Music And We

'Leaving Neverland' in the Hot Seat: Response vs. Reaction

(RECORDED MARCH 3 & 4 2019)  So now this 'documentary' entitled 'Leaving Neverland' is airing, as we have this conversation.  Feelings are heightened.  Opinions are divided.  Those who were already convinced of Michael's guilt are more than convinced after watching it; many in the fan community have refused to watch it.   We at 'Music And We' do what we can in order to present a more nuanced position on this particular situation.  While we have not seen the film at this point, our position is to stick to the facts as much as we can.  Given the manipulative angles the producers (and director) of this film are taking, it is crucial we take this angle. As this moment is fresh for us (both of these recordings were in the midst of everything happening) we could not grasp everything.  One thing is clear- Being reactionary is not going to convince anyone to see a side other than the one they are firmly placed in. 
Both Jesse/Jester and jamilah have been aware throughout this whole series of events that something is bothering us, and we do our best to figure it out.  The statements from Safechuck and Robson have us feeling some kind of way:
"I got married and had a son.  I continued to live in denial and secrecy.  After my son was born in late 2010, my fear of exposure became worse as i realized that now other people were part of my life and I was dragging them into it.  I began to see how innocent children really are and to worry that i would have pedophilic urges." -Safechuck
He mentions his son's 2010 birth as a turning point in his life (in terms of "fear of exposure"), yet he mentions that he had no awareness that he was abused until Robson's announcement in 2013.  How would his child's birth in 2010 also be a point of awareness of being a survivor of abuse?  His mother (in the film) also claims that she danced in her bed upon the news of Michael's passing (in 2009) because "he could no longer hurt a child."  This would also chronologically be a mismatch from both of Safechuck's 'official' narratives. 
"In March 2012, I had my second and final nervous breakdown which again included feelings of extreme stress, anxiety, fear and depression.  I would look at my son and imagine him experiencing the sexual acts I did with Doe 1- which I did not yet equate with being sexually abused.  And, for the first time in my life, I wondered if I needed to talk to someone about what Doe 1 and I 'did together'.  I knew that I truly had no idea how I felt about it."  -Robson
Robson's previous explanations for his nervous breakdowns were because of the stress of directing major productions; upon dropping out his writings lamented that he let Michael down. 
There's a lot of plot holes in the story.  It is always good to ask questions, and to do homework on ALL sides, regardless of what side you are on.   Do not blindly follow a person, whether it's Michael Jackson, or the two subjects of a highly stylized film. 
For questions, comments, etc.  you can reach us here:  instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com

'Leaving Neverland': Wade Robson, James Safechuck and 'Manufacturing Consent'

