Following the premiere of the “We Are The World: 25 For Haiti” music video on February 12, the video received a tremendous amount of criticism from blogger’s, people on online communities such as Twitter, and more.
Despite the flurry of negative criticism as of today (February 15) the song is now the top downloaded song on iTunes.
Although the 2010 re-make of Michael Jackson’s “We Are The World” included a number of well-known artists, there were a few major artist’s who chose not to take part in the song. Among them was rapper/entrepreneur Jay-Z.
In an interview with MTV at a NBA All-Star weekend event, Jay-Z revealed why he didn’t take part in “We Are The World: 25 For Haiti.”
“I know everybody is gonna take this wrong: ‘We Are the World,’ I love it, and I understand the point and think it’s great,” Jay-Z explained. “But I think ‘We Are the World’ is like [Michael Jackson’s] ‘Thriller’ to me. I don’t ever wanna see it touched…So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but ‘We are the World’ is [musically] untouchable like ‘Thriller’ is untouchable.”
Jay-Z also told MTV that creating a new song would have been better than mimicking Michael Jackson’s 1985 “We Are The World.”
“I would have loved that idea better,” said Jay-Z. “As everyone knows, I have tremendous respect for Quincy Jones. Of course, I think he’s genius, as everyone else does. [But] I think it’s time for us to make a new [song].
Kokot, piÄa u holiÄa…
yea i gotta side wit hov on dis. its great they did it for Haiti and it turned out better than i thought but certain songs shouldnt be redone and We are the World is one of them.
without being too bold,, i gotta say that was pretty bad,, throwing MJ in there and editing janet beside him,, looked soo pooor,,,
seemed real lazy
new song,, i agreee with jay
hahahaha ok, and i just heard lil wayne auto tune on it!
i like jay-z but i have to say he is lying his ass off he just doesnt want to be with all the other celebs and “fit in” he has to try to steal the spotlight and be on top lol and i dont blame em one bit y fit in when u can be the best but i think that shit has rubbed off on kanye who seems to do the same thing always get attention and steal the spotlight even tho he doesnt need it if u dont believe look at the facts example: sayin george bush doesnt like black ppl, fightin at airports n on planes and who could forget the “taylor swift” fiasco lol
kanye was on the track son
I agree 100% with Jay! I love the message and what the song stands for, but the actual remake is terrible. An auto-tune sing Lil’ Wayne gets some shine and Gladys Knight has no lead parts???? WTF???
I dont agree with Jay Z or anyone else saying that this shouldnt be remade etc…
If this song is redone 500 times and each time it brings $500k to a tradegy then i got no beef with it, and if i twas famouse i’d be on everyone they’d asked me to be on
ANd i truely feel that MJ wouldnt have a problem with this and would be involved as well.
You are all missint the point as is Jay Z. ANyone who is saying oh this takes away from MJ’s version etc… is really off basis.
Thats what is wrong with society now. Everyone wants to live in the past instead of making a new. My question to you is would not a new song with the same stars made just as much money. This generation needs to leave a stamp on the times, this was our chance but instead we reverted to the old.
like the way they lined it up with the auto tunes, Lil Wayne then Akon, then T-Pain, so you can press fast forward in one click.
the song is good for a cause but compared to the original it cant b touched… like lennons imagine, jacksons thriller & earth song!
but 1 song remake which is for a great reason its better than fuckin pointless film remakes karate kid, nightmare on em street & birds etc
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I co-sign 100% with Hov on here. An entire new song would’ve been a lot better instead of ruining a classic song with Auto-Tune all over it. I am glad that they made all that money to help out Haiti (for anybody about to label me a “hater”), but don’t you guys think that a totally different song still would’ve had the same results?
It was ok, but compared to the original it was trash and 25 years after, the original still sounds better, I agree that they should have made an entirely new song, maybe fusing rap into it, LL’s rap seemed forced, and that autotune was garbage
Im feelin this new verison of We Are The World only cuz jay-z isnt on it….And thats why hes talking now like this.Hov U Mad cuz they didnt call U???I feel sorry for u but heyy u got Beyonce so cry under her tits and dont make stupid interviews about things that u arent part of
Ummm…read the article. It said he chose not to be on it.
