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JASMINE AT THE MICHAEL JACKSON BAD 25 FILM PREMIERE WITH SPIKE LEE.(pic – Paul Hampartsoumian)
Last weekend Sony Music threw a bash to celebrate their old act Michael Jackson’s legendary album Bad and hip hop photographer to the stars Paul Hampartsoumian ,rounded up a huge who’s who list of #TEAMUK movers and shakers to enjoy the lovely Sunday afternoon matinee premiere. The event was called Bad 25- 25 years after Bad came out. The event was a film made by the chosen director Spike Lee who attended to introduce the film and partake in a short question and answer session post film. Spike was granted exclusive access to all Michael Jacksons estates footage of him over the years documenting the making of most of the Bad albums videos and songs. There were even whole sections of Michael in the studio with various singers and producers like Siedah Garrett and Quincy jones.
Footage of Michael behind the scenes is extremely rare and fascinating to watch, as he was so private.
Bad gave Michael 9 no 1 singles, it had 40million in album sales, and the tour broke all records by being seen by 4.4 mill people across 2 years. It was the first live music concert my dad ever took me to at Wembley.
Spike turned up to greet this specially invited audience at the Odeon Leicester square wearing a classic MJ tee shirt, White tracksuit top, his now classic fisherman hat, specs and sneakers.
The film speaks to all those in Michaels life from the musicians, studio session players, singers, fellow dancers and performers like Jeffrey Daniels who taught him the moonwalk, singers and song writers, writers, record label heads, his music friends like Mariah Carey and Sheryl Crow, younger acts that were influenced by MJ like Chris Brown and Kanye.
The film was interesting in so many ways. MJ refused to refer to his music videos as such and always called them ‘’short films’’. You could tell it was indoctrinated into his entourage’s minds too. The same way Mariah refers to her birthday as an anniversary. The rivalry between MJ and Prince and MJ and Stevie Wonder were documented.
One story tells of when MJ and Prince met. MJ was convinced that a box that Prince had bought along with him had a voodoo spell that would affect MJ so he avoided it and him thereafter. In another scene we see a very young Michael and Stevie persuaded to sing a duet together. They were both bemused on camera and trying to out sing each other with their respective styles to a song that someone else had written. It was a hot mess and they both seemed to know it!
The hard work MJ did spending hour after hour watching all the old classic greats like Bob Fosse etc to influence his stage routines and costumes were amazing. He wrote notes to himself that were shown in the film. Notes that said things like ‘’watch the best, work harder than them to be the best’’.
There were sad poignant moments as well as hilariously funny sections of the films such as scenes showing MJ dressing up in disguises to go out in public without drawing attention to him. He looked like he had a lot of fun dressing up as a tramp or old man. He even dressed as a Jehovah’s Witness and knocked on doors! Were you one of the people that slammed your door in his face?
The film is amazing. Its beautiful that the family and his estate have allowed the world to see more of what this fascinating humans private life was like.
RICKY NORWOOD (FAT BOY-EASTENDERS), WRETCH 32 AND KOJO AT KOJO’S DVD LAUNCH PARTY!
Comedy king Kojo threw a VIP invite only party for his DVD launch. He performed a great live show not long ago at Hackney Empire and this weeks DVD launch was the show plus extra backstage moments. The DVD was the 1hr show with extended footage from the MTV Base show. Loads of DVD’s were sold and signed on the night by Kojo. The launch night was full of the scenes movers and shakers from both the comedy and music world that Kojo straddles. It was a fun night! Attended by Wretch 32, Misha B, Mclean, Ricky (Fat Boy from Eastenders), Perri Shakes Drayton, Kyra and Loik Essien to name a few.
JASMINE WITH KOJO!
Kojo’s about to head on his first UK tour called “Special Delivery” where he’s performing in 9 cities and planning an epic show next year. So with Christmas coming if your family loves to watch comedy skewed to an ethnic urban audience this would be a great gift buy someone!
JASMINE WITH THE EVER FUN, ALWAYS POSITIVE ALAN CARR!
All this fun isn’t very fun right now as my dads still unwell and hospitalized, but it is keeping me sane and otherwise distracted some of the time. He went in with a heart attack, sleep apnea, respiratory issues and a dislocated shoulder. He has now had all those get more severe and better up and down depending on what day it is. He also caught a hospital blood infection called sepsis, which can be deadly. One day he’s alert enough to demand his coffee and daily guardian newspaper, the next he’s barely conscious and screaming in pain! So it’s a rollercoaster of emotion and exhaustion right now but I know my life has been so blessed until now, that I know life has pain to give and this is my painful time. I am accepting and dealing and embracing. My family, friends and industry family (too many to mention including Lord Paul Boateng, Kojo, the mad Alan Carr and more) have been so attentive and kind. I really can’t ask for any more. Thank you God.
Jasmine's Juice. The news, views and fabulosity from the UK's most connected fly girl. Mover, Shaker, Connector.