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Quincy Jones: Michael Jackson Bleached Skin Because He 'Didn't Want To Be Black'

The producer speaks out about his friend's obsession with his appearance...

Friday 03rd Jul 2009

Thriller producer Quincy Jones says that his pal Michael Jackson bleached his skin because he "didn't want to be black".

The singer always claimed that his increasingly pale appearance was the result of Vitiligo, a chronic condition that causes patches of skin to lose pigment.

However, Quincy – who also worked with Michael on Off The Wall and Bad – dismisses this explanation as “bulls**t”.

He says in a candid new interview: "I don't believe in any of that bulls**t, no. No. Never.

"I've been around junkies and stuff all my life. I've heard every excuse. It's like smokers - 'I only smoke when I drink' and all that stuff. But it's bulls**t.

"You're justifying something that's destructive to your existence. But when somebody's hell-bent on it, you can't stop 'em.

"What his face turned into is ridiculous. Chemical peels and all of it. And I don't understand it. But he obviously didn't want to be black. You see his kids?"


Quincy (second left) in the studio with Michael (far right), Smokey Robinson (far left) and Lionel Richie (second right) while recording charity single 'We Are The World'  in 1985

Quincy suggests Michael was a hypochondriac, but is unable to explain why his friend had such a problem with the way he looked.

"He'd come up with, 'Man, I promise you I have this disease,' and so forth, and 'I have a blister on my lungs,' and all that kind of bulls**t," he tells Details.

"It's hard, because Michael's a Virgo, man - he's very set in his ways. You can't talk him out of it.

"I'm just a musician and a record producer. I'm not a psychiatrist. I don't understand all that stuff. We all got problems."

Black to white: Michael's changing appearance

After learning of his friend's death, Quincy praised Michael for his "talent, grace, professionalism and dedication" in an emotional tribute.

RIP Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009


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Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958. He was the seventh child of nine children to Joseph and Katherine Jackson and was born into a typical working class family. The city of Gary is 25 miles from downtown Chicago and is famous for its massive steel industry. It took its name from the chairman of U.S. Steel, Elbert H Gary, and is nicknamed 'City of Century' – we're hoping for ironic reasons. (Image: WENN.com)

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By: Cher Tippetts

Photo: Splash News

Reader Comments

(1)
  • Some friend Mister Jones turned out to be, waiting until his friend was dead and unable to respond to his comments. With friends like that who needs enemies. Perhaps when he departs his friends will appear in front of the news hounds and make comments about him, he cannot repute from the grave. Whatever the resason's for Michael's light skin, vitigo, chem peels, who the hell cares. The man is dead, he received no peace in life...at least let him have some now. RIP Mike

    by Veronica, Kent, WA

     4 months, 1 week ago

    [reply]

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