CAMPBELL BROWN: So, Will, I understand you and Michael were collaborating together just before he passed away. Tell us what you're working on?
WILL.I.AM, MUSICIAN, ACTIVIST: I had the pleasure and the blessing to work with Michael Jackson for the last, say, around two-and-a-half years I've been communicating with Michael Jackson, talking all of the time on the phone and I flew out and worked with him in Ireland, came back to America and we did "Thriller 25."
I remixed and produced three songs on that album that came out. And it was just - I can't even find the words to describe how thrilled and excited I was working with him and talking with him on the phone and spending time with him, learning from him, exchanging ideas.
It was awesome. He is a great man.
BROWN: So was there a new album that you guys were working on?
WILL.I.AM: It was just making music, you know? We fiddled with a bunch of different ideas and recorded a bunch of things. I'm not - it was never like, let's record an album. It was, let's, you know, have fun and make music.
BROWN: So where is it? Are we ever going to get to hear it?
WILL.I.AM: I would love for it come out, you know, the things that we came up with were spectacular. Some of it unfinished, we never got a chance to really finish the tune.
BROWN: So can…
WILL.I.AM: You know, because we - it was kind of like piecework, you know?
BROWN: Yes. Are you still working on it or can you still work on it?
WILL.I.AM: Without him it will be, you know, impossible. You know, our work relationship was real unique. You know, there was a lot of producers in the past that, you know, took advantage of how - of Michael Jackson, how big he was. And I didn't want to go about it that way, you know?
So when his managers asked me how much I wanted to get paid, I told them I didn't want to get paid, and I didn't want them paying for my plane tickets when I went travel to work with him.
So, you know, we went about it that way. It was just all out of the love of music and, you know, we appreciated each other and what we brought.
And I, of course, you know, was just thrilled to be, you know, working with the guy.
He - you know, a true talent a gift to the planet, you know? For all the wonderful things that he has done in the world of music and his philanthropy and, you know, just really inspired me to the core.
And I would like to figure out how to go about, you know, releasing some of the unfinished things - songs that we've, you know, started to work on. Like, you know, when James Brown passed away, he and I went into the studio to record a song that was called "I'm Going to Miss You (ph)," and that was never complete.
And for that song to come out now would be, you know, something else –
BROWN: So –
WILL.I.AM.: – spectacular to release that.
BROWN: So, do you own it? Can you release it? Or, does his family own it? Or, how does that happen, or how does it work?
WILL.I.AM.: I don't know how that happens. You know, I don't know.
BROWN: So you don't have the tracks, you don't own the tracks?
WILL.I.AM.: I have the tracks in my archives (ph) but I don't - you know, he would take his vocals and I would take my music. So, you know, I didn't record his vocals on my hard drive and on my hard drive I kept the music.
BROWN: It would be great if you could work with the family and bring it together and put it all together. Don't you think?
WILL.I.AM.: That would be, you know, that would be wonderful. But, you know, I don't want to, you know, I don't want to - I don't want it to be about money or profits earlier and I don't want to do that now. So, you know, if they come to me and want to do it, I'll be thrilled but I don't want to - that's not what I'm about. I don't want go and try to take advantage of a situation, you know?
BROWN: Right.
WILL.I.AM.: If it comes out it would be awesome. I don't want to force it to come out, you know? It's like a marry of the two hard drives with his vocals and my music. You know, that would be great, as well.
BROWN: So, how did it come about that you two started working together?
How did you meet him? Who brought you together?
WILL.I.AM.: So, I was on tour with the Black Eyed Peas early 2007, or late 2006. I don't know. It was a while ago. And I get a phone call and Taboo says, Will, Michael Jackson's on the phone. And I didn't believe him, you know. I thought he was joking around. And then when I talked to the guy on the phone I thought someone was playing a prank on me doing a Michael Jackson voice.
Lo and behold, to make a long story short, it was indeed Michael Jackson. He and I had talked once a week for about six months since he reached out to me. And then I flew to Ireland shortly after that to work with him.
BROWN: So, let me ask you a tough question. When you were working with him, did it seem to you like he was on drugs?
WILL.I.AM.: No. Not at all.
BROWN: Did –
WILL.I.AM.: You're talking about a –
BROWN: Go ahead.
WILL.I.AM.: You're talking about a man that is so - you know, his sense of precision in the studio, paying attention to every single detail and wanting to bring the best out of his songs. No, it didn't seem that way at all.
BROWN: Did he seem frail or sick to you at all?
WILL.I.AM.: No. Not at all. He was alert, he was kind, he was fun to be around with. He loved music. We loved talking about, you know, the things we liked about traveling. Not at all.
BROWN: Well, Will, for everyone it would be wonderful if you could work this out with the family and people would be able to hear that music at some point in time.
WILL.I.AM.: Yes. You know, I would like - most importantly is the family to get over the blow of Michael Jackson's passing. That's what's important. And the music will always be there and if it comes out that will be great, if it doesn't, you know, I had a blast knowing him and working with him and those memories will always be with me.
His music will continue to live on and inspire the world, entertain us, give us escape. So - you know - it's hard for me, you know? He would call me on my birthday and on Father's Day because he knew that I didn't have a relationship with my father so he would call several - two Father's Days we talked on the phone. So, it's hard for me, you know?
I'm not as close as his family but right now the most important thing is, you know, allowing people to get over it and remember him and deal with the pain.
BROWN: Certainly the case.
Well, Will, thanks for coming on and talking with us about this. We really appreciate it. Good luck to you.
WILL.I.AM.: Thank you.
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