It's hard to believe MJ passed away nearly five years ago now, isn't it? In case you hadn't heard, Epic Records have teamed up with Michael Jackson's estate for the release of a posthumous album from the fallen King Of Pop. Titled XSCAPE, it's scheduled for release on May 13th, with an iTunes pre-order starting tomorrow (check out the official cover art in the gallery above.)
The project, curated by Epic Records Chairman / CEO L.A. Reid, will consist of eight remixes of classic tracks from Timbaland, Stargate, Rodney Jerkins, Jerome Harmon, John McClain and more, with a deluxe edition offering the original records as well. Jackson's estate apparently granted Reid unlimited access to four decades of Michael's music.
"Modern music and artistry would look and sound completely different if not for the groundbreaking contributions Michael Jackson gifted to the world," Reid said in an official press statement. "Michael left behind some musical performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed strong desire to work with. We are extremely proud and honored to present this music to the world."
Earlier this month, we heard a snippet of a Timbaland remix of Jackson's "Slave To The Rhythm". Although it's since been removed from Soundcloud, it's included in a new Sony ad for their Xperia Z2 smartphone, a direct result of Epic and the Jackson estate's new partnership with Sony Mobile.
Watch the commerical below (the snippet starts at the 1:00 mark.)
Should MJ's catalogue be tampered with, or considered sacred? Let us know what you think, folks.