Okay… I agree with Jay Z… don’t touch something if it’s perfect as is. What I will say though is that this remake is no reflection of Quincy’s production prowess. It’s a reflection of the talent pool in music these day.
Just ain’t the same.
jayz jealous f you mathafuck
Why does everything that’s not positive or doesn’t suit your thoughts always mean jealousy to you people? I swear you use that as a crutch to make you feel better.
I can’t beleive people eat up this music/celebrity fuck fest on tape, using Mike’s memory and even his songs for financial gain. I think its a shizame a bunch of sub par artists (not Micheal jackson) have to get together to get people to donate fucking 5 bucks to the victims in Haiti. And Haiti’s needed the money now for a while, if I was Wyclef, I’d be like FINALLY what took yall bitches so long!!!???
Anyway’s I just hope MOST the money at least is getting there, cause from what I’ve seen its horrendus. What if they put Immortal Technique, MURS, Canibus, Ellis & Legin, and Blackstar on a track. That would be something worth D/L’ING!
LOL at the Wyclef comment.
Not feelin the new version
I see his point. And at the same time, this is coming from a guy who is a master at recycling old music/lyrics (“I say a verse from Big I’m only biggin’ up my brother”)
I respect the remake because it IS a nod to the original, and it’s for a good cause. It’s not half as bad as people are making it out to be, and it reflects how music has evolved since the original came out.
COMING FROM A GUY THAT IF YOU BUY HIS RECORD 70% OF HIS RHYMED BELONG TO AN OLD SCHOOL RAPPER. I THINK HE MASTERED THE ART OF TAKING OLD RAP AND MAKE IT NEW OBVIOUSLY HE KNOWS YOU CAN’T TOUCH Michael Jackson’s SONG SO I RESPECT THAT.
i dont agree with jay i it was for a good cause like saving lives. jay z stupid for that shit man.
How is he stupid? For thinking they should of did something original? He gave his opinion just because it doesent match yours dosent mean he is dumb.
If he came he came with some “Haiti dosent deserve help” shi t but he didnt.He gave his opinion on a song.
you aint read the article huh? he even says that he agrees with the purpose of doing the song but not the way they went about doing it.
Jay-Z dont give a fuck about the Haiti victims……………He performed on that telethon for promotion
Why does he need more promotion? He’s already famous.
You, little boy, are quite simply…retarded. With every stroke of the keypad, you back that up.
At least Hov was there? Where the fuck was your boy 50 dickhead?
jay is right some things you should’nt touch and we are the world is one of them.
i think if Quincy Jones is this genius, he should’nt take the lazy way out just write a new song. long live the king mj.
look listen… i have no prob with the track beside the autotune but wutever… IF YOU HAVE THAT MANY CELEBES THAT ARE MUSICALLY INCLINED MAKE A NEW TRACK…… i mean common you have the BEST OF THE BEST and you remake a track nahhhh son.. put some effort into this one.. now jigga will have his own track and it will be deep just like Minority Report on Kingdom come…
course wanye had to use autotune him and tpain ruined it
The remake is BOOTY!! A new song would of been TEN times better than this shit!Plus anything new for Haiti would of sold(like this crap sold for Haiti but no ones gonna listen to it.At least no one w/ ears.) With all the producers and writers in the industry-a new song shouldn’t be that hard to make.And w/ all the singers and talent in that video/song,it should of never came out that BAD!! Jay-Z was right on this one.We Are The World…………CLASSIC!! Should neva, eva,eva be touched!
This We Are The World Remake…. EPIC FUCKING FAIL OF THE CENTURY.
I’m am utterly embarrassed to even be listening to this dried up shit stain of a song. It is DEFINITELY some shit Michael would not have approved of. Everything about this was just so fuckin’ wrong.
I miss Jay’s point. I dont even have to listen to the song to know it ofcourse wont be as good as the original, but the point WASNT to be original. “The message is great” THATS ALL. No need to dwell deeper than that. Idk y but I think he’s more mad nobody is talkin about his “original” shit as much as the shitty remake. Besides WE ALL KNOW with the kind of artist on the remake even if they came up with an entirely new song it would have been shit quality wise.
