackson said, "This is where they belong. ... We're the parents and we're going to take care of them and give them the education they're supposed to have." He said the children were happy and that they were excited to be in the company of other children their age, presumably referring to the young offspring of the Jackson's other adult children. Seeking to explain what some portrayed as an ill-timed plug at the BET Awards Sunday night during a CNN interview for his new musical venture just days after his son's death, Joe Jackson explained that Michael would have wanted him to keep the family's musical legacy alive, at which point he discussed the label again. Speaking to CNN again after Monday's press conference, Jackson was asked by reporter Don Lemon if he wanted to clarify his statement about the label from the night before and Jackson again said he mentioned it because he wants to "make sure the whole world knows what a superstar he was." CNN also reported that Joseph and Katherine have filed petitions to administrate Jackson's estate, while TMZ noted that the singer died "intestate," meaning with no will, though longtime lawyer John Branca reportedly told TMZ that he recently came back on board with Jackson and that he has a signed will that he intends to file within 30 days. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered." Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| What Would Michael Jackson's Next Album Have Sounded Like? Posted: 29 Jun 2009 12:41 AM PDT He recorded with Akon and Will.I.Am, and had talked to T-Pain, Kanye and even 50 about collaborations.
By Shaheem Reid 
Photo: Sam Yeh/Getty Images If the rumors that Michael Jackson has at least a couple of hundred unreleased songs in his vault are true, then not only will the King of Pop live on forever in spirit, but he will seem to be alive in the industry as well. Those records could be distributed for years to come. In the years since 2001's Invincible, music's elite have been telling MTV News amazing stories about their collaborations with Jackson for an upcoming album. Though the work was never completed during his life, we can look back at the clues these collaborators gave us to speculate about what MJ's next release would have sounded like. "I'm writing a lot of stuff right now," Jackson told Ebony magazine in 2007. "I'm in the studio, like, every day." MTV News confirmed that songwriter Sean Garrett, Grammy winners Ne-Yo and Kanye West, and music do-it-all T-Pain had all met with Jackson and discussed work. In June 2008, super-producer Swizz Beatz told us he was crafting tracks for Jackson as well producing pieces for his tour. Even Murder Inc. head honcho Irv Gotti traveled to the Neverland Ranch back in 2002, hoping to Jackson to let him helm the LP. Chris Brown was pushing for a duet with one of his greatest musical influences in 2007. "He called me for my birthday, and I told him we should do a song," Brown told MTV News. "He was up for it." DJ Whoo Kid openly dreamed of orchestrating a Jackson/ 50 Cent collaboration in 2006, after sitting down to a weird but extraordinary dinner with Jackson in Bahrain. "He was supposed to be there for like 45 minutes; he stayed for five hours," Whoo Kid recalled of how he met Jackson and later arranged for phone conversations between him and 50. Jackson worked with Akon on more than one track, and a song called "Hold My Hand" leaked to the Net several months ago. "He's incredible," 'Kon said of his first collaboration with Jackson, a 2008 remix of "Wanna Be Startin' Something." "He's a genius. Just to be in the same room [with him], I felt everything I wanted to accomplish in life has been achieved. That aura ... that's how incredible that aura is. We about to shake the world up, man. You know how you be with somebody and you can't even explain [the feeling]? I used to sit and think, 'How does somebody sell so many records and dominate a whole business genre, to a point [where] nobody can't be a part of that without associating with you?' The way he thinks ... some artists think regional, some think national, I was thinking international. He thinks planets. It's on another level." Will.I.Am also told MTV News in 2007 that Jackson called him personally and had him work on a few songs. "I'm a fan of the dude," Will said at the time. "He's the smartest dude I ever met. I met James Brown, had the opportunity to work wit' him too. You get a couple of great people to help you live your life. You got your Michael Jacksons, your James Browns, Princes, Nat King Coles, just to shed light on the Earth. "Michael Jackson, he told me what rock and roll meant," Will.I.Am added. "He said, 'Rock and roll, you know, that means having sex. That's what they used to say back in the '50s: "You ever rock and roll?" ' Chillin' with him, you have an outlook on what Michael Jackson will be like. He still is real proud of being black. A lot of times he's repressed in the media, so you don't think that." For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered." Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson's Mother Gets Temporary Guardianship Of Kids Posted: 28 Jun 2009 11:14 PM PDT Katherine Jackson appointed legal guardian of Prince, Paris and Prince Michael II.
