Monster (Michael Jackson song)

"Monster" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson featuring 50 Cent, released on Jackson's first posthumous album Michael. The song was written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte, and its rap part was written by Curtis Jackson. Along with "Breaking News" and "Keep Your Head Up", the song was recorded in the Porte/Cascios' basement in 2007. These tracks have been controversial, with Jackson's fans and family members doubting their authenticity. "Monster" had minor chart success and entered the UK Singles chart two weeks after the album's release. Due to the controversy the scheduled single was cancelled.

Background and release

"Monster" was written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte, and its rap part was written by Curtis Jackson.^[1] Jackson recorded the songs in 2007 while was living with the Cascio family in New Jersey. Other tracks recorded during that time include "Breaking News"and "Keep Your Head Up" (and also: "All I Need", "All Right", "Black Widow", "Burn Tonight", "Fall In Love", "Soldier Boy", "Ready 2 Win", "Stay" and "Water") which were also included on Michael.^[2] 50 Cent did not record together with Jackson physically, although the two had talked about collaborating on the song. After Jackson's death, he 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 on the song.^[3]

On December 10, 2010, the song was officially released on the posthumous album Michael.

Critical reception

"Monster" received mainly negative reviews from music critics. Huw Jones from Slant Magazine said "'Monster' is weighed down by an unnecessary rap by the increasingly unnecessary 50 Cent".^[4] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian said the song was "a lumpy attempt to recreate the atmosphere of Thriller's title track".^[5] Geg Kot from Chicago Tribune said the song picked up "an unfortunate theme in Jackson's latter-day work as the oppressed media victim."^[6]

Controversy over authenticity

The authenticity of "Monster" has been questioned.^[7] Doubts over whether the vocals were actually by Jackson have been raised, reportedly by Katherine Jackson and Jackson's two eldest children^[8] and many of his fans.^[9] His brother Randy Jackson posted a series of messages about the album on his Twitter account stating that family members were not allowed at his studio where the album was being completed.^[10] According to Randy, when engineer Teddy Riley played him some of the tracks, "I immediately said it wasn't his voice".^[10] In a statement, Sony Music Group countered that it had "complete confidence in the results of our extensive research, as well as the accounts of those who were in the studio with Michael, that the vocals on the new album are his own".^[11] Producer Teddy Riley, Frank DiLeo and Jackson's estate have since defended Sony's claims that the song is authentic.^[12] Teddy Riley who worked on the songs "Hollywood Tonight", "Monster" and "Breaking News", claimed that he had to do "more processing to the voice, which is why people were asking about the authenticity of his voice".^[13] Riley also claimed that "With the Melodyne we actually move the stuff up which is the reason why some of the vibrato sounds a little off or processed, over-processed. We truly apologize for that happening, but you are still hearing the true Michael Jackson".^[13]

Many fans who have cast doubt on the Cascio tracks have suggested that singer Jason Malachi sang the lead vocals of the Cascio tracks, but a statement by the Jackson Estate said that he was not involved in the recording.^[12] On January 16, 2011, a statement appeared on Malachi's Facebook page noting he was the vocalist of the songs in question, calling it his "confession".^[14] He later claimed on MySpace that his Facebook and official website were hacked. Malachi's manager Thad Nauden later that day told TMZ claiming that "someone created a phony Facebook page in Jason's name. Jason wants everyone to know beyond a shadow of a doubt, he did not sing a single note on the album".^[15]

Remixes

"Monster" (Jody den Broeder & Chris Cox Club Mix) - 7:32
"Monster" (Jody den Broeder & Chris Cox Dub Mix) - 6:15
"Monster" (Jody den Broeder & Chris Cox Radio Edit) - 3:49

Charts

Chart (2010)	Peak position
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	197^[16]

