Smokey Robinson says he doesn’t want his sympathy for Dr. Murray to be misinterpreted as support, saying he does “feel sorry” for the guy …but still believes Murray is 100% GUILTY.

Earlier this week, Smokey told Access Hollywood:

“I actually feel sorry in a way for the doctor .. he was just under the influence of being so happy to be around Michael Jackson.”

Now, Smokey says he does not want anyone to be confused about his stance on the manslaughter case:

“Let me be clear, I believe Dr. Murray is responsible for Michael Jackson’s death through his absolute negligence.

I knew Michael Jackson since he was 10 years old and loved him like a little brother. His untimely death was one of the most tragic events in my life.”

Source: TMZ

Janet Jackson, who promised a personal and intimate gig this weekend, gets candid about her late brother Michael, being ‘lucky’ and what fans mean to her in an exclusive interview with tabloid!

Janet performed in Los Angeles last month as part of her Number Ones tour.

“I am so fortunate that my fans, no matter where they are, are so loyal,”

she says.

When Michael Jackson died suddenly in 2009 the world plummeted into a state of shock.

And while his fans remember him through his endless catalogue of music, for one lady the child in Michael will always live on.

“I can remember doing our chores as kids,” said his sister Janet.

“We would be cleaning the kitchen and while we were all working we would be writing songs. I miss his laughter.”

Many people remember their idol through his brothers and sisters including Janet.

“Music has always been a part of our lives,”

she added.

“I love Mike very much.”

Currently on her Number Ones: Up Close and Personal tour, she has dedicated her most successful song ever to the city and people of Abu Dhabi ahead of the gig on Thursday at Yas Arena.

Janet awarded That’s The Way Love Goes to the capital of the UAE.

“Hey Abu Dhabi, I’m gonna take you places you’ve never been before,”

she said earlier through a release.

“That is why I’m dedicating That’s The Way Love Goes to all my fans in your beautiful city. See you soon.”

The tour differs from previous concert schedules due to the fact the 45-year-old performs music exclusively from her chart-topping Number Ones which boasts 35 No 1 hits.

Janet herself promised no two shows on the schedule would be the same, saying of the tour “more revealed, more intimate, and more personal than ever before”.

But while the pop sensation was more than happy to chat about the tour, touching on the subject of Erotic Queen of Pop — a title she’s picked up over the years — was not met with a smile. Asked whether it was a title she had actively pursued at anytime she simply replied “no”.

Excerpts from the interview.

This tour has been your biggest to date. How does it feel to have remained on top for so long?

I really love this tour and am very grateful to all the fans for their support over the years.

We read no two shows have been the same so far. How much creative/musical input do you have in any one show?

I am always looking to grow as an artist. When creating this tour, I wanted to tell a specific story in each section of the show. I am having fun looking at these songs and seeing what I can do with them and let them inspire me. I am a very creative person, so I love to experiment. I have been making changes throughout the tour. I have changed some of the costumes, added songs and videos to the line up. I love to create so it has been a lot of fun.

Which is the acting role you have taken the most from on a personal level and why?

I think you grow whenever you get to play a character that you have not done in the past. That happened for me with For Colored Girls.

Do you have a Twitter/Facebook profile? Is the social network scene something which fascinates or bores you?

They are a lot of fun. I have both a Twitter and Facebook profile.

What was it like being the youngest of the Jacksons? Did it ever mean you got away with things the others didn’t?

(Laughs) I think I am going to keep that one to myself…

You do many “meet and greets” and have allowed fans to have input on this tour. How important are your fans to you and why?

I am so fortunate that my fans, no matter where they are, are so loyal. They give me so much love and I am excited to return mine to them. I know that there are many fans that I get to see in many cities throughout the tour. It is great.

Do you consider yourself a lucky lady? What is the best part about being Janet Jackson?

Yes, I am very lucky. I would say the best part is all of the amazing people that I get to meet. I have made some amazing friends along the way.

Your name is constantly mentioned when other artists — Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Britney to name a few — are asked who inspires them. Who truly inspires you?

There are artists, true performers that have come before me who have been a big inspiration to me. I hope I do the same for others.

Don’t miss it

Janet Jackson will perform at Yas Arena, Abu Dhabi, on Thursday. Tickets, priced Dh265, Dh365 and Dh665, are available at thinkflash.ae.

Source: gulfnews.com

(October 4, 2011) — Last Sunday night, Katherine Jackson had a heart-warming reaction after seeing the premiere performance of Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour. The show is a riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses audiences in Michael’s creative world and literally turns his signature moves upside down, Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour unfolds Michael Jackson’s artistry before the eyes of the audience. Aimed at lifelong fans as well as those experiencing Michael’s creative genius for the first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend generations.

