Miss Michael Jackson? Spike Lee releases new mixtape for fans of Michael Jackson and Jackson 5
Spike even released a new mixtape with DJs Spinna and J. Period to celebrate the King of Pop’s birthday. We got a copy and decided to give it a review.
Man Or The Music 2 (MJ Tribute) is the second mixtape Spike has released for his event. For the previous edition, J. Period kept the mixing functions on his own. This time he is joined by DJ Spinna, known internationally for his Soul Slam parties, where he plays the best of Michael Jackson and Prince all night long. Spinna is one of the DJs at the Prospect Park event, so it makes sense for him to be included in the mixtape.
The mixtape begins with an entry by Don Cornelius of Soul Train.
featuring the Jacksons in one of their many appearances on Soul Train. From there he goes on to a live performance of “Wanna Be Where You Are”. The highlight for me are the live performances scattered throughout the mixtape. Michael Jackson covers Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff” live for a lighthearted and funky take on the reggae classic. Jackson 5’s “Who’s Loving You” concert is a classic moment in soul music that solidified Michael’s talent as a child. Stevie Wonder also makes an appearance on the mixtape, performing Human Nature live on his signature harmonica. The Roots and Erykah Badu also cover the classic Off The Wall.
What makes this mixtape so special is that, unlike many Michael Jackson tribute mixes, it focuses on more than just Michael’s chart-topping hits. DJs Spinna and J. Period made sure to delve into the Jackson 5 Motown catalog, finding many less appreciated improvisations such as 2-4-6-8, Shake Ya Body, and People Make The World Go Round.
They’ve also unearthed unreleased, never-before-heard tunes from Michael Jackson, namely Got The Hots and Sunset Driver, which sound like tracks made in the Off The Wall era.
In addition to being DJs, Spinna and J. Period are talented producers. They showcase these talents on the mixtape, remixing some Michael Jackson classics. DJ Spinna remixes “Remember The Time,” turning the new jack swing classic into a funky and soulful killer for the dance floor. J. Period takes Nas’s “It Ain’t Hard To Tell,” featuring “Human Nature,” and sets it to his own hip-hop Human Nature beat.
The mixtape also includes external remixes and covers of Michael Jackson classics, putting a different spin on the hits we all love. They find soulful remixes from Bossa nova to the classics “The Love You Save” and “Rock With You”. Grammy Award-winning producer Mark Ronson contributes a remix of “I’m Bad.”
To top it all, they also include a version of Billie Jean by Brazilian folk singer Caetano Veloso, which adds a light, acoustic touch to the classic Thriller. DJ Spinna also included an exclusive version of “Can’t Help It,” performed by Foreign Exchange member Yahzarah.
Spike Lee helps close the mixtape with a quick story about the birth of his oldest son, with the help of the Jackson 5.
We give this mixtape a 4.5 out of 5 star review. If you are looking to enjoy the classical music of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 and you already have all the classic albums, listen to this mixtape.