Personnel

Written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio and James Porte^[1]
Rap lyrics by Curtis Jackson
Published by Mijac Music, Jab Me Music, Curtis Jackson 50 Cent Music Publishing (admin by Universal Music Publishing) (ASCAP) /
Produced by Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley and Angelikson
Mixed by Jean-Marie Horvat and Teddy Riley
Programming and finisher by Teddy Riley
Kids’ Scream: Nigel and Naiden Maynard
Recording Engineer: Scott Elgin, Khaliq Glover AKA Khaliq-O-Vision, Stuart Brawley, Quenton Gilkey (Assistant Engineer), Luis Navarro, Zachariah Redding (Assistants Engineer on the Rap) (Recorded at Boom Boom Room), Glen Marchese, Joe Corcoran, Drew Harris
Rap Performed by 50 Cent
Drum Programming: James Porte, Joe Cocoran and Chalmer McDermott

Percussion by Rudy Bird and Joe Cocoran
Bass by Eddie Cascio and Stuart Brawley
Keyboards by Eddie Cascio and Stuart Brawley
Guitars by Joe Corcoran and Orianthi
Special FX Guitars by Jake Landau
String Arrangement by Eddie Cascio and Stuart Brawley
Cello by Cameron Stone
Violin by Sharon Jackson
Background Vocals by Michael Jackson and James Porte
Digital Editing by Joe Corcoran
Assisted by Drew Harris and Fiona Brawley
Recorded at The Backyard, LA

References

1 2 "Monster (Featuring 50 Cent)". Sony Music. The Official Michael Jackson Site. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ "Michael Jackson's New Album Out Dec. 14". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ James, Dinh (2010-12-03). "50 Cent Calls Michael Jackson Collabo The '2010 Version' Of 'Thriller' - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. mtv.com. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ Jones, Huw (2010-12-09). "Michael Jackson: Michael - Music Review". Slant Magazine. slantmagazine.com. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ Petridis, Alexis (2010-12-09). "Michael Jackson: Michael - review". The Guardian (London: guardian.co.uk). Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ Kot, Geg (2010-12-09). "Album review: Michael Jackson, 'Michael'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ Smyth, David. "Sound Check: This really is it for Michael Jackson". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ "Michael Jackson News – Yahoo! Music". New.music.yahoo.com. 2010-11-03. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ "Fans, Family Say Michael Jackson Isn’t Singing On Controversial New Single "Breaking News"". All Headline News. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
1 2 Sean Michaels (19 November 2010). "Randy Jackson denounces Michael album tracks as fakes". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ "Michael Jackson 'Breaking News' Song Debuts Online, Stirs Controversy". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc). Retrieved 2011-08-26.
1 2 Sisario, Ben (2011-08-16). "‘Breaking News’: Lawyer Says It's Michael Jackson's Voice". Arts Beat (NYTimes.com). Retrieved 2010-11-11.
1 2 Mike Collett-White (2010-12-13). "Voice on Michael Jackson album far from finished article". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ "MJ Soundalike -- I Sung Songs on New 'Michael' Album". TMZ.com. January 16, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ "MJ Soundalike -- That's Not My Facebook Page!". TMZ.com. January 16, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
↑ "CHART: CLUK Update 25.12.2010 (wk50)". zobbel.de. Retrieved 2011-08-26.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Michael Jackson songs

1970s	"Got to Be There" "Rockin' Robin" "I Wanna Be Where You Are" "Ain't No Sunshine" "Ben" "With a Child's Heart" "Music and Me" "Happy" "We're Almost There" "Just a Little Bit of You" "One Day in Your Life" "Ease on Down the Road" "You Can't Win" "A Brand New Day" "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" "Rock with You"

1980s	"Off the Wall" "She's Out of My Life" "Girlfriend" "The Girl Is Mine" "Billie Jean" "Beat It" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "Human Nature" "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" "Thriller" "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" "Bad" "The Way You Make Me Feel" "Man in the Mirror" "Dirty Diana" "Another Part of Me" "Smooth Criminal" "Leave Me Alone" "Liberian Girl"