The world premiere of this unique tribute to Michael Jackson’s musical legacy premiered in Montreal on October 2, 2011 and will now travel throughout North America and the rest of the world.

MRS. JACKSON TOLD CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S CREW: “I really enjoyed it. It’s fantastic. I had heard about it from my oldest son Jackie, he came to see it and he told me how amazing it was. I was looking for something amazing but I found something far better. And I really enjoyed it and it captured Michael very well. It was kind of emotional for me but…it was very very good. Done very very well.”

WATCH HERE

There has been much speculation and many media reports surrounding alleged quotes from singer Aaron Carter on the legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson. When a reported interview made headlines over alleged quotes from Carter, the singer quickly denied that he had ever said any of the things that he was being quoted as saying. According to a new update made by the singer via Twitter, Aaron Carter will reportedly be featured on E! News today in an interview in which he will be discussing the Michael Jackson story.

Aaron Carter retweeted a message posted by an E! News correspondent, stating: “RT @kenbakernow: Thanks for coming in to @enews and setting record straight @AARONCARTER. Interview airs Wed on the show!”

There were several fans that were shocked by the reports when they were broken in the media, and now that it has been announced that Aaron Carter will be appearing on the news show, it is certain that fans will be tuning in to watch what he has to say about the story.

Source: Examiner

La Toya Jackson said her late brother, Michael Jackson, forgave her for accusing him of inappropriate relations with children back in 1993.

“I did have the chance and opportunity to talk all this over with Michael,” La Toya told Access Hollywood Live’s Kit Hoover and guest co-host Debbie Gibson on Tuesday’s show.

La Toya has claimed in the past, and now in her new book, “Starting Over,” that it was her then husband and manager, Jack Gordon, who made her make those comments about her brother back in the early ‘90s. She told Kit and Debbie that Michael knew the words were not her own.

“He says, ‘La Toya, I know what you’re gonna say. You don’t have to. I know you; I know your heart. I know you would never ever do anything to hurt me,’” La Toya recounted of her conversation with the late King of Pop, who died two years ago. “He said, ‘I know he had you do that I know he had you do Playboy.’”

The singer and author posed for Playboy back in 1989, another incident she blamed on her ex-husband.

La Toya said her brother always warned her about her then-husband.

“Michael would call me and say, ‘You’ve gotta get away from him, he’s gonna kill you!’” she said.

“He knew it wasn’t me. He knew someone was forcing me, making me do that,” La Toya added.

She also said that despite her comments, she and her brother were very close.

“Michael and I were like this,” La Toya said, crossing her fingers. “We were best friends.”

Source: Access Hollywood

Nearly two years after the sudden death of Michael Jackson, his mother told TODAY she’s still stung by the public perception of her son as a child molester, which gained steam through a 1993 accusation and a sensational 2005 criminal trial.

“As far as Michael being a child molester, that’s the biggest lie that’s ever been told,” Jackson told Matt Lauer in an exclusive prerecorded interview that aired on TODAY Wednesday.
Mrs. Jackson, who turned 81 Wednesday, made her feelings about the allegations clear to Lauer in a rare one-on-one talk. She also addressed the current involuntary manslaughter case against Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.

The pop superstar, who died June 25, 2009, at age 50, was acquitted in 2005 of 10 charges centering on child molestation after a very public 14-week trial. But his mother told Lauer her son’s problems began with the 1993 case, when a 12-year-boy alleged Jackson had molested him. Criminal prosecution was stymied after the boy and his family refused to testify against Jackson, and Jackson made a payment believed to be $15 million to the family.

Katherine Jackson said she still rues the day her son settled with the family.

“His lawyers told him that he should just pay the money, because Michael was out on tour at that time, and they though that just paying the money and shut the people up would be the right thing to do,” she said.

“As soon as I heard it, I called him and I said, ‘Why did you do that? It makes you look guilty.’ And he said, ‘Well, the lawyers told me to do it.’ He said, ‘I didn’t want to do it either, Mother; I wanted to fight it, because I know it wasn’t the truth. But they wanted me to do that.’ ”

Mrs. Jackson said the boy at the center of the 1993 case recanted after Michael’s death. “He confessed that Michael never touched him, and it was a big lie, and his father just wanted to be rich. And he said, ‘I’m so sorry I didn’t get to tell [Michael] this before he died.’ ”

Today Mrs. Jackson is busy in her role as legal guardian of her son’s children, Prince, Paris and Blanket. But she’s also kept a watchful eye on the court case against Dr. Murray, attending the preliminary hearings in the manslaughter case. Murray is charged with administering the surgical anesthetics propofol and lorazepam believed to have caused Jackson’s death.