By Gil Kaufman 
Katherine Jackson and son Michael Jackson in 2005
Photo: Matthew Simmons/ WireImage Among the many unresolved issues that have emerged since Michael Jackson's death on Thursday is what will become of his three children, Prince, 12; Paris, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7. The children were under the full custody of their father, and since his death, they have been staying with their grandparents, Katherine and Joseph Jackson, at the couple's Encino, California, estate. A short time later, The Associated Press reported that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved her request for temporary guardianship of the children but did not grant her authority to serve as guardian of the children's estate. In making the case for guardianship, the petition filed on Monday reportedly states that the children have "no relationship with their biological mother" and that they are currently in the care of Katherine, with whom they have a "long-established relationship." Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two elder children, was briefly married to Jackson but gave up her custody rights after she and Jackson divorced in 1999, and the petition lists her whereabouts as "unknown." The identity of the mother of Jackson's youngest child, commonly referred to as "Blanket," has never been publicly revealed, and on the petition, the box next to mother is checked as "none." The petition says that the value of Jackson's assets is not known yet and does not mention if he left a will, but it states that Katherine would be the best guardian for the children because they are "currently residing with paternal grandmother. They have a long-established relationship with paternal grandmother and are comfortable in her care." According to the petition, it is "not known at this time" if Rowe agrees with the action. A hearing to determine whether Katherine will be the children's permanent guardian is set for August 3. UsMagazine.com reported that Katherine Jackson was spotted at a Los Angeles Target store over the weekend, stocking up on toys, sleeping bags and other supplies, and an attorney for the family said they had not yet heard from Rowe in the wake of Jackson's death. Her former attorney told the magazine last week that she was "inconsolable" about the death of her ex-husband. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered." Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below. [This story was originally published at 1:08 p.m. ET on 6.29.2009] Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Beyonce, Robin Thicke Cover Michael Jackson Songs In Concert Posted: 29 Jun 2009 03:22 AM PDT 'American Idol' vet David Archuleta also paid tribute to MJ at show.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Robin Thicke
Photo: Epiphany Media Not long after news of Michael Jackson's death broke last Thursday, various superstars honored the late pop icon in their shows. Beyoncé paid tribute to Jackson at a tour stop at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, where she sang "I Can't Help It," before she did it at the BET Awards on Sunday night (June 28). David Archuleta also sang a Jackson song, "You Can," during a stop in New Jersey last week during his tour with Demi Lovato. He later tweeted, "I can't get over MJ. I know everyone's talking about it but he deserves the respect. I hope people will appreciate what he's done." On Friday night, Robin Thicke paid tribute to the late singer during a concert in New York City at the SoBe Summer Fridays party, where he sang Jackson's song "Human Nature" and also spoke at length about the influence that Jackson has had on the world. "We all know this is not just an American icon, this is a world icon," he said. "This is someone who affected change in the whole world, not just America. So Americans might now realize in some capacity how huge this is." Thicke, who said he's been texting with his music industry friends over pop music's great loss, added, "Some of our biggest American stars aren't worldwide like Michael Jackson was. Everybody's inspired and wondering how they're going to pay tribute and what we are all going to do. I think it just shows you what he created, which was love and dance and joy." For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered." Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Wyclef Jean, Ciara, Others Share Michael Jackson Memories At BET Awards Posted: 28 Jun 2009 11:51 PM PDT 'I lost my voice completely,' Wyclef admits of his encounter with Jackson.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Jayson Rodriguez 
Ciara
Photo: Jason LaVeris/ FilmMagic Onstage, on the red carpet and backstage during Sunday night's Michael Jackson-dedicated BET Awards, artists young and old — from elder statesmen the O'Jays to 23-year-old Ciara — shared their personal memories of the King of Pop. They spoke of their reverence for the man, his eccentric tendencies and how even the biggest of stars can get panicky in front of a musical legend. "I actually talked to him on the phone," Ciara said backstage at a press conference after the show ended. "He was doing a song for Hurricane Katrina, and he wanted me to be a part of it." She was so nervous in anticipation of the call that she turned up her music to calm herself and didn't hear the phone ring. Jackson's assistant ended up leaving her a message. When she called back and connected with the singer, she was speechless. "I couldn't even respond properly," she admitted. "I'm very, very proud of [the call] because I was looking forward to meeting him, and I didn't get a chance to, so that's something I can hold on to," she added, before breaking down in tears. Wyclef Jean did get a chance to meet Jackson face-to-face at a music studio, but he was no less nervous than Ciara. "I knew he was coming to see me," Clef said at the post-show presser. "So, the whole day, I'm preparing a speech on how I'm gonna meet him. I'm practicing in the mirror. But then he showed up, and I lost my voice completely. 'Hi, Michael.' He's the only musician — I'm not intimidated by people — but he was definitely one you could say had the voice of God." The rapper Jazze Pha, whose father is the bassist for old-school soul band the Bar-Kays, got a chance to meet Jackson years ago when the pop star was still performing live. "When I went backstage with Mike with my pops, it's like he had everything in the dressing room," he told MTV News. "He had bearskin rugs. He had these different couches. He had stuff on the walls, like Indian. It's crazy. He had the whole world in the backstage area." Throughout the evening, artists spoke about the impact Jackson had on their careers. For Ciara, watching and listening to Jackson made her believe she, too, could be a singer. "I didn't grow up in music, and I realized by the time I was 13 that I could do something in music, and for me, he really is the reason why," she said through tears. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered." Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
