new album cover

[Grace]

WTF? THE PRINCE SYMBOL IS GONE?  :shock:

It depends at which image you are looking at.

Here, the symbol is gone:
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Here, the symbol is included:
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These may be just different versions of the image - Prince is the right's owner to the symbol and there may have been a time gap of consent for different image versions.
Alternative: somebody's checking for our attention to details (and some graphic designer at Sony might have not paid as much attention as we do).

The fact that the symbol of love IS included in the artwork does clarify once and for all that the stories about a competing and disagreeing relationship between the two artists was just another made-up media illusion.

Btw, there are 7 bubbles of which one holds 3 little ones in addition. PPB.
What a nice hommage.

[_Anna_]

Anna:
I understand what you're saying, and I have no doubt that MJ used stunts and body doubles at times, but MJsforever said something very different from what you said:

"I believe we have not seen the real Mike since the Dangerous era.  I think at that point he was a brand and they found someone else to play the part of "Michael" I think that person could have passed on 6/25/09 and now the "real" Mike is back."

That's what I was addressing.

With all my respect and everyone's entitled to their free opinion, but I absolutely don't agree and never will. There are things that can't be denied, and I really can't be fooled by a double. There are details that cannot be copied and never will.

You are free as anyone else to have your opinion, as all of us. But I strongly disagree.

[_Anna_]

WTF? THE PRINCE SYMBOL IS GONE?  :shock:

It depends at which image you are looking at.

Here, the symbol is gone:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Here, the symbol is included:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

These may be just different versions of the image - Prince is the right's owner to the symbol and there may have been a time gap of consent for different image versions.
Alternative: somebody's checking for our attention to details (and some graphic designer at Sony might have not paid as much attention as we do).

The fact that the symbol of love IS included in the artwork does clarify once and for all that the stories about a competing and disagreeing relationship between the two artists was just another made-up media illusion.

Btw, there are 7 bubbles of which one holds 3 little ones in addition. PPB.
What a nice hommage.

But if the symbol dissappeared in another version, then it was all a photoshop by who?again to fool people?

[Grace]

The new album will be out on Dec 14 and is out for pre-order already:

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MUCH ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM FROM THE KING OF POP
MICHAEL TO BE RELEASED DECEMBER 14

BUT: The German speaking area in Europe will see the album on December 10 already! (12/10/2010 = 7)

Mit Hochspannung erwartetes neues Album vom King Of Pop
MICHAEL wird am 10. Dezember veröffentlicht

Welturaufführung eines exklusiven Trailers und Songs auf You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
New York, NY – Das mit Hochspannung erwartete neue Album mit kürzlich fertiggestellten Aufnahmen von Michael Jackson trägt den Titel „MICHAEL“ und wird am 10. Dezember von Sony Music in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Michael Jackson Estate veröffentlicht. Ein exklusiver Teaser für das Projekt wird morgen auf You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login zu sehen sein. Am Montag, den 8. November, findet die Weltpremiere des neuen Songs „Breaking News“ statt, der eine Woche lang auf der Webseite als Stream verfügbar ist.

Bis zuletzt plante Michael Jackson ein neues Album zu veröffentlichen. Ohne dass viele seiner Fans auf der ganzen Welt es mitbekamen, schrieb Michael Jackson in den letzten zwei Jahren unaufhörlich weiter Lieder und nahm diese auf. Dies geschah mit einer kleinen, handverlesenen Gruppe von Mitarbeitern an verschiedensten Orten, vom Haus eines Freundes in New Jersey bis hin zu Studios in Las Vegas und Los Angeles. Es lassen sich einzigartige Geschichten zu den Songs erzählen, die auf dem Album „MICHAEL“ zu finden sind. Fans erhalten dadurch einen überwältigenden Einblick in die Arbeitsweise des Künstlers und die Chance, jene Lieder zu hören, an denen er bis kurz vor seinem Tod arbeitete und die er bis zuletzt verwirklichen wollte.

„Breaking News“ ist ein bisher ungehörter Song von Michael Jackson auf dem neuen Album, der 2007 in New Jersey aufgenommen und vor kurzem fertiggestellt wurde. Fans können das neue Album in den nächsten 24 Stunden auf You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login vorbestellen.

