Somebody ( I think it was Russell Simmons) once said that most record companies don't care if an artist is dead or not as long as the catalog sells. It rings so true every time a record company wants to release some posthumous material, especially incomplete material, from an artist's catalog to the masses. They try recreate the magic through technology, a bunch of special guests, and create such a mess that even the artist themselves wouldn't release. I remember the Biggie Duets and Born Again record. Rehashed lyrics remixed with extra people, just didn't work for me Every song I heard before in his records that he put out when he was alive. Pissed me the fuck off!!! All those projects were living proof that he had no more new material left to be heard. Damn you Puff for that. How could you do your boy like that?
2Pac, on the other hand, wrote over 2000 tracks before his untimely but foreseen demise. All 10-15 records I heard was at least a lot of new material that I can judge unbiased. Just had to point that out.
So when word of this project was to be released, all I could do is envision that everlasting image of him doing his This Is It tour and throwing up the peace sign. I wasn't to thrilled of his previous effort, Invincible, so I figured staying out of the spotlight would render in some of his finest new work since Thriller. I was ready for that classic Michael, vintage Michael. Even with production by Akon, Lenny Kravitz, longtime producer Teddy Riley(Dangerous was fucking brilliant!!!)and collabos with 50 Cent, I always knew Michael was very eclectic with his choice of music. But then, like everyone else, on June 25th, 2009, my heart broke too, for his voice was silenced forever. I too, sunk into deep mourning, shedding the tears during his televised spectacle of a memorial service, dug in my crates and combed the web looking for any and everything Michael. I, too, got really excited when I heard This Is It, in fact, I was shedding the tears again because it felt like he was still here or singing this on a cloud looking down upon us and smiling. But disappointment started to show when I saw the movie, made of bits and pieces of his rehearsal for the concert, left such an empty fucking feeling because I know I would never see the finished project. This record didn't help much. It sounds a lot like Dangerous II with bits of History Disc 1 thrown in. The record feels rushed, nothing more than people trying to cash in on the catalog. in fact, one of the tracks, "I Like The Way You Love Me" doesn't even really sound like Michael at all. WTF???!!! The album's standout, "Another Day" however sounds like pure Lenny. The guitar's rock feel gives the track a flavor ala' Dirty Diana. And it works. You could see Michael's passion throughout the song; it made me feel like I was in the studio recording it with him.
Now even though I didn't really like the album, I'm gonna give it a 10 out of 10 anywayz. Why? Because at least I'm getting at least 7 tracks of original Michael. Who knows what else they have in the stash or who they got to sing the rest of the songs, I don't care, I just know that Michael was working his ass off passionately on his craft to his last breath. It's fucked up he's not here anymore because then I know he would have not let this be released. But then even he knew rule #4080.......record company people are shady.
Imma let you be the judge....... hear the entire album right here.
