In a new interview with Details, Quincy Jones — who helped launched Michael Jackson’s career — opens up about the sad and strange evolution in the late singer’s appearance over the years.
Jones – who first worked with Jackson on 1979’s Off the Wall – tells Details they’d talk “all the time” about how Jackson was changing.
“But he’d come up with, ‘Man, I promise you I have this disease,’ and so forth, and ‘I have a blister on my lungs,’ and all that kind of b.s.,” he says. “It’s hard, because Michael’s a Virgo, man — he’s very set in his ways. You can’t talk him out of it. Chemical peels and all that stuff.”
“I’ve been around junkies and stuff all my life. I’ve heard every excuse,” he says. “It’s like smokers — ‘I only smoke when I drink’ and all that stuff. But it’s bulls**t. You’re justifying something that’s destructive to your existence. It’s crazy.”
Jones says Jackson’s obsession with his appearances got to be “ridiculous.”
“Chemical peels and all of it. And I don’t understand it,” he says. “But he obviously didn’t want to be black.”
Asked if that is the reason Jackson had undergone so much plastic surgery, Jones says, “Well, what do you think? You see his kids?”
Jones isn’t sure why Jackson had such a deep-seated issue with the way he looked. (In a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, The King of Pop said he used to wash his face in the dark because he had pimples. “I wouldn’t want to look in the mirror… and my father teased me,” Jackson said. “He would tell me I was ugly.”)
“I’m just a musician and a record producer. I’m not a psychiatrist,” Jones says. “I don’t understand all that stuff. We all got problems. But there’s a great book out called Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart. Did you see that? That book says the statute of limitations has expired on all childhood traumas. Get your stuff together and get on with your life, man. Stop whinin’ about what’s wrong, because everybody’s had a rough time, in one way or another.”
So what does he think killed Jackson (who died June 25 at age 50 after suffering cardiac arrest)?
“I would think that the pressure of the concerts and the debt and everything else…” he says. “…If you sit there and just stay hung up on one negative thought, you will become that thought. I know that Lisa Marie Presley said that she always thought he was going to die like Elvis. You sit and think about that stuff, it’ll happen to you. If you start thinking about darkness instead of light, or fear instead of love, you’ll get in trouble. I really believe that.”
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that is total untrue and pathetic for a proffessional . to try to discredit some one by falsehood.if by any chance Michael had said those things dont you think CNN or other credible media outlets would have published it. I hope you not the same person who was saying he could not sing he’s gay all that nonsense. Now that one of the kids had come out to say he was forced by his Daddy to accuse Michael cause they needed Money what do you think. Stop being a hater man and get a life.
SAYS THE MAN WHO MARRIED A WHITE WOMAN.
HIS KIDS ARE NOT BLACK JUST LIKE MJ’S KIDS.
HE IS SUCH A HYPOCRITE.
michael jackson was 2 things. a genious, and a freak
Ahh i really wonder why people are always up to, you think god who created you was
in his image was made. Now when you come to this issue it’s no Mickel Jackson alone who was confused on this issue there appear to be another one by the name Tiger Woods,
I remember reading a document about Tiger Woods when he was refered to as a black man and he went on to say some thing went wrong with my skin pignentation”sick” We never feel any sympathy with such idiots they don’t even appear in our “AFRICAN RECORDS BOOKS” as genius as they think they are we in Africa we say no!no!no!.
When i go to Africa i will carry my own water do you remember this saying from a black man with his roots in Africa from the slave trade 600 years ago.
I used to admire such people like Peter Tosh as he sang “as long as you are a black man your an african” there is no far truth than Peter Tosh’s statement and he died an African not a Black American but an true African.
So Michkel turf luck my brother no pain in Africa as you disassociated yourself and your family by having nose redone from the traditional African Nose we all know flat and big.
He was a victim forced to deny himself. Its a shame and a pity really.
yo man , if i have to go to Africa i might also carry my own bottled water or juss buy over there, it does not meen i disapprove the water, i juss wanna stay with what am used too. The water in America and Africa its different , the other one is what we call soft water and the other is hard water, total different types of purifications. so u cant expect MJ to drink water from the tape, u crazy. besides bottled water in Africa its just tape water. any ways all stars bring their own water in any country not only Africa. remember no other star, dead or alive gives to Charity more that Michael Jackson.
Look, guys… leave the MJ alone. we got so many artists out there doing even more outrageous things and we all decide to pick on the soft-spoken one. MJ is and will always be an icon. if u cant deal with it that’s your problem. Criticism wont help, he dd so much and all u can see is the negative. how come wen a positive comment about him is made yall counter it with some negative remark. no one is perfect guys. MJ was a great man, I know that for a fact. wat he decided to do with himself was his choice not anybody’s and the only person who has an untainted opinion on why he changed his skin is MJ and he’s dead so leave Michael alone. reflect on the good not the bad, we all have our errors and we dont want people publicizing them like u do to MJ. I LOVE YOU MJ, I ALWAYS WILL. God Bless you my brother… mwaaaaaaaah!
oh by the way Quincy Jones, if u really said this. you ought to be ashamed of yourself. this comment was uncalled for totally unprofessional… i dont know how u sleep at night and to add on to that your life aint too perfect now is it?
I am back again shame on you guys did listen to Barak Obama’s speech if i may quote: I have an African Blood in me truly speaking what did he lose after saying this in Ghana he actually got popularity his wife admited she is a great grand grand grand child from West Africa what did she lose nothing she gained popularity.
Did you see Mickel Jackson plucking his nose when he arrived in Africa sometime back what does this mean no sense at all.
Quincy Jones was wrong. Michael Jackson’s autopsy proved that he had skin and lung diseases. Quincy Jones should apologize for his misunderstanding because people think he is Michael’s close friend. What he said in the interview really hurts Michael even though Michael is longer with us.
ok .
michael jackson was the best person
best musican and dancer !!!
he had a vataligo
and michael never want to be white
and he is not white ! michael jackson is black
he had a vataligo
get it !!!
there is no surgery to change skin from black to white
michael jackson the king !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For decades thought Q really loved MJ. Q always said MJ was the most normal person he knows. Now we know Q was lying. And people wonder why Michael had no real friends. I am so disappointed in you Q. You are a liar !