About MJ's Hologram

Jackie Jackson: Michael Would Say ‘Thumbs Up’ for His Billboard Music Awards Hologram


As promised, an MJ hologram appeared at the Billboard Music Awards Sunday night, dancing around to the recently released "Slave to the Rhythm" from the singer's posthumous Xscape album.

"I've been hearing about the hologram, and people were talking about it, but to see it with my own eyes was incredible, amazing," Michael's brother, Esco "Jackie" Jackson, told PEOPLE.

"When he got up and started walking around – oh, my God … When he started dancing, unbelievable," Jackson continued. "It took me back. If Michael were here he would say thumbs up!"

The practice of bringing deceased or otherwise unavailable artists to the stage via hologram was popularized by Coachella 2012's Tupac Shakur hologram. Created by visual effects studio Digital Domain, it reportedly took four months to create and cost up to $400,000.

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Billboard Music Awards 2014's 15 Best and Worst Moments



Worst Misuse of a Pop Icon: Putting Michael Jackson's Name On Whatever That Was
You wouldn't think something could get any more crass and shameless than "Michael Jackson hologram," but the Billboard Awards and the executors of his estate certainly found a way. First off, we’re pretty sure that wasn’t even a hologram of Michael Jackson, but a hologram of a Michael Jackson impersonator — where are you gonna find one of those in Las Vegas? You guys know this is 2014 and we're not watching this on a cathode TV with rabbit ears — i.e., we can see his face. Secondly, Michael Jackson analyzed everything — videos, choreography, etc. — to the last detail and would have never approved some slapped-together mess full of Cirque du Soleil nonsense and no discernable theme.


Thirdly, even Michael at 55 years old would have moved around more than that. The most physical musician in pop history was sitting in a chair. Fourthly, in a room full of people who would gladly sing Michael's praises (Kelly Rowland, Pete Wentz, John Legend), why waste his introduction for Ludacris, Brad Paisley and Ke$ha to shill their new ABC show, "Which allows you guys, the fans, to vote for your favorite live performances." Hands down the most appalling, lamest cash-in on MJ's legacy we've seen thus far.

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Lionel Richie: Michael Jackson hologram was 'freaky'

" He said: ''It was freaky. I must tell you it freaked me out because it's Mike. I have to tell you it was brilliantly done, but it just made me a little uneasy because it was just... I keep waiting for him and then I realize that is him but it's not him. ''It's a little bit over the top for me.'' The 64-year-old crooner admitted he didn't enjoy the performance because it interfered with his own memories of the 'Thriller' star."


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Quincy Jones On Michael Jackson's 'Xscape': 'It's About Money'

Quincy Jones has a blunt assessment on the latest posthumous Michael Jackson album release, “Xscape” -- “It's about money.”

The Rock And Roll Hall of Famer’s comments were broadcast in an interview for public radio station CBC on his own storied career.

Jones, the great composer, producer and all-round music man, masterminded many of the top hits in MJ’s glittering career. Though clearly he’s not a fan of the “new” stuff. “They're trying to make money. And I understand it. Everybody's after money, the estate, the lawyers. It's about money,” he said.

Michael Jackson's Back: How L.A. Reid Planned His 'Xscape' (Cover Story)

The L.A. Reid-helmed “Xscape” is flying high in sales charts around the world. “Xscape” opened at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums chart this week and it’s charging toward the top spot on the Billboard 200. The album's lead producer was Timbaland, with additional work courtesy of Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome "Jroc" Harmon and John McClain.

When asked if he was bothered by the ongoing rollout of recordings featuring the late King of Pop, Jones had this to say: “Yeah, but it's not my business anymore. They're not our business (laughs).”

Jones' comments come on the heels of a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit he filed in connection with Jackson's projects released after the singer's 2009 death. In a complaint filed last October in Los Angeles Superior Court, Jones alleged that master recordings he worked on were wrongfully edited and remixed so as to deprive him of back-end profit participation. Jones also asserted that he'd been denied credit for his work on the late singer's releases and that MJJ Productions and Sony Music have entered into side deals taking profits that should have been included in the calculation of royalties.

In the new interview, Jones also goes deep into the sessions on “Thriller,” and he dispelled the oft-told tale of how he’d initially rejected “Billie Jean.” “And this whole fallacy of me not liking 'Billie Jean' is a lie. It is some lie that started somewhere. Anybody can hear that record's a smash. And also I know where it came from.”

Jones, a winner of 27 Grammys, also reflects on his “amazing times” with Ray Charles, his lack of fear (except with driving) and he tells of his near-death experience. Listen to the full interview here.


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