(RECORDED FEBRUARY 24, 2019) WEEEEEERE BAAAAAAACK!!!!
The term 'manufacturing consent'  was inspired by a phrase coined in 1922 by Walter Lippmann ('the manufacture of consent').  It was originally the title of a 1979 book by Michael Burawoy;  it was then popularized after the 1988 book (and eventual film of the same name) by Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman. It is identified through corporate media (in particular) dictating a particular perspective or ideology as a means of social control.  Its goal is to persuade the public to side with particular views which would be advantageous to their profit margin.  The greatest examples are the U.S.'s portrayal of the global south, the so-called Middle East or even Mexico (which is 1/3 of North America) as being 'undeveloped' and/or in serious need of 'democratization'...  Despite many of these countries having had democratically elected presidents, or have fought for self-determination to the point where they have become sovereign.  It is the media's job to do the bidding of corporations (who sit on the government's boards and who create and influence policies) and gear up excitement for militaristic invasions. 
The consolidation of media has produced less and less opportunities for people to see informed debates, and more opportunities to experience sound bites.  More and more mainstream media 'journalists' are reporting opinion pieces, versus findings from detailed assignments.  While many have focused on the proliferation of social media being used as a 'new media'; corporate media recognizes this shift as well, and is utilizing whatever means they have to attempt to compete- be it through meme-inspired commercials, use of social media posts in commentaries, purchasing the rights to internet series, or taking cues from video streaming services. 
This upcoming HBO feature, 'Leaving Neverland' appears to be inspired by all of this.  Heightened by the cooptation of the 'me too' movement by Hollywood (leaving out the voices of Tarana Burke and those who the movement originally was speaking for), 'Leaving Neverland' not only follows the wave of celebrity docudramas that have been happening in the past couple of years (Michel'le, TLC, Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, New Edition, Bobby Brown); it also has kept a watchful eye on the sea of accusations that have been spreading (Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Russell Simmons, Brett Ratner, Morgan Freeman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Benny Medina).  Almost ten years later, the executives at Home Box Office recognize how polarizing of a figure Michael Jackson still is, regarding the issue of child abuse.  With the ratings popularity (and visceral reactions) to 'Surviving R. Kelly',  the network clearly saw potential in their decision to pick up the documentary. 
The title 'Leaving Neverland' has a couple of connotations.  The first one is literal:  Michael Jackson literally left Neverland, his place of residence from 1988 until the 2003 police raid.  The other connotation is much more nuanced:  'Neverland' was a place representative of eternal youth.  The raid prompted uncomfortable growth spurts, and Michael Jackson had to leave the place he called home behind.  The other branch to this more nuanced connotation is what Robson and Safechuck are insinuating- that Neverland was a 'house of horrors' where childhood was snatched away. 
While Michael Jackson certainly was not a perfect individual; and while we do not feel that, despite the intention, his being with kids as a means of dealing with his own trauma was the best method of healing- the research we poured into all of the cases pertaining to these accusations have not produced sufficient evidence to convince us of his guilt.  Because MJ was never really comfortable (from our perspective) in dealing with difficult questions, this gave a lot of folks who already declared him 'strange' enough ammunition to emphasize his weaknesses.  Sadly, there are some in his fan base who pathologize his vulnerability to the point where it gives further ammunition to those who aim to profit from said vulnerability.  It is a slippery slope to claim a person does not have the capacity to harm someone just because of how you connect to or perceive their public representation.  Anyone who was abused as bad as Michael Jackson has described has the capacity to hurt others.  Whether or not they actually do is another conversation. 
The comparisons between MJ and Robert Kelly make no sense to us.  Even though both were found 'not guilty' at their trials, Robert Kelly was found 'not guilty' on a technicality (a full warrant also was not produced for a search; also, crucial witnesses would not testify), and the prosecution from Michael's trial was discovered tampering with evidence. If there was a wealth of evidence uncovered that Michael Jackson was indeed a predator, you can guarantee that we will be doing an episode about it, rescinding our defense of him.  As for now, we have not seen this wealth of evidence.
The fact that statements of Wade Robson and James Safechuck are the primary ones, after years of opportunity of exposing his predatory behavior are suspicious to us.  We recognize how insidious predators are- they are in our families, they are out here in these streets- but to defend people so hard for so many years, and to expose someone years later (and asking for large sums of money in the process) is suspicious.  The addition of Adrian McManus (and her interview with an Australian network) is suspicious as well, given that she had a court order to pay Michael Jackson back (after stealing items from Neverland), and never did so.  She claimed there were incriminating tapes, but actually never looked at the contents of the tapes.  She was also found to be lying under oath.  If you are going to state serious claims or accusations against someone, it is crucial you have all the evidence lined up.  McManus worked for him for four years, yet did not report anything she claimed to have seen? Like many celebrities Michael Jackson notoriously made people sign NDAs; NO AMOUNT OF NDAs would make us stay quiet if indeed predatory insidiousness were occurring.  If McManus saw this going on and did not report it, she should be charged with endangering children. 
Also...  As secret as Michael Jackson was, why would he leave incriminating evidence for any old person to see?  If all of these claims are true, how were they missed in the years the man was searched by federal, state and local organizations?  How did he have evidence of things lying around, but NOTHING in ANY of the computers they searched? 
It is crucial to question everything.  Because (once again) Michael Jackson is seen as 'weird' it's very easy to sway opinion in the favor of those who have not done research, thereby 'manufacture consent' to attack a guy who's long decomposed in his mausoleum. 
Jesse/Jester and jamilah have another commentary on the various political situations occurring (connecting with the overall theme of 'manufacturing consent'), and of course we speak about this situation in relation to Safechuck and Robson.  Honestly, we only scratched the surface. 
We would love to thank Michael Dean, Purple Underground, Charles Thompson, Joe Vogel, Nightchild Ethereal, and the countless podcasters, bloggers/writers, vloggers and creators who came before us and beside us, doing this work sincerely, and with love.
For questions, comments, etc.  you can reach us here:  instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com
 
 

It's Okay To Smile: The Comedy/Parodies of MJ and Prince

(RECORDED DECEMBER 23, 2018) Despite being loved by many across the globe, Prince nor Michael Jackson were let off the hook when it came to people creating comedy skits and/or parodies around what was deemed their eccentricities.  From Eddie Murphy's "Tito get me some tissue!" skit, Lenny Henry's satirical take on the Bashir interview (which, while still pointing to what was seen as MJ's 'strange' behavior) actually pointed to the insidious nature of Bashir's intentions) to Tommy Davidson reworking lyrics to 'Sign 'O The Times' about a fast food chain; both men were inspirations for laughs everywhere.  Clearly, sometimes it was funny (with both men eventually developing relationships with some who had parodied them), and sometimes the intent of the comedian was clearly hurtful.  Jesse/Jester and jamilah discuss the cultural significance of some of these skits, as well as the moments where comedy can actually be negatively impactful.
For questions, comments, etc.  you can reach us here:  instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com
 