Das angehängte Albumcover von „MICHAEL“ wurde 2009 vom Maler Kadir Nelson kreiert. In dem Ölgemälde nimmt uns Kadir - der für das Erzählen von Geschichten durch seine Bilder bekannt ist - mit auf eine Reise durch einige wichtige Stationen im Leben des Michael Jackson.

Noch in diesem Monat wird die weltweite Veröffentlichung der ersten offiziellen Single des Albums „MICHAEL“ folgen.

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[Grace]

WTF? THE PRINCE SYMBOL IS GONE?  :shock:

It depends at which image you are looking at.

Here, the symbol is gone:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Here, the symbol is included:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

These may be just different versions of the image - Prince is the right's owner to the symbol and there may have been a time gap of consent for different image versions.
Alternative: somebody's checking for our attention to details (and some graphic designer at Sony might have not paid as much attention as we do).

The fact that the symbol of love IS included in the artwork does clarify once and for all that the stories about a competing and disagreeing relationship between the two artists was just another made-up media illusion.
...

But if the symbol dissappeared in another version, then it was all a photoshop by who?again to fool people?

No, Anna.
Releases like this do involve hundreds of people and many many data file exchanges to make sure everybody does work on the latest version.
As I said, there might have been a time gap between different image versions (see the different file numbers of the links) during which the consent of the right's owner was confirmed.

If for whatever reason one person of the worldwide team did not work with the latest version there is a mistake and that is what we are seeing.

Believe me, the most challenging task in a huge project is to keep all individuals involved up to date and at bay meaning that they do exactly what you expect them to do. Directing a project is exciting only in the very end when accomplished. During a project you can get grey hairs, dry skin and have to put a bandage on your mouth from saying things sometimes and remember that they always are trying their best even if they are miles from what you actually want. Projects make you humble and remind you very much that without God's presence there is no way you will make it in the end.

It's a human being's error on using the wrong image version, that's all IMO.

[Ninanina]

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Response from Prince's camp: "No permission was granted."

Sony Records began pre-selling the new MICHAEL release recently (CD and DVD).

The cover, designed by painter Kadir Nelson, is a collage of MJ pics and icons. If you look REALLY closely at the tiger on the right hand side, you’ll notice the Prince symbol floating in a glass orb. Yes, THAT Prince symbol.

Someone sent it to us and at first we thought it was a Photoshop hoax, but when you visit the Sony website and check out the album
artwork, it’s very clearly there.

So was Prince involved somehow in one or more of the tracks on the new release? According to Sony, Kadir’s painting was created in 2009 and “takes us on a journey through some key moments and important people in Michael Jackson’s life.”

Whether Prince and MJ collaborated or Prince was just considered “important people” in MJ’s life remains to be seen. If there is a Prince/MJ collaboration, we definitely want to hear it!

To add to the mystery: Next Monday, November 8th, michaeljackson.com will world premiere “Breaking News,” a full track from the album. It was recorded in New Jersey in 2007.

Prince, want to clear this one up for us? -Dr.FB

UPDATE (1:45pm PST): The official response from Prince’s camp: “No permission was granted. Sony Entertainment
has removed the symbol.” – Dr.FB]

[Grace]

But the symbol is still out there in web space ...

[GirlSaturday]

There are nine pages to this thread (that I haven't read )so bare with me if the point has been raised already.  What's up with the old photos for the cover? We just saw TII and the O2 press conference last year. Why  not use the most recent images that the public has seen of MJ instead of these? These  photos of MJ are decades old. Does anyone have any guesses or speculation on why this was done?

[Im_convincedmjalive]

"truthprevails" wrote:
Of course we all make assumptions all the time, and perception plays a big role in our thinking, for ALL of us and for our entire lives.  If it weren't for your specific experience, would you think, upon seeing a white woman together with a dark-skinned person, that they must be related by blood?  Probably not... That doesn't make people automatically bad/racist.  It simply means that we're not used to seeing certain things, and whenever we're faced with something that's not the norm, we're a little taken aback. You say, however, some things that I find interesting and highly debatable.