Mrs. Jackson told Lauer that although sitting in court was painful, “I just felt that I had to be there. I was there every day when his last [2005] trial was, and I wouldn’t feel right if I wasn’t there.” She said she found it “very difficult listening to [Murray] lying, and very difficult just looking at him, knowing that he was there to see after my son, and he died under his care. I thought he was very negligent, and that makes me feel really bad. I can’t stand to look at him.”

Murray’s trial, originally set to begin next week, has been delayed until September. If convicted, he faces up to four years in jail. But Jackson told Lauer she doesn’t believe that punishment would fit the alleged crime.

“I think if someone is under a doctor’s care, and they die with him seeing over him, I think that four years is not enough,” she said. “It’s not enough for anyone. I think they should pay just like they’ve taken the life from my son. I think he should pay for it.”

Mrs. Jackson told Lauer that Michael’s three children are “doing fine,” and that they aren’t kept up to date on the Murray case. “They’re off doing the things that children should do,” she said. “I don’t talk about [that] with them. They’re young and I want them to be happy, and that would make them very sad.”

Mrs. Jackson described Michael’s oldest child, 14-year-old son Prince, as a typical American teenager. “It’s the age they start — I hate to say — but it’s the age they start watching little girls,” she said. “It’s just puppy love.”

And along with helping raise Prince and his two siblings, the 81-year-old is also embarking on a new business venture: She’s teamed with SendHerFlowers.com to launch the Katherine Jackson Flower Collection, a set of six floral arrangements she designed for the company.

“I met the person that’s doing it through a friend, and I love flowers, so I thought [it] was a very good idea,” she told Lauer. “Here I am with a flower collection. I love flowers anyway. I have them all around my yard, my house, everywhere.”

But as busy as she stays, she still misses her son, particularly the voice that enthralled millions of fans. “I just miss him for not being here,” she said. “I miss his voice. I miss his singing. Sometimes when we were around, he’d start to sing, and he’d end a song, and I’d want to ask him sometimes to sing it again. I just loved his voice.”

Klein had said that Jackson was gay but that Jason’s alleged relationship with the singer was the only gay relationship MJ ever had.  Klein told us Jason was “the love of Michael’s life.”

But now on his Facebook page, Klein says “Allegations about … Jason being Michael Jackson’s lover are ridiculous.  That story was made up … ”

Klein also scoffs at allegations he contributed to MJ’s death, saying, “I made two interventions on Michael’s Propofol Abuse myself …”

Source: TMZ

Michael Jackson was so impressed with dancer, Sofia Boutella — star of the late icon’s new music video for “Hollywood Tonight” — he was ready to offer her the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to dance alongside him on his This Is It concert series at the O2 Arena in London. Unfortunately, she was still under contract for Madonna’s Confessions Tour at the time and couldn’t get out of it. Seeing how disappointed Boutella was, Jackson turned to a couple of his collaborators and said: “I used to date Madonna. I should call her.”

While Boutella ultimately missed out on This Is It, she pays admirable homage to the King of Pop in his most recent posthumous video, which paints the story of a young, ambitious girl trying to make it in Hollywood without being swallowed by its trappings and illusions. It’s a well-worn tale, but is carried out tastefully by director, Wayne Isham, and sparked by the infectious energy and talent of Boutella. The video also reminds — along with recent MJ tributes on American Idol and Glee — how profound Jackson’s influence continues to be on new generations (many of whom only “discovered” him after his tragic death in 2009).

“Hollywood Tonight” is the second single to be released from Jackson’s posthumous album, MICHAEL (“Behind the Mask” is the alternate single for several countries, including the United States).

The song has a long and winding history. Jackson first put down a sketch of the lyrics in 1999 while staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Soon after, he began working out the music with longtime friend and collaborator, Brad Buxer (who co-wrote the song). The song traveled with them from Los Angeles to New York, Miami to Neverland, during the early Invincible sessions. Jackson and Buxer were pumping out some outstanding material around this time, including songs like “Beautiful Girl,” “The Way You Love Me,” “Speechless,” “The Lost Children,” “Shut Up and Dance” (a great dance track Jackson and Buxer worked on with Michael Prince and Eric Kirkland with echoes of Stevie Wonder and MJ circa Bad which, unfortunately, doesn’t have complete vocals) and “I Was the Loser” (a nice, melodic mid-tempo tune about lost love that is mostly finished), among others. A couple of years earlier Jackson and Buxer had also worked on artistic standouts like “Morphine” and “In the Back.”