We C Yo BS: Political themes in Prince and MJ songs (Part Two)

(RECORDED DECEMBER 16, 2018) Yes...  Keep one eye open, y'all.  It's better late than never that people are posthumously catching the crucial messages in both MJ and Prince's music; but for us, we felt a need to go deeper into our interpretations of the songs' contexts.  And besides, Prince has about two billion songs, and we could not possibly cover them all in one episode.  Or even two. 
One of the things both Prince and Michael encouraged was to look beyond their music and study what was going on in the world, and just as we've covered a few non-music issues in other episodes to some capacity, we go even deeper here (as it is an episode dedicated solidly to political themes).  If we are to respect their artistry and humanity, focusing solidly on music would be a disservice to them. 
Jesse/Jester and jamilah take another look at the songs which have started flame wars in the respective fan/friend communities, the songs which have united bipartisan support for 'fighting indecency' and most of all...  The songs which encourage and inspire people to think. 
For questions, comments, etc.  you can reach us here:  instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com

Politricks and tips for them mental dips: Political themes in Prince and MJ songs (Part One)

(RECORDED DECEMBER 9, 2018) If you've been listening to us so far, we are sure you saw this coming.  Both Prince Rogers Nelson and Michael Jackson have been polarizing figures in musical discussions for years; but they have also been seen by many as (for some reason) being musically blind to the issues facing us 'normal' people.  To that we say... ARE YOU KIDDING??!!  While MJ did not have as many scathing political sentiments on his albums, there were a few pivotal moments in his catalog that cannot be ignored.  And Prince, well...  Any close examination of his collection of tracks (and some interviews) will be more than enough evidence that his political commentary was consistent, at times covering a solid majority of an album.  If one is indeed a 'fan', it would be curious to miss those messages on his albums. 
Jesse/Jester and jamilah discuss these sociopolitical dynamics which drive inspiration for PRN and MJ songs, and why their significance matters. 
For questions, comments, etc.  you can reach us here:  instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com
 
 

The Podcast Grinderz (The Sexuality Episode)...

(RECORDED DECEMBER 2, 2018)  We grind and grind away all day on this podcast and still...  There were so many songs we did not mention (we see you, Underneath The Cream, Gett Off, International Lover, Rock With You, Adonis and Bathsheba and the countless others); we also know doing that would end up being a 6-hour marathon.  So..  While you're here, ride with Jesse/Jester and jamilah as we explore (at least) some of the nuances of both Michael and Prince's more amorous aspects of their catalog- and let's keep it real, Prince got MJ beat by miles on that one.  While you can find many a comment regarding Michael and (especially) Prince's 'sexiness', focusing on the lower vibrational/carnal symbols and messages; we recognized there's more to the picture...  You dig? 
For questions, comments, etc.  you can reach us here:  instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com

Prince vs. MJ: STOP THE INSANITY!!!!

(RECORDED NOVEMBER 25, 2018) The usual arguments in favor of comparing Michael Jackson and Prince have to do with their superficial qualities, like their 'falsetto' voices, or the lack of hypermasculine performance.  People also consistently argue (in a contrasting sense) that PRN could play a wealth of instruments while MJ could not at all- IS THIS EVEN TRUE??!!  While the two have definite distinct performing and musical styles in many ways, in a sociopolitical sense, how different are they?  Jesse/Jester and jamilah explore these possibilities. 
For questions, comments, etc.  you can reach us here:  instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com

The Bootleg episode...

(RECORDED NOVEMBER 18, 2018) Jesse/Jester and jamilah discuss the benefits and the difficulties of the existence of bootlegs.  Are they a good thing?  Are they of benefit to the artist?  What are ways the masses could have access to music, yet respect the artist at the same time? 

Black or white? Yes it does matter!!!!!!

(RECORDED NOVEMBER 11, 2018)  Jesse and jamilah discuss the implications of Prince Rogers Nelson and Michael Jackson's erasure of their African sensibilities.  Did they have a hand in that erasure (as a means of survival); or have people relegated them to a particular musical era, placing them in a bubble of systemic erasure? 

SPECIAL EPISODE: jamilah sees 'This Is It' for the first time!!!

(This was recorded on 4 November 2018) While Jesse has seen the posthumously released documentary covering the preparation for the 50-show residency at the O2 Arena over 30 times (!!!), jamilah has finally broken her 9-year vow of protest, just so we could talk about it on the podcast.  What do we think of this Kenny Ortega-directed project?  Is it respectful to Michael Jackson?  Did the man rock it?  Was it worth breaking the vow for?  Is MJ gonna come out the mausoleum to haunt her for only watching it now?