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- "It felt like you really tore down the walls and the doors much like Michael Jackson did a generation before, in a way, he’s very similar to Michael Jackson, in the ways where Michael Jackson was doing covert, super gangsta stuff, like he’d just pop the needles off. He kissed Elvis Presley’s daughter on MTV. Black culture used to be... we used to be fronting all night, but Michael was doing stuff that was different to what we were programmed to understand as being what we should do. We should have something that says we can’t allow any company to tear down our heroes. Not on on social media and especially not in documentaries. I’m like every time the media isn’t happy with me it’s like, ‘Here they go. They’re gonna come and Wacko Jacko me.’ Which in some ways, they’ve tried to do."
- — Kanye West talking with Pharrell Williams about Michael Jackson
Ye (born Kanye Omari West; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. One of the world's best-selling music artists with 160 million records sold, West has won 24 Grammy Awards, the 10th most awarded for any hip hop artist (along with Jay-Z). His other accolades include a Billboard Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
Relationship with Michael Jackson[]
Billie Jean (2008 Kanye West Mix) (Thriller 25th Anniversary Remix)
"Billie Jean 2008", remixed by West
West was among several artists to have been influenced by Michael Jackson, and, in 2007, he produced a remix of "Billie Jean", which was released as the 15th track on Thriller 25. West also provides vocals for the bridge. Gone are the original drums and iconic bass, and the production is more reminiscent of that on West's 2007 album, Graduation. West's remix of the song was also included on streaming versions of Thriller 40.
West defended Jackson during a conversation with Pharrell Williams for i-D Magazine. West said both Williams and Jackson had brought new facets of black culture to the mainstream, saying “It felt like you really tore down the walls and the doors much like Michael Jackson did a generation before, in a way, he’s very similar to Michael Jackson, in the ways where Michael Jackson was doing covert, super gangsta stuff, like he’d just pop the needles off. He kissed Elvis Presley’s daughter on MTV. Black culture used to be... we used to be fronting all night, but Michael was doing stuff that was different to what we were programmed to understand as being what we should do.”
West argued that, as a result, more respect should be granted to Jackson. He also appeared to condemn the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which saw two men accuse Jackson of molesting them as children, saying “We should have something that says we can’t allow any company to tear down our heroes. Not on on social media and especially not in documentaries. I’m like every time the media isn’t happy with me it’s like, ‘Here they go. They’re gonna come and Wacko Jacko me.’ Which in some ways, they’ve tried to do.”