Jackson loved parts of “Hollywood”–the opening Gregorian chant (his idea), the “westbound, greyhound” harmonies, the whistling in the outro–but stopped working on it once producer Rodney Jerkins came on board for Invincible.

Over the next ten years, however, he returned to the track numerous times. For the bass line, he was searching for something similar to “Billie Jean,” but distinct. “Do smooth muted bass on ‘Hollywood,’” he indicated in one note. His early demos feature two layered bass lines (Michael Prince added the “Billie Jean”-esque kick and snare in the last mix MJ requested). Jackson and Brad Buxer continued tinkering with it in Las Vegas in 2007. For a while, he liked the idea of ending with the sound of a bus leaving or arriving. Yet he ultimately decided to conclude with the whistling, since the juxtaposition was a bit awkward.

In October 2008, Jackson, now living in Los Angeles, asked recording engineer Michael Prince to put the latest mix of “Hollywood” on CD so he could listen to it and see what might be improved. Sadly, he never got around to working on it again.

The new single of “Hollywood” is truer to this last version than the album cut. Of course, Jackson had intended to keep working on it, which is why his estate and Sony originally brought in two of Jackson’s close collaborators, Theron Feemster (aka Neff-U) and Teddy Riley, to try to finish it. Feemster had the first crack and came up with some solid mixes; yet Sony didn’t feel it was quite right and subsequently gave Teddy Riley a shot. Riley’s production, which retained much of Michael and Brad’s demo (including the intro and outro), elements of Feemster’s mix (including the fantastically funky guitar riff and horns), and added a bit more punch, became the album version.

After it was released, however, many fans voiced concerns about a) the over-processed vocals, and b) the lengthy spoken bridge. Jackson had, in fact, written lyrics for his own bridge, which were much darker than Riley’s. Jackson’s bridge reads:

She doesn’t even have a ticket
She doesn’t even have a way back home
She’s lost and she’s alone
There’s no place for her to go
She is young and she is cold
Just like her father told her so

While Jackson’s version highlights the tragedy and uncertainty of a dream deferred, Teddy Riley’s bridge opted for a more positive and tidy resolution. “With the bridge we kind of made her succeed,” Riley explained. “[She] completed her mission.”

Riley would have undoubtedly used Jackson’s version had their been vocals for it. Unfortunately, they were never recorded. With the new single, however, Sony decided to cut the spoken part completely and showcase instead some of the heightening drama and tension Jackson intended for this section. They used his beatboxing, his idea of swelling horns and strings, and his operatic vocal (pulled from a tape left running during a recording session in a hotel room). In addition to the bridge, the vocals on the new single are left un-processed and the production is scaled back. The result is a single that has a rawer, funkier, but less finished feel than the album version.

“Hollywood Tonight,” then, has gone through many incarnations: the several different demos Jackson recorded with Brad Buxer and Michael Prince, from 1999 to 2008; the two versions Theron Feemster worked on following Jackson’s death (one of which is reportedly quite impressive); the polished album version completed by Teddy Riley; and, of course, the new single. All are necessarily approximations to what Jackson would have ultimately put out in finished form. That’s the nature of posthumous releases. They will always be imperfect and they will always generate fierce debate.

But for most music lovers, we will take whatever new Michael Jackson we can get, whether demos, new mixes or remixes. “Hollywood Tonight” could be gathering dust in a vault; instead, it has people dancing in the streets.

Source: The Huffington Post

Music producer and Michael Jackson friend Rodney Jerkins says the King of Pop planned to “shock the world” with his comeback — and that Michael said of his plans, “Wait until we show them what’s next.”

Fans itching to get more music from the late Michael Jackson may be in for a treat. Super producer Rodney Jerkins revealed that he will release a new album of previously unheard material from the King of Pop. Jerkins, who spoke with VladTV about the album, was mum on an official release date but confirmed that the project would eventualy see the light of day. “You know there is a lot of red tape, but it’s definitely going to happen,” he said.

Jerkins produced several tracks for Jackson, including the 2001 single ‘You Rock My World,’ which went on to become the last big hit single of his career, “I worked with Michael for years,’ Jerkins continued. “It was definitely a goal of mine as a kid. When I first wanted to be producer, at 11 years old, on a Iittle piece of paper [I] was like, ‘One day I wanna work with Michael Jackson.’ I just believe that God granted my wish.”

