MICHAEL JACKSON: White Man's Burden
Posted Jun 4th 2007
Entertainment Newswire
By Karu F. Daniels
What the devil is going on?
A brother goes to get rehabilitated for a week and all hell breaks loose in the entertainment business.
Paris Hilton goes to jail ...Ray J's older sister Brandy Norwood is counter-suing people ... Lindsay Lohan derails up another film production with her boozy shenanigans ... 'The Sopranos' are at war and in hiding ... The soon to be canceled NBC soap opera 'Passions' has "black down low brother' story line ... Bootz gets booted off of
Charm School...Rosie O'Donnell runs amok on the Internet ... and another R&B crooner passes.
Now comes the news that Michael Jackson is financially vested into the brand mainstream America once knew and loved as Eminem.
The self-proclaimed King of Pop can't seem to stay out of the media -- and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Last week, a memorabilia auction --that he played a sequined gloved hand in -- fetched about a half million dollars in revenues.
The platinum-plated trunk sale came on the heels of Jackson's longtime black publicist Raymone Bain poo-pooing reports that Prince (The Artist) snubbed him for a proposed touring project.
And now, there are official reports that the 'Off the Wall' singer/songwriter/producer has bought a stake in Eminem's back catalog.
Through the purchase of Famous Music LLC (previously owned by Viacom), Jackson now owns the rights to songs such as Eminem's 'Without Me' and 'The Real Slim Shady,' along with music by Shakira, Beck, Akon and Bjork.
Ka-ching.
Just a few months ago, mainstream tabloids were reporting that the former pop chart-topper was having money woes.
It's more like Money Whoa.
The 13-time Grammy Award winner already owns the catalogue to 60's British super-group The Beatles -- to the dismay of many pop music loyalists ... namely group co-founder Paul McCartney who's now hawking a new album via the Starbucks coffee chain.
The two music superstars collaborated on 1983's blockbuster duet 'Say Say Say.'
Hmmmm.
Although Eminem (legally known as Marshall Mathers III) infamously parodied Jackson in the music video for his song 'Just Lose it,' it appears the former Moonwalker may be getting the last laugh.
"This is a milestone event for Sony/ATV Music Publishing," he said in a statement. "The diverse collection of songs in this catalog range from timeless classics to contemporary hits, and I am pleased to add the acquisition of Famous Music to Sony/ATV."
According to Bain, Jackson is a 50% owner of Sony/ATV, and this new deal also includes music from films such as 'Beverly Hills Cop,' and 'The Godfather.'
Who's bad?
(Aol Blackvoices)
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