:Blue Gangsta

{{Infobox song

| name = Blue Gangsta

| cover =

| alt =

| type = song

| artist = Michael Jackson

| album = Xscape

| released = {{start date|2014|05|09}}

| recorded = * 1998–1999 (original recording)

2013–2014 (reworked)

| studio =

| genre = * R&B

| length = * {{duration|m=4|s=17}} (album version)

{{duration|m=4|s=24}} (original version)

| label = * Epic

| writer = * Michael Jackson

Dr. Freeze

| producer = * Michael Jackson

Dr. Freeze
Timbaland
Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon
Daniel Jones
King Solomon Logan

| misc = {{External music video|type=song|{{YouTube|Te9h2vdpZ7M|"Blue Gangsta"}}}}

}}

"Blue Gangsta" is a song by American singer and recording artist Michael Jackson. The song is the 7th track of Jackson's second posthumous album Xscape. The song was originally written, composed and produced by Jackson with additional music by Dr. Freeze during the Invincible album recording sessions in 1998–1999, and was re-tooled by Timbaland and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon during the Xscape recording sessions in 2013–2014.

Background and leak

The song was originally recorded between 1998 and 1999 for the Invincible album but failed to make the final cut.{{cite web|url=https://www.damienshields.com/blue-gangsta/ |first=Damien |last=Shields |date=October 29, 2021 |access-date=August 25, 2023 |title='Blue Gangsta' and Michael Jackson's Fascination with America's 20th Century Underbelly |website=damienshields.com}} Dr. Freeze re-tooled the song without changing the original music to fit night clubs but this version was not featured on the Xscape album.{{cite web |url=http://www.mj-upbeat.com/ExclusiveinterviewDr.FreezebookMeetingwithMichaelwaslikemeetingwithCaptainKirk.htm |title=Exclusive interview: Dr. Freeze book: "Meeting with Michael, was like meeting with Captain Kirk!" |publisher=Mj-upbeat.com |date=2011-01-30 |access-date=2014-07-14 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325183953/http://mj-upbeat.com/ExclusiveinterviewDr.FreezebookMeetingwithMichaelwaslikemeetingwithCaptainKirk.htm |archive-date=2014-03-25 }} In late 2010, a year after Jackson's passing, the full version of "Blue Gangsta" was leaked onto the internet. The original version of "Blue Gangsta" included on Xscape is an earlier version; engineer Michael Prince felt the decision to include this version didn't align with Jackson's vision for the song.

Opening with a movie score-like wash of strings and the urgent refrain, "What cha gonna do/You ain't no friend of mine/Look what you put me through/Now that I'm the blue gangsta," the Timbaland-produced tune features a spare, skittering beat and Jackson singing over the multi-tracked chorus.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1821948/listen-to-michael-jacksons-blue-gangsta-now/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140510070333/http://www.mtv.com/news/1821948/listen-to-michael-jacksons-blue-gangsta-now/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 10, 2014 |title=Listen To Michael Jackson's 'Blue Gangsta' Now |publisher=MTV |date=2014-05-08 |access-date=2014-07-14}} Brazilian tribute artist and impersonator Rodrigo Teaser revealed in a podcast that LaVelle Smith Jr. (Jackson's long-time personal friend, choreographer and dancer), who had worked with Teaser, told him that the song would be the last part of a gangster-themed trilogy to be presented in live performances; the two previous parts being "Smooth Criminal" and "Dangerous".{{cite web |author=Venus Podcast |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPtcf_9n08Q |title=RODRIGO TEASER – Venus Podcast #11 |website=YouTube |date=2021-02-22 |access-date=2024-02-18}}

Release

The song was released on MTV on May 8, 2014.

Music video

The music video was published on 14 May 2014 on Jackson's official YouTube channel. Inspired by the short film for Jackson's short video for "Smooth Criminal", dancers from Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour celebrated the release of Xscape with a music video choreographed to this single. A shortened edit of the 2010 leaked version was used to celebrate the original version of this song.{{cite web |author=Michael Jackson |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te9h2vdpZ7M |title=Michael Jackson – Immortal Tour Celebrates MJ And XSCAPE! |website=YouTube |date=2014-05-15 |access-date=2024-02-18}}

Critical reception

Jon Blistein from Rolling Stone said that "The harrowing, hard-hitting 'Blue Gangsta' features a fiery vocal performance from Jackson, as well as updated production from Timbaland, who gives the track his signature futuristic spin, complete with snap-back snares, eerie low-end synths, blaring horns and striking strings."{{cite web |last=Blistein |first=Jon |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/michael-jackson-gets-fierce-and-sultry-on-blue-gangsta-loving-you-20140508 |title=Michael Jackson Gets Fierce and Sultry on 'Blue Gangsta,' 'Loving You' Off Posthumous New Album 'Xscape' |publisher=Rolling Stone |date=2014-05-08 |access-date=2014-07-14}}

Gil Kaufman from MTV said that "If 'Thriller' gave you the chills, wait til you get a shot of Michael Jackson's 'Blue Gangsta'. The song, which is available exclusively now at michaeljackson.mtv.com will appear on the upcoming posthumous King of Pop album, Xscape, and it is a classic slice of cinematic MJ pop magic."{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Charts

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Chart performance for "Blue Gangsta" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2014) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|77\|artist=Michael Jackson\|song=Blue Gangsta\|rowheader=true\|access-date=July 14, 2017}}
scope="row"\| US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine \| url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/310778/Michael+Jackson/chart?f=345 \| title=Michael Jackson Album & Song Chart History \| publisher=Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles for Michael Jackson \| magazine=Billboard \| access-date=July 3, 2014 \| archive-date=November 24, 2016 \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124212656/http://www.billboard.com/artist/310778/Michael+Jackson/chart?f=345 \| url-status=dead }} \| 8

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Chart performance for "Blue Gangsta"

! scope="col"| Chart (2014)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Dutch100|77|artist=Michael Jackson|song=Blue Gangsta|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2017}}

scope="row"| US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/310778/Michael+Jackson/chart?f=345 | title=Michael Jackson Album & Song Chart History | publisher=Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles for Michael Jackson | magazine=Billboard | access-date=July 3, 2014 | archive-date=November 24, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124212656/http://www.billboard.com/artist/310778/Michael+Jackson/chart?f=345 | url-status=dead }}

| 8