Source: The Boombox

Michael Jackson’s children refused to believe their dad died of a heart attack – because MJ used to RAVE that Dr. Murray was the best doctor on Earth.

MJ’s former nanny, Grace Rwaramba, spoke with LAPD investigators in the months after Michael died  … and explained how Murray became a “regular” around the house when the singer lived in Vegas … coming by at least two times a week.

Grace told investigators Michael would constantly brag about Murray in front of the kids — and that’s why after he died, the kids would say, “There’s no way daddy could have died of a heart attack because Dr. Murray is the best doctor in the whole world.”

Grace also said Michael first met Murray through a member of MJ’s security team … and explained  MJ felt he could trust Murray, because the security guy claimed he had some sort of mysterious leverage over the doc.

Source: TMZ

Janet Jackson has broken down in tears in an interview on US television where she described her late brother and their strict upbringing.

Michael Jackson’s younger sister admitted she felt sorry she didn’t do more to help her superstar brother with his problems in his later years. “We shared every dream, every confidence. I was his little sister and he always knew that I had his back,” she said of their childhood. “Later on in life, certain things that he was going through, I tried to be there for him as much as I could.

“There’s still not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. Not one day. Not one day.”

The All For You singer revealed Michael’s last words to her: “I said, ‘I love you’, he said, ‘I love you too, Dunk’. My nickname was Dunk. Dunky fried chicken. It makes no sense. Michael was always silly like that.”

The 44-year-old also discussed their strict upbringing and broke down in tears when she revealed that their father Joe Jackson wouldn’t let his children call him ‘dad’. “My father was never the way I really wanted a father to be,” she explained.

“I tried to call him dad once but he said: ‘I’m Joseph to you. You do not call me dad.’ That affects you as a kid. It still affects me now, as you can see,” she said as her eyes filled with tears.

Janet also revealed that she is determined to be in the courtroom when Dr Conrad Murray goes to trial in March. “It’s tough sitting in the courtroom,” she admitted. “[But] it’s my brother, it’s my blood, he’s no longer here because of X, Y and Z. I think it’s important to every family who’s lost someone [to attend court]. You want to see justice.”

Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter after allegedly administering the drug that killed the king of pop in 2009.

Source: MTV

Katherine Jackson has spoken out about what she thinks of the lawyers who are currently managing Michael Jackson’s estate.

In a video interview with TMZ, Katherine is heard saying: “All these lawyers that are involved in Michael’s business since he passed – and there’s a lot of them- and I think they’re trying to create different law suits and things because they’re greedy and they want to be paid.”

Katherine also touched upon the subject of who owns Michael’s estate, claiming it belongs to her and Michael’s three children.

“Of course the children and I are the estate. John Branca and all that are just the executers of the estate. But everydody always says you got to get the permission of the estate or you got to talk to the estate about it.

“I know they are handling Michael’s business but they call themselves the estate.”

Source: MJJC

Dr. Conrad Murray just pled not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson, when the judge asked Murray for his plea, he said, “I’m an innocent man, Your Honor,” adding, “I definitely plead not guilty.”

Judge Michael Pastor ruled earlier this month that there is enough evidence to force Murray to stand trial. Today’s brief arraignment is part of this process.
The trial date has been set for March 28, and, if convicted, Murray faces a maximum of four years in prison.

Source: TMZ

Katherine is challenging AEG’s motion to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit against the company.

In her docs, Katherine says AEG retained Dr. Conrad Murray for an “exorbitant salary of $150,000 monthly,” and in return Murray agreed to “get Jackson to attend rehearsals and perform.”

Katherine’s lawyers claim it should have been obvious to AEG when Murray requested CPR equipment at MJ’s home that “the medical treatments being administered risked stopping Jackson’s heart and breathing.”

Katherine’s lawyer continues, “This is hardly the type of risk expected in an ordinary house visit from a family doctor.”

The lawyers claim, “AEG should have known that the course of treatment being administered by Dr. Murray was unorthodox and unsafe.”

Source: TMZ

The manager for Jason Malachi says Jason never posted on his Facebook page that he’s the voice behind three songs on Michael Jackson’s new album, adding Jason’s the victim of internet fraud.

Thad Nauden tells TMZ someone created a phony Facebook page in Jason’s name, touting that he conspired to fool Sony, The Michael Jackson Estate and the public at Secretly singing songs on the album, “Michael.”

Nauden says Jason did not sing a single note on the album, and says whoever created the Facebook page is malicious and better lawyer up.

Source: TMZ