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Will.i.am recounts bizarre story of why Michael Jackson considered Prince a big 'meanie'

According to the tale, The Purple One played bass in The King of Pop's face.

will.i.am, michael jackson, prince, music history, prince michael jackson

Will.i.am claimed that Michael Jackson thought Prince was a "meanie."

Keir Whitaker via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0, cropped (left) / mariachily via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0, cropped (middle) / penner via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0, cropped (right)
Ryan Reed
By Ryan ReedJul 23, 2025
Ryan Reed
Ryan Reed is a contributing writer for GOOD residing in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has contributed to Rolling Stone, Relix, Revolver, SPIN and The New York Times.
See Full Bio

Lots of ink has been spilled about a "beef" between Michael Jackson and Prince. While much of the "evidence" is either shaky or second-hand, the idea remains cemented in pop-culture lore, painting these chart-topping musical giants as long-time rivals. The Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am added another chapter to this saga during a 2024 appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, telling a wild story involving both musicians. The big takeaway: according to the producer, Jackson thought Prince was a "meanie."

The tale allegedly dates back to roughly 2007, when Will.i.am accepted an invitation to freestyle during a Prince show in Las Vegas. The Black Eyed Peas leader happened to be working with Jackson at the time, and since the "Beat It" singer was also in town, Will asked if he wanted to attend the concert. Jackson initially refused: "Oh, I can’t go to that," Will.i.am recalled him saying. "'Prince is a meanie.’" But he said he eventually convinced Jackson to join in a VIP section with a few others, including comedian Chris Tucker and Prince’s assistant Ruth. After his freestyle, Will joined them too.

  - YouTube  youtu.be  

"Mike whispers in Ruth’s ear, and Ruth then talks to me," Will said. "Ruth [says], 'Why didn’t you acknowledge Mike while you were on stage?' I’m like, 'Tell him this isn't my stage, and I can’t disrespect Prince on Prince’s stage. It’s no disrespect—it’s just that's not my stage.’ I’m like, 'Sorry, bro.' He’s like, 'Oh, it’s OK!' He whispers in Ruth’s ear. Ruth then talks to me: 'Mike wants to know [why] Prince hasn’t acknowledged him on stage.' Prince is still on stage while on this is all happening. He’s playing. I’m like, 'Oh, no. I think because he has you in the VIP section, he’s not trying to blow your cover. It ain’t nothing like that.’ He’s like, 'It’s OK, it’s OK, it’s OK.' As that conversation dies down, Prince then comes in front of us, walks through the crowd...plays the bass, aims the bass at Mike’s face [sings some slap-bass]. Mike’s like [dances]. This dude, like, flicks his hair and walks off...And then five minutes later, [Jackson is] like, 'I’ve gotta go. Meet me at my house for breakfast.’"

Will.i.am said they met up at 7 a.m. "As soon as I open up the door, he’s like, 'Why did Prince play the bass in my face?'" he continued. "I was like, 'Oh, no, I think he was just trying to [show] respect.' 'No, you don’t get it. He’s a meanie. He’s a meanie." (Will also claimed that Jackson made a serious allegation: "[Prince] tried to run me and my mama over with a car.")

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

Will said that producer Quincy Jones tried to offer some context for the artists' supposedly tense dynamic, pointing to the now-infamous James Brown concert staged at L.A.’s Beverly Theater in August 1983. During the show, Brown called Jackson up from the audience, and the superstar commanded the spotlight by singing and dancing. The "Godfather of Soul" then went back to the mic, adding that Jackson "insisted" he introduce another famous attendee: Prince, who arrived on stage via piggy back, shredded some funky guitar, took off his shirt, tried to start a crowd clap-along, shrieked, and grabbed on to a prop lamp post that largely toppled over. Fascinating and bizarre.

Learning that the raw footage was available on YouTube, Will.i.am passed along that info to Jackson. But on Drink Champs, he recalled their conversation being a bit confusing: 'What’s YouTube?' 'I was like, 'Look, let me show you.' 'Take that down. Who got that? Where’d you get that from?' 'What do you mean, 'take that down'? It’s on the Internet. It’s on YouTube.' 'What’s YouTube?'"

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

michael jacksonprincewill.i.amrock historymusic historymusiciansconcertsmusic legendspop starsmusic

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