Who reigns supreme? A semi-annual party seeks to end the MJ-vs.-Prince debate once and for all, and AP's music writer, NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, is there to catalog the results.
Doing the bird as they dance to the song of the same name. (AP Photo/Nekesa Mumbi Moody)
Long live the Prince on the dance floor or off. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Still the king after all these years. (AP Photos/Hector Mata)
Forget religion or politics: There was a time when the fiercest debate going was who reigned supreme -- Michael Jackson or Prince?
Granted, today, this debate might seem a bit one-sided. After all, Prince is the one who is still making relevant music, is still on the charts, hasn't turned his face into a freak show and isn't being sued or accused of some creepy crime at every turn.
But the question of who was the greatest centered mostly around the two men's talent. And it's a question that remains relevant today.
Thankfully, there's now some empirical evidence to help settle the issue.
The semiannual MJ vs. Prince bash is thrown by KeiStar Productions in New York City with DJ Spinna at the helm. It pits the music of Prince and his assorted protégés (The Time, Vanity 6, Sheila E. and the like) against the grooves of Michael and his musical brood (Janet, Rebbie, the various incarnations of The Jacksons and even Jermaine's solo stuff; sadly, LaToya never seems to make it onto the turntables). The superstar who gets the most booties shaking on the dance floor is king.
While the winner is always a subjective decision, at the latest bash -- a seven-hour rooftop soiree in Brooklyn -- it was clear by night's end who was the king, and the tunes held the key.
Here's a song-by-song roundup of how the battle was won.
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"Say Say Say," Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. Oooh, the big guns come out early. This 1984 hit was as poppy as they come. True, it lacks the funk of a Prince tune, but you can't deny it's catchiness or its danceability. Gets the rooftop jumping.
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"I Feel For U," Prince. OK, OK, this one is sweet, but not really a dance groove. Why is it that women cover Prince songs better than the master himself? Dang, I wish they would play the Chaka Khan remake ...
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"I Feel For U," Chaka Khan. Prayers are answered!!!! While Prince may have written the song, Khan's fiery performance is the one that gave it life and made it a recognizable hit. Go Chaka!
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"Somebody's Watching Me," Rockwell. MJ gave Berry Gordy's son his only hit by singing the hook on this synthesized ode to paranoia. Cool to dance to, but just for a bit; a better song to transition to something better, which hopefully will occur soon.
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"The Glamorous Life," Sheila E. With the exception of a dud here and there (Apollonia 6, Carmen Electra), Prince's protégés produced some exceptional music, even if they were only around for about a minute. "The Glamorous Life" is a song that dares you to stand still, with its syncopated rhythms, blaring horns and Sheila E's cooing voice -- and you just can't do it. Bodies flail around as "Life" plays on.
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"Working Day and Night," Michael Jackson. Aww, MJ's innocent, "Off the Wall" days, when he wasn't weird at all (at least not that we knew of). Feverishly funky though it's almost three decades old, sounds as fresh as when it first debuted. The dance party keeps grooving with this one.
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"When Doves Cry," Prince. Lord knows I do love this song, and it's one of Prince's best, but its slow tempo makes it too tough to groove to at a dance party. The dance floor starts to thin, but it still provides for entertainment as we shriek in unison along with His Royal Badness at the song's crescendo moment.
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"P.Y.T," Michael Jackson. Fluffy and poppy but still a good groove, and Jackson's cheery vocals keep you engaged. No "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" though. One of those songs you use to while the time away on the dance floor until the killer groove comes.
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"The Bird," The Time. And there it is! The Morris Day "I'm Too Sexy for This Song" vibe permeates through to anyone who listens, even as he's commanding you to do a ridiculous bird dance. It's so fun, how can you resist? Few do, and arms fly out as Day commands.
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"Can You Feel It," The Jacksons. Before MJ started doing his own thing, he and his brothers ruled dance floors with these anthemic jams that seemed to go on forever. This one wasn't their best, but you can't help but dance to it.
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"Little Red Corvette," Prince. Dang, another classic Prince song that YOU JUST CAN'T DANCE TO! Sure you can sway your hips and nod your head, but that's about it. NEXT!
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"Off the Wall," Michael Jackson. Aaah, now here's a club track -- and perhaps MJ's personal life motto. Lusciously orchestrated, it's a jam that brings an instant smile to your face. Another great Jacko moment.
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"When I Think of You," Janet Jackson. Another Jackson who dominated the dance floor! This breezy early Janet hit doesn't have the come-hither energy of her later hits, but it was still Janet, and Janet rarely disappoints on the dance floor.
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"Starfish and Coffee," Prince. UGH! Not one of his best at all. Was this during the symbol phase? Please play something we can dance to!
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"Dancing Machine," The Jackson 5. The disco classic comes out! Remember when MJ broke out the robot with this one? OK, neither do I (not that old!), but even if you weren't around when that dance was out, this song makes you dance robotically. Its groove puts you in a trance.
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THE WINNER: MJ and his brood.
Say what you want about the man, but Michael Jackson and clan know how to get a party started and keep it going. Yes, Prince may play more instruments, have more intricate music and offer up captivating songs. But you can't dance to "Raspberry Beret."
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OTHER MUSICAL BATTLES WE'D LIKE TO SEE:
East Coast vs. West Coast. Perhaps the most heated battle of all time. On the East Coast, it will be Diddy -- who's been responsible for acts ranging from Mary J. Blige to Biggie to Jodeci to the new Cassie -- against Dr. Dre, with an artist stable that includes Snoop Dogg, Tupac, 50 Cent, Eminem and N.W.A. We're scared already.
Janet Jackson vs. Madonna. Which 40-plus diva really rules the clubs? While Madonna could out-Vogue Janet any day, can she really get Nasty? This one may come up a draw.
R. Kelly vs. Jay-Z. They battled behind the scenes on their ill-fated tour. Now let's see who can capture the fans (though Kelly would definitely have the edge during the bump-and-grind portion of the evening).
Mariah Carey vs. Whitney Houston. Maybe this one is better for the stage than the dance floor, given that their powerhouse voices define their music more than hypnotic beats. But still, let's settle once and for all who can really outsing who, OK?
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asap contributor Nekesa Mumbi Moody is AP's music writer.
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