Ne-Yo says he’s hesitant to record songs he wrote specifically for the late Michael Jackson because he doesn’t want people to think he’s cashing in.
The crooner had worked on a number of songs for MJ’s “Thriller” comeback last year before he died suddenly of Propofol intoxication, just days before he was due to return to the stage.
“Michael told me the songs had to be magical. ‘Magical’ was a word that kept coming up,” he told WENN. “He chose about ten of my songs for his new album. But I don’t know what to do with them now.
“I’m afraid that if I make a tribute record people will think I’m cashing in on my idol.”
Ne-Yo has previously said that when Michael initially called him about working together in 2008 he didn’t believe it was the actual King of Pop.
“I actually hung up on him because I thought someone was playing,” he said. “I was like, ‘Who’s this?’ and the reply came, ‘This is Michael Jackson.’ Click.
“Then his representative called back. ‘This is Peter Lopez. I have Michael Jackson on the phone.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God. Are you serious?’ And then I apologized for the next ten minutes. Any comedian who has ever made fun of Michael Jackson was right on. Sad but true. He does have a very high, not very manly voice.”