I agree with the assumptions part playing a role in thinking. I believe that how we are raised, what city, country, what our family values are, what our culture is like will in some way play a part in our perceptions.

I did NOT use the words bad or racist anywhere in my comment. Do NOT put those words into my mouth or thinking. I am giving my opinion and perception of my observations of what I have seen. I agree that people are not used to seeing him in a darker skin tone.

Taken aback is an understatement. What is exactly not the norm?

"Im_convincedmjalive" wrote:
Those types of perceptions and assumptions is what I am referring to when I say most people from what I have observed do NOT see Mike as a black man.  When I say a black man I am NOT only referring to skin tone.  There is a way that a black man in spirit carries himself.

"truthprevails" wrote:
WOW!  So "black people" are not like "white people", right?  They're... what?  How are they different?  They're more religious, less smart, they talk and walk a certain way, they...?!  These are stereotypes!  And I believe that many black people have fought long and hard to overcome such stereotypes, and to be seen as peers to white people.  We don't see Mike as a purely black man because he didn't see himself that way!!  He was a universalist, and moreover said - for instance - that he didn't want to be branded "a black singer."[/u]
He wanted to transcend limits of any kind.

Well let's see this is a very controversial topic when it comes to skin color and culture. Yes in fact there is a cultural difference between blacks and whites.

No I was NOT being stereo typical. This is exactly what I was referring to when I said assumptions. You assumed I was speaking from a stereo typical view point when in fact I am speaking from a 28 year experience. I have only dated black men for the last 28 years. I live in a city that is predominately black. There is a cultural difference. I never once said anything about religion, smarts, talk, or walk.

I am kinda wondering if you really know what you said in the highlighted and underlined section of your post above. You contradicted yourself there by saying you don't see him as a black man. Also you say Mike didn't see himself as a black man. Huh?

What interviews do you watch? I watch the ones where he is highly upset by the fact that many of his idols like James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., and Martin Luther King aren't taken seriously. In his speech titled "Angry Black Man"  on youtube he specifically addresses this issue.

He states "How if you go to the corner store All you see on the covers is a white man." He is very upset about this issue. So I would say color and being a black man and recognized for that is very IMPORTANT to Mike.

"truthprevails" wrote:
Again, could you tell me the difference between a white man and a black man?  Is Travis Payne a "black man"?  Is Obama a "black man"?  How about MLK or Malcolm X?  Were they "black men" in spirit?

I don't think you understand my meaning. MLK and Malcolm X both were strong black men.  Do you really know what they were fighting for? I won't speak on Travis or Obama.

"Im_convincedmjalive" wrote:
"How many years have we seen an image of Mike being white?
A long freakin time. Long enough to burn an image into our brains.
This is why I believe the black skin toned Mike is being shown to remind the world Mike is a BROTHA all the way, down to his soul."

Can you explain to me a logical reason for the pictures being shown to us that are of him when he was darker skin? And in the era of BAD and Dangerous?

You think folks here on the forum understand the fight for freedom, equal rights, and not being discriminated against?

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Why does this topic have no posts?

Do you wonder why movies are still coming out based around skin color in 2010?
Example: For colored girls, which his sister Janet is in. This is a color issue for these girls. This is an issue that still is unresolved for black people.

I would say that Mike talked about police brutality against him in the sense of discrimination because he is a black man. Why do you think Murray is a black man going to court?

Maybe because the truth is there still is alot of discrimination against blacks here in the USA and Mike is exposing this fact by having a black doctor go to court to prove his point. It isn't just because of the media lynching or public perception of being deemed guilty before trial in a public/media court of law.

R29. MJ on Police Brutality
[youtube:1b3xsxql]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO7wOwdTwB8[/youtube:1b3xsxql]
The redirect for this day was another YouTube video; it was a segment on police brutality, from the 60 minutes interview in December of 2003. It is of course very sad the way that MJ was treated; but the truly heroic part, was his humble and mild response—you have to watch it, if you haven’t already.

