In less than two weeks, Michael Jackson's first posthumous album, Michael, will hit stores and include a string of unreleased MJ tracks. The 10-song set includes a collaboration between the iconic performer and 50 Cent.
In a candid interview that appeared on MJJackson.com, 50 Cent reminiscences about how the song "Monster" came about.
"I didn't have the opportunity to physically be in Michael Jackson's presence," Fif said. "But my DJ, Whoo Kid, he had the opportunity to actually meet Mike, because he was interested in working with me and he said that he had something he wanted me to actually hear, a song he created. He thought it would be perfect for us to collaborate on and then he put me on the telephone."
While 50 has teamed up with a slew of artists in the past, he said the Jackson opportunity was unlike any other. "I don't usually get nervous, because I really don't care about a lot of the artists," he said. "But Mike is special. He's different. I don't know how to explain it."
After the shocking news of Jackson's sudden death, Fif received a call to come into the studio and perform his portion of the track. Once in the studio, the rapper worked with producer Teddy Riley (Jackson's Dangerous) on the song. "When I sat down and listened to the actual song, I was excited. I said, 'This is the 2010 version of "Thriller," ' " the rapper recalled. A snippet of the track (minus 50) reportedly leaked onto the Internet just a few days ago.
Despite not being able to actually record the track with Jackson, 50 Cent intended to make his mark on the song. "I missed an opportunity to be on a record not just with a great artist, but a legend," he lamented. "So I wanted more, and I made adjustments to my cadence so I don't sound like I sound on music that people have previously heard from me, because I'm adjusting to the production."
While not everyone has been excited about the posthumous release, Fif thinks it will be welcomed by most. "I think this album is more special," he said. "It'll be embraced different because it's the last of really great material that Mike created, so I think people will want it to go in their actual collection to go in their Michael Jackson material. It's a great example of how the art and the material will last longer than we will."
Last July, the MC told that he was inspired by a piece of artwork featuring the legendary performer for the cover of his Forever King mixtape. "When Michael Jackson passed, there was a piece of artwork that had 'King of Pop, King of Rap' with me and his pictures," he said." "That's what gave me the concept of the artwork. There's a real human skull that's got diamonds embedded in it."
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