5. Michael JacksonThriller
I liked Michael Jackson before. Off The Wall was nice, but I could hear the elevation with Thriller. Unfortunately, I didn’t see the video until years later. But I saw what the album did for people worldwide – it was a work of art.
Listening to it was so perfect. But one thing I learned about music as I got older, somebody said it, and it’s the actual truth: enjoy the artist while they’re here. If you love the music, be appreciative of it. It’s better to understand them when they’re alive.
With Thriller and later albums, he set a standard on how to stay relevant and that is hard to do these days. I’ve been through some stages of wanting to remain relevant, figured it out and learned to tell people. ‘Let the music breathe, but work with the industry.’ Depending on what the contract is, you gotta bring something out really fast. If you create good music it will last, but don’t wait too long. When I drop something, it’s coming from my heart.
