Ghost in the Vault: Mark Anthony Neal on Michael Jackson's 'Xscape'

Michael Jackson’s High Musical Standards Still Resonate on Xscape by Mark Anthony Neal | TheRoot.com
The ghost of Michael Jackson appeared  during Sunday night’s broadcast  of the Billboard Music Awards, but the holographic stunt pales in comparison to the actual ghost of Jackson that still haunts the vaults at Sony Music.
Or so Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley might say, expressing in the 20-minute making-of video that accompanies  the digital release of   Xscape  (the second posthumous collection of unreleased Jackson tracks) that Jackson “communicated” with him throughout the production process.
The comment speaks profoundly to who Jackson was—an artist who achieved a level of musical success, both commercially and artistically, that is arguably unprecedented. Xscape stands not only as a testament to Jackson’s artistry but also as a model for which his contemporary peers should strive.
Jackson left behind one of the most lucrative musical catalogs, and Sony Music has banked on the value of what’s in his vault. It has offered his estate $250 million for the right to release music through 2017—even using one of his new songs, “Love Never Felt So Good,” in a series of ads for Jeep.

Most artists would be thrilled to have sold the 4 million units that Jackson’s first posthumous release, 2010’s Michael, did. But while longtime fans have the right to be cynical, considering how artistically underwhelming that album was, Xscape by contrast surprisingly channels a Michael Jackson who’s both recognizable and in peak form.
Read the Full Essay @ The Root.com