Later in this same interview (part 3), Michael said: “I don’t want to say too much … there’s a conspiracy, yeah; I don’t want to say too much. I’m done.”
[youtube:1b3xsxql]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK4B062DrBU&feature=related[/youtube:1b3xsxql]
 You see, he didn’t want to say much, because he knew the danger involved in exposing the NWO powers. And no, he was not talking about some small-town conspiracy; he was talking “media” conspiracy, and “manipulating history books”, etc.
Part 1
[youtube:1b3xsxql]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqtW9y_2aZ0&feature=related[/youtube:1b3xsxql]
Part 2
[youtube:1b3xsxql]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsu-g5bn0kg&feature=related[/youtube:1b3xsxql]

This is an issue that is being put on the back burner in my opinion. I won't debate this issue any further. This was only meant to provoke thought in this area.

Peace

[sprint911]

Good, lord some people are already saying michael is no black? I'm not going to be involved in this, i might end up banning myself :roll:

[finfin]

There are nine pages to this thread (that I haven't read )so bare with me if the point has been raised already.  What's up with the old photos for the cover? We just saw TII and the O2 press conference last year. Why  not use the most recent images that the public has seen of MJ instead of these? These  photos of MJ are decades old. Does anyone have any guesses or speculation on why this was done?

Yes, this is a good point GirlSaturday. I wonder if images of a younger Michael are somehow hoax related - not unlike the images at the memorial and the funeral, all from Michael's younger days.

[trustno1]

In my opinion Michael was always proud to be a black man and he was proud of his heritage.  I think sometimes it can be interpreted wrongly when someone says they didn't think of him as either black, or white, he was always Michael and it didn't matter to them if his skin tone changed colour.  They don't mean to deny his race.  And Michael himself certainly never did, or wanted to.

 The pictures used on the new album cover represent all that he achieved before the conspiracy against him really went into overdrive, it's a reminder to those who need reminding just how phenomenal those achievements were.  Most of the world woke up to that fact on June 25th 2009, that's why there was so much shock.  But he achieved so much after Dangerous, too, it's just that the media had skewed his persona so much that people started to only see/believe the garbage.  There are those who think that maybe he is pictured in the central image as so much younger and with his skin tone not affected by vitiligo because that reminds people that he wasn't a black man who wanted to be white, he was a black man and proud of it.  I haven't made up my mind on all the reasons for the cover but that fact is indisputable.  He WAS immensely proud of his race.  And he still is.  He wouldn't want us to get into arguments on this matter, he loves all the people of all the world.  "If you're thinking of being my brother it don't matter if you're black or white," are words everyone should live by.

[MissG]

Hey, how about those pics of Mike from when he was a kid and into the 1980s, when his skin was still dark?  How about Thriller?  How about the fact that we know his family, and all his siblings?  Do you really think we forgot he's African American?!  Come on now...

Very interesting point. Indirectly is the message, " Let´s not forget it".
And from here I evolve.

I believe that Michael have been criticized unfairly about his vitiligo. Speculations like "he bleached his skin to become white", "he is a racist an does not want to be black" have been part of his HIStory and dealing with that should have been hard. Just check on you tube how people talks about it. It is not right.
The black community have been very harsh on him as well about this issue, not only the white.

Now, after dead, most of the pictures that has been shown have been up to Bad/ Dangerous (not the Arno Bani). Many people questions why.

Imo, I get the impression that MJ was "more respected" then. Like his vitiligo have been a big deal for some people regarding tolerance.

As for Michael being a BROTHA "down to his soul": I don't believe souls have anything to do with human labels... I believe they're outside and beyond labels and categories.  That's why they're beautiful and pure!  Michael had a "brotha" side to him (using the term in the way I suspect you mean it), but he had many sides - as do ALL of us.  To define a person strictly by their color is to make them a huge disfavor, not a favor... And I'm sure Michael, of all people, would not have wanted that.

There is a cultural difference between nationalities and races. I think that´s what she meant when talking about "soul"  

There was some stats last year about how people remembered MJ or perceived MJ. The poll with the highest porcentage remembered him as in Thriller  

This Album cover has been a big surprise   It´s like a mixed face between Thriller and Bad.

[*Mo*]

The King Is Crowned:






And another King Is Crowned:

[finfin]

I think this pose is reminiscent of the Arno Bani photo, could this be a clue or a coincidence?