1990s	"Black or White" "Remember the Time" "In the Closet" "Jam" "Who Is It" "Heal the World" "Give In to Me" "Will You Be There" "Gone Too Soon" "Scream/Childhood" "You Are Not Alone" "Earth Song" "D.S." "This Time Around" "They Don't Care About Us" "HIStory" "Stranger in Moscow" "Smile" "Blood on the Dance Floor" "Ghosts" "Is It Scary"

2000s	"You Rock My World" "Speechless" "Cry" "Butterflies" "One More Chance" "The Girl Is Mine 2008" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008"

2010s	"Hold My Hand" "Hollywood Tonight" "Behind the Mask" "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" "Immortal Megamix: Can You Feel It/Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough/Billie Jean/Black or White (Immortal Version)" "I Just Can't Stop Loving You/Don't Be Messin' 'Round" "Bad (Afrojack Remix) (DJ Buddha Edit)" "I'm So Blue" "Love Never Felt So Good" "A Place with No Name"

Other	"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "You've Got a Friend" "My Girl" "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" "All the Things You Are" "Too Young" "Working Day and Night" "Night Time Lover" "Muscles" "Say Say Say" "Somebody's Watching Me" "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" "Centipede" "We Are the World" "Eaten Alive" "Twenty-Five Miles" "Get It" "2300 Jackson Street" "Just Good Friends" "Come Together" "Speed Demon" "Someone Put Your Hand Out" "Do the Bartman" "Dangerous" "Whatzupwitu" "Tabloid Junkie" "Why" "I Need You" "On the Line" "We Be Ballin'" "Heaven Can Wait" "What More Can I Give" "Cheater" "Fall Again" "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008" "Beat It 2008" "Billie Jean 2008" "This Is It" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "Mind Is the Magic" "Breaking News" "Monster" "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" "All in Your Name" "Price of Fame" "Chicago" "Loving You" "Slave to the Rhythm" "Blue Gangsta" "Xscape" "There Must Be More To Life Than This"

Book Category Portal WikiProject

50 Cent singles

Power of the Dollar	"How to Rob" "Thug Love" "Your Life's on the Line"

Get Rich or Die Tryin'	"In da Club" "21 Questions" "P.I.M.P." "If I Can't"

The Massacre	"Disco Inferno" "Candy Shop" "Just a Lil Bit" "Outta Control"

Get Rich or Die Tryin' OST	"Hustler's Ambition" "Window Shopper" "Best Friend" "I'll Whip Ya Head Boy" "Have a Party"

Curtis	"Straight to the Bank" "Amusement Park" "I Get Money" "Ayo Technology" "I'll Still Kill"

Before I Self Destruct	"Ok, You're Right" "Baby by Me" "Do You Think About Me"

The Big 10	"I Just Wanna"

Animal Ambition	"Don't Worry 'Bout It" "Hold On" "Pilot" "Smoke"

Other singles	"Rowdy Rowdy" "Wanksta" "Get Up" "I Get It In" "Outlaw" "New Day" "First Date" "My Life" "Major Distribution" "We Up" "I'm The Man"

Featured singles	"React" "Magic Stick" "On Fire" "Let Me In" "Encore" "Westside Story" "How We Do" "Hate It or Love It" "MJB da MVP" "So Seductive" "I Know You Don't Love Me" "Hands Up" "You Don't Know" "Jimmy Crack Corn" "Can't Leave 'em Alone" "Crack a Bottle" "Mujeres in the Club" "Pass the Patron" "Down on Me" "Let's Get It In" "No Dejemos Que se Apague" "Here We Go Again" "Buzzin'" "Haters" "Right There" "Hate Bein' Sober"

Notable songs	"Ghetto Qu'ran (Forgive Me)" "Piggy Bank" "Monster"

Orianthi

Studio albums	Violet Journey Believe Heaven in this Hell

Singles	"According to You" "Shut Up and Kiss Me" "Courage"

Featured singles	"Don't Waste the Pretty" "Can't Breathe"

Related articles	Geffen Records "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "Monster" Michael Jackson's This Is It

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