13 Rappers Who Worked With Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was more of a Hip-Hop head than he publicly admitted. He chilled with Biggie, T-Pain, and Warren G, and the 2001 Summer Jam almost exploded when he joined Jay Z onstage.
photo: WENN
Lost among duets with Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger were hardbody cuts by Mike featuring some MCs who were legendary and some who were just commercially successful. Hit the jump and see if you knew about these 13 rappers who worked with Michael Jackson.
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Photo: WENN
photo: WENN
50 Cent
We know DJ Whoo Kid met Mike overseas and got word The King Of Pop wanted to make some music with 50. It never happened while the two were alive, but 50 appears on the single “Monster” from Jackson’s posthumous 2010 album Michael.
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T-Pain
Remember T-Pain is a rapper turned singer. He and Michael Jackson were featured on Usher’s “Stop Playin’,” and T-Pain actually has photo proof of his meeting with Mike. “Teddy Pinned-Her-A**” says it was Michael Jackson’s idea to rework the single “P.Y.T.”
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Puff Daddy
The Rodney Jerkins-produced “Maybe We Can Do It” featured vocals from Puff and supposed to appear on the 2001 album Invincible. For reasons unknown, it never made the cut.
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Notorious B.I.G.
Of course Biggie would have the rare cameo on a Michael Jackson album talking about blowing trees, shooting haters, and styling. The 1995 due “This Time Around” was done the Brooklyn way.
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Jay Z
Legend has it there was a wink-wink agreement to clear that sample on “Izzo (H.O.V.A.).” That legend has been corroborated since Jay Z and MJ appeared together at Summer Jam in 2001 and on the “You Rock My World” remix.
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Heavy D
With “Jam,” we saw some of Michael Jackson’s personal interests. The video proves he was definitely a fan of Michael Jordan, Kris Kross, and Heavy D & The Boyz.
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Warren G
In June of 2014, Warren G told HipHopDX he visited Michael Jackson and dropped off two custom made beats. The tracks they became are reportedly hidden away in Michael Jackson’s vault.
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John Forte
The only thing more random than John Forte getting a Presidential pardon from George W. Bush is the fact he got a verse on “2 Bad.” When you think of rappers tied to both “Dubya” and Michael Jackson, Forte doesn’t immediately come to mind, but he should.
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Wyclef Jean
The track never saw a formal release, but Wyclef and Michael Jackson collaborated during Jackson’s Blood On The Dance Floor sessions.
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Eve
When the Trackmasters remixed Michael Jackson and Marsha Ambrosius’ single “Butterflies,” E-V-E dropped what was arguably one of her best verses ever.
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LL Cool J
The single “Serious Effect” never saw an official, commercial release, but this aborted LL Cool J collab from the Dangerous album leaked to the Internet back in 2002.
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Run-DMC
Two legends created a track straight out of an ‘80s PSA entitled “Crack Kills,” but why it was shelved from Jackson’s Bad album is anyone’s guess. Allegedly there was beef between Run-DMC and Mike after Bubbles bit Jam Master Jay. Try to say that with a straight face.
