Michael and...Beyonce

I was throwing this party for the MTV movie awards. You know, I was starting to plan to really do my entree on the scene as an actor.

I invited everybody, everyone was there, the Beckhams was there, I remember Beyonce was there, Jamie Foxx, Ashton, Cameron Diaz, Will Smith, Chris Rock. Everyone that was moving and shaking in Hollywood. So the party’s going on, the party’s off the chain, party’s already a success.

I remember Beyonce had just dropped Crazy In Love. I remember that was what was just killing the dance floor and she was there and I remember the DJ he ain’t played it yet, and the dancefloor was warmed up, and everyone was saying, “we want to hear the new Beyonce joint,” that’s how hot it was.

Security comes to get me and says, “You have a guest here, who wasn’t on the list.” I’m like who, he’s like “Michael Jackson.” I’m thinking they joking around with me, I’m thinking like you know they trying to maybe Punk me. This is like – I think Punk’d, Punk’d was out during this time, I’m not knowing what’s going on.

So then I go towards the back, back where like the catering was and it’s Michael. I’m like, “Michael, what’s up, what’re you doing?”

And he’s like, you know, “I’m here with Brett Ratner, you know we came to the party, is that cool, can we come?”

I was always impressed about how down to Earth he was. But this is actually down to Earth, he’s asking if it’s alright to come to this party. He said, like, “This party’s really hot. You gotta invite me to more of your parties.” And then he leans over to me and he’s like, we’re taking some pictures and he’s like, “Where’s Beyonce?” I’m like, I’m like I didn’t think I heard him correctly. He’s like, “You know, I heard she’s here, where’s Beyonce?”

And I’m like, “Okay, well hold on, let me go find out where she’s at.”

So I round up on B, B’s on the dancefloor and I’m like, “B, um, you know, Michael’s here, he wants to meet you.” So I get Mike, you know bring him over, he’s like, “I love the record,” whatever, whatever.

He goes to tell the DJ to play the record. DJ plays the record.

And um, I recall them dancing, I don’t want to be quoted for that, that could’ve been in my imagination, but I do recall them dancing or something but even if they never danced that’s the way it is in my mind, but I’m pretty sure that they did dance.

But the whole recollection of that is that – it was so real that Mike recognized the greatness in Beyonce early. He had no ego about it and was ready to meet her and give her hers and he was also ready to go for his as a man. I think we all as men at the time wanted to dance with Beyonce. Michael had the courage enough to come to a party, ask for Beyonce and even dance with her.





Three moments? In the late `90s, five minutes before he went on at Wembley Stadium, seeing him in a small sidestage dressing room, in front of a mirror with light bulbs round it. It was a classic vaudeville image, which was poignant as Michael was the ultimate 'entertainer'! Then, sitting next to him when he played us backing tracks from the "HIStory" album at a meeting in L.A.. We were expecting to hear vocals on the tracks but he sung along instead! [Lastly], seeing him in February this year in L.A. at an intimate disc presentation where he seemed happy and was singing along to ? Single Ladies!'"

-- Rob Stringer, chairman, Columbia Epic Label Group