And besides, he reuses lyrics more than anyone, 2nd onlty to the Realist tupac ripoff. i guess a whole songs a step too far eh?
Im all for originality, Its not that the song isnt shit, Jays right, but my point is more the fact of who gives a fuck??? Most downloaded song on itunes and its helping Haiti? They could have farted all through the song for all i care.
I mean in the end did YOU really need Jay’s opinion to tell you this song was crap? it’s a remake of michael fuckin jackson for god sake.
im 14 years old,i listend to this never haveing heard the first one and i diddent like it,the whole song seemed forced,it was wack,i love every artist on it,hate the song, it would have been better if it were a diffrent song
these cats got artist that have no biz on this track nippsy hustle hes a fuckn gang member u might as well throw n some bloods to epic fail quincy mike would b dissapointed
Jay-Z is a faggot. yeah, you don’t wanna remake we are the world because it’s “Untouchable”
but you didn’t have no problem re-making a 2pac song? What a piece of shit.
Get tha fuck outta here Waaste Muthafucka! so we all should jump to the future and forget tha past..Nigga! Please,Nas said it homie SuperUgly! just wouldnt fit in with da rest.so u like won da Press,should we be impress?tha battle been won its now tha highest downloaded song,nigga PLease! quit bringing tha stress,haitis already in disstress,deasterous Mess!!! Alright Alright Hova we know u have been labeled tha best.
Itsw whack just like the original was……….
i agree with jigga…..we are the world haiti was trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry 😉
THIS IS Y WE NEVER MOVE FWD CAUSE OF CATS LIKE THIS. IN A TIME OF DESTRUCTION IN HAITI OR FOR THAT MATTER IN THE WORLD PEOPLE CAN STILL FIND NEGATIVITY INSTEAD OF UPLIFTING. THAT’S Y I DON’T AND WILL NEVER FEEL THIS CAT JAY. HE DOES N’T KNOW WHEN TO SAY THE RIGHT THING. WHO GIVES A FUCK WHICH SONG WAS BETTER. IT WAS DONE FOR A GREAT CAUSE. NOW I UNDERSTAND WEN MY STREET PEEPS SAY THEY CAN’T STAND THIS EGOLISTIC DUDE. 1
who cares about the songs quality if u know people are gunna donate if u add ur name u get on the fucki song. jay z is a punk. and it’s gunna make more money with mjs name on it given the circumstances.
a lot of you sound real hateful to a nigga we really don’t know. first off fuck that song, he’s telling the truth the shit was trash oversung and all over the place. The original was the shit and more meaningful. I hope it due make money but lets not point out Jay for not joining the group becuz some of the worlds hottest stars besides him wasn’t on it (Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Eminem, Drake, Beyonce, Madonna, etc.) but they scoop LL old ass, Fonz Bentley and other clowns. Cmon man yall sound like some real clowns right now hating on this nigga. Go hate on Wyclef for fucking squeaking like pig on a song for his country. Clowns
I feel jay to an extent but as always he contradicts himself as all of us as human being do. Case 1, it was for a right cause indeed but could have been made better and thoughtful and they could have done something oringinal instead of re-doing history all over again. Case 2 the problem I have with us as people is we never to action until something happens, will protest, march and all that until something happens. Case 3. this cat jay is overrated and becoming slowly outdated if he feels like that which he has a point the he should of left one of the greatest mc/poets of all time craft alone. He turned a real song into a pop garbage track.
All I’m say’in we can do more as a people if we learn to educate ourselves and understand our causes and take action willingly not jus cause. Remember when you are born into this world you now have a responsibilty you might not know what it is put God will put it in front of you its up to us to take action, stay strong and God Bless.
motherfuckers is quick to judge a nigga.why are people so worried about wat a another nigga doin theres alot of other motherfuckers in the world that aint doin shit for hatiti and are rich as shit. correct me if im wrong but did anyone hear anything about bill gates givin money of tryna help?
check urself
bill gates gives nuff too charity
research that shit
The song seems forced, there was a lot of talents combined , they should av been able to come up wit a song to match mj’s we are the world standard. so big up jay!