Michael Jackson’s Releasing An Album…From The Grave

Michael Jackson’s almost a rapper. Had he been a rapper, his label/family/whom ever else needed to make a buck would have released an album within minutes of his death. After years of putting out total duds and let’s face it, touching boys, Michael Jackson managed to martyr himself with the ultimate rockstar act of an untimely death. And now he’s putting out a new album.

His parents are in control of his estate, and it’s his mother’s face they’ve put to it, since Joe was proven as an abusive tyrant long ago. In any case, this might be the best thing for the Michael Jackson empire. It worked for Elvis. When he died, he was an overweight, bankrupted joke who was lionized (through his ex-wife Priscilla no less) and turned into a bonafide business to the tune of millions a year (Lisa Marie now manages the Graceland and Elvis Trademark and legacy) after his death. Elvis, in fact, never looked so good.

“Hold My Hand” is the first single off his new album, MICHAEL, which is due out December 14th on Epic Records (Michael Jackson has been with Sony for 35 years, remember? he made shit albums in the last decade and blamed Tommy Mattola for being racist instead of his music for being shit?). It features Akon, the king of features and sounds like a cross between shit Michael Jackson’s more recent career ballads for the children, in the “We Are the World” vein and crap rappers guesting on bigger profile artist’s songs to keep paying their varying and growing child support bills, a la Shaggy, Lil Jon and R. Kelly. Also included on the new album are guests appearances by 50 Cent and Lenny Kravitz.

I know we’re being cynical, but we just feel it’s too soon to forgive and forget. Then again, you never know, maybe he’ll pull an Ian Curtis and make the best music of his life just after his death. Either way, we smell a cash cow for the Jackson family and the label and after years of Michael’s irrational behavior, maybe it’s time they got a little something back.

Click HERE to take a spin yourself.