We only saw one side of Michael Jackson over the years…the polite side, but most of us NEVER knew he was ’bout it like this! Michael Jackson went straight gangster! It was at a fan appreciation event called ‘Killer Thriller.’
To most on the inside of the music business, Michael Jackson was an excellent businessman. If you think about it, he learned from some vets he hung out with like BERRY GORDY, QUINCY JONES, DIANA ROSS, PAUL MCCARTNEY and obviously his father – JOE. So with the legends he hung around in the music biz, he couldn’t help but absorb how to be strong and tough when need-be, especially with negotiations for mega deals. The only thing is that the type of courage and strength had was the kind that most in the industry don’t have. You see it has now been proven that MJ was not the MJ we knew him to be. He was more like Bob Marley, Tupac, Malcolm X, or Martin Luther King– all of whom had known (or perceived) threats against there life and ultimately spoke out even louder to stand up for what they felt was right. Even after Michael knew there were several inside threats on his life, he would go out and speak out even more against the evils of the music industry, making sure that he made it very clear to his enemies that he wasn’t NEVER scared!
Watch him tell it like it is in this video…
So maybe that’s why in the video above, MJ is saying that Sony was retaliating against him for being able to “out think them.” He said that they were intentionally sabotaging his name and his success.
Jackson told the crowd, who often interrupted him with cheers and applause, that because of practicing good business he was leaving Sony, owning half of Sony’s publishing.
He also went off on the then-head of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola. He called Mottola a “devil” and told fans at the event that they had to continue their drive until he was “terminated.” Mottola resigned six months later.
Jackson also talked about Mariah Carey, but not before asking that cameras be turned off, then telling the crowd “you know what tape it, I don’t mind.” Jackson told the crowd that after divorcing Mottola, Carey came to him crying, telling him that Mottola would tap her phones and have her followed.
Though Michael Jackson himself chose to only go into so much detail, many decided to take it a bit further. In July of 2002 Roger Friedman revealed, in his entertainment column for Fox News, that a serious source told him there was “correspondence” of Mottola telling Jackson that he would “ruin him” and his reputation if he was unable to wrest full control of Jackson’s music catalogue from him. It was that correspondence, Friedman said, that gave Michael Jackson the confidence to slam Mottola in such an uncharacteristically public fashion.
Lisa Marie Presley told Oprah that during a conversation in 2005 Jackson told her that he was afraid for his life. Presley told Oprah, “The final part of the conversation was him telling me that he felt that someone was going to try to kill him to get a hold of his catalogue and his estate.” She continued, “He expressed to me his concern for his life.” Presley also said Jackson gave her names but that she would prefer not to say them.
In case you couldn’t watch the video, a transcript of what he said is below…
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“First let me say, I really don’t like to talk that much. I really don’t. I prefer to perform than talk.
Let me just say this; the tradition of great performers from, and I really want you to hear what I have to say, from Sammy Davis Junior, James Brown, to Jackie Wilson, to Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly. The story is usually the same though. These guys worked really hard at their craft but the story ends the same. They usually are broken, torn and usually just sad, because the companies take advantage of them, they really do.
Sony, being the artist that I am at Sony, I’ve generated several billion dollars for Sony, several billon. They really thought that my mind is always on music and dancing. It usually is, but they never thought that this performer, myself, would out think them.
So, we can’t let them get away with what they’re trying to do, because now I’m a free agent. I just owe Sony one more album. It’s just a box set, really, with two new songs which I’ve written ages ago. Because for every album that I record, I write literally, I’m telling you the truth I write at least 120 songs every album I do. So I can do the box set, just giving them any two songs.
So I’m leaving Sony a free agent, owning half of Sony. I own half of Sony’s Publishing and I’m leaving them and they’re very angry at me because I just did good business, you know.
So the way they get revenge is to try and destroy my album. But I’ve always said, you know, art, good art never dies. Thank you, I love ‘Unbreakable’ (opening track on ‘Invincible’).
And Tommy Mottola is a devil! I’m not supposed to say what I’m going to say right now, but I have let you know this. Please don’t videotape what I am going to say, ok? Turn that off, please. You know what, you know what tape it, I don’t mind! Tape it!
Mariah Carey, after divorcing Tommy, came to me crying, crying. She was crying so badly I had to hold her. She said to me, “This is an evil man and Michael, this man follows me.” He taps her phones, and he’s very, very evil and she doesn’t trust him and he is a horrible human being.
We have to continue our drive until he is terminated. We can’t allow him to do this to great artistry, we just can’t.
I just wanted to let you know, I appreciate everything you’ve done, you’ve been amazing.
You’re so loyal! Diana, everybody, Waldo, all the people here! I love you all. You’ve been amazing, I love you!
But still, but still, I promise you, the best is yet to come!”
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ILoveOldSchoolMusic, Old School news with a new point of view
Source: Examiner
you can tell that poor thing was high during this.
you can tell that poor thing was high during this.