Quincy Jones did more for music than almost anyone in the biz. So it may come as a shock that the force who helped Michael Jackson create “Billie Jean” is the same guy that almost broke it.
As the world prepares to see Jaafar Jackson bring the King of Pop to life in the Michael biopic Friday, April 24, there’s one raw, behind-the-scenes friction point that defines Michael’s genius better than any dance move.
I know, because in 2013, Quincy Jones told me himself that he thought Michael had “lost his damn mind.”
My Unforgettable Night With Quincy Jones
Facing The Lion’s Den At The 2013 Grammys
It was 2013, the night of the 55th Grammy Awards. I was running on about two hours of sleep because I had just written the VIBE cover story for Daft Punk and Pharrell (the “Get Lucky” year). When an invite to the legendary Quincy Jones’ post-Grammys party hits your inbox, you don’t care how tired you are. You go.
The late, great Quincy’s parties were the stuff of legend, but they were also intimidating for me that year—though not for the reasons you’d expect. Quincy notoriously hated what VIBE, the magazine he founded, had become. As the Senior Editor, I was walking straight into the lion’s den. Nothing a few glasses of champs couldn’t cure.
He was friendly, but the man did not sugarcoat things. At his own house, Quincy told me exactly why he wasn’t a fan of the magazine’s direction. So, I made a joke about editorial gentrification struggles, because of course I did. That’s when he stopped, looked at me and said, “I like you, though.” I was in.
Quincy Jones Hated ‘Billie Jean’ At First
“You’ve Lost Your Damn Mind, Michael Jackson”
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson smiling while wearing headphones in MichaelGlen Wilson/©Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection
We started talking about the old days and the reality of the creative process and the many groundbreaking albums he and MJ made together. I asked an “off-the-record” Jackson family question, which shall remain that way. Then I asked about the Thriller sessions, and he dropped a quote that was far rawer than the polished anecdotes you usually hear in documentaries. He told me that when Michael first brought him the demo for “Billie Jean,” Quincy’s immediate reaction wasn’t “this is a #1 hit.” It was:
Damn dude, this sh*t is crazy. You’ve lost your damn mind. This intro is so f**king long!
At the time, Quincy was worried about the 29-second bassline intro, which was definitely radio suicide. While he wanted to cut to the chase, Michael wanted to build the tension.
The Scene We Need To See In Michael Jackson’s New Biopic
An Epic Battle Over “The Jelly”
Screen Rant/ Joe O’Shea
As we prepare to see the Thriller era depicted on the big screen, this is the dynamic I’m looking for. We often see Michael as the perfect, finished product, but Quincy’s candid memory reminds us that even the King of Pop had to fight for his vision.
Michael famously told Quincy that the long intro was “the jelly” that made him want to dance. Quincy might have thought he was crazy in 1982, but as he sat there at his party in 2013, he told the story with the kind of smirk that only comes from knowing your partner was right all along.
If you’re heading to see Michael this weekend, keep that 29-second intro in mind. It was less creative choice, more battle for the soul of a song. As history proved, sometimes you have to ignore the experts to find the jelly.
Release Date
April 24, 2026
Runtime
130 minutes
Director
Antoine Fuqua
Writers
John Logan
Producers
Graham King, John Branca, John McClain