Madonna once asked Michael Jackson to 'dress like a girl' for their music video: 'It was crazy...'
Michael Jackson never stopped making headlines, whether it was for his personal life or professional life. Kenny Babyface Edmunds, the producer of the song ‘In the Closet,’ spilled the beans on what transpired when Madonna and the King of Pop collaborated for a music video. He mentioned that Madonna wanted Jackson to “dress like a girl.” Edmunds reminisced that, responding to her bold request, Jackson told him, "Babyface, can you believe she wants me to dress like a girl? I'd never do that. She was trying to change it all up. It was crazy."
Edmonds claimed an Instagram Live production battle with Teddy Riley, per Page Six. He also reportedly said that Jackson was so enraged that he ended up casting Naomi Campbell instead. Later, Madonna reportedly shared in an interview that when they were working on the song together, “I started writing words and getting ideas and stuff, and I presented them to him, and he didn’t like them,” according to Independent UK. “I think all he wanted was a provocative title, and ultimately he didn’t want the content of the song to... sort of, live up to the title," she added.
However, the video was released in April 1992 as the third single of his eighth album, 'Dangerous,' and was declared the most steamy and sexual song Jackson has ever sung by Rolling Stone. This only proves that Jackson’s musical genius is undeniable. According to the GRAMMYs, Jackson was the 10th individual to receive the prestigious GRAMMY Legend Award—an honor bestowed on only 15 artists to date. His impact on the music industry is undeniable, with groundbreaking albums like Off the Wall and Thriller earning a spot in the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2008, solidifying his status as the King of Pop.
Despite never officially collaborating, Jackson and Madonna were rumoured to be in a romantic relationship for a brief time. Per ABS CNN, both the King and Queen of Pop gained media attention after their appearance at the 63rd Academy Awards, both dressed in dazzling white. The outlet also reported that Madonna later revealed to VH1 how the date came to be. “Michael was like, ‘Well, who are you going to go with?’ I looked at him and said, ‘I don’t know. You want to go?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, that’d be great.’” Years later, Madonna reminisced about the night, posting a photo on Instagram with the caption, “Best Date Ever!!”
View this post on Instagram
In another interview with Rolling Stone, Madonna gave a sneak peek of their relationship, stating, “There was a period when we hung out. He wanted to work with me. I think he wanted to get to know me, and I wanted to do the same,” she recalled. “So that’s what we were doing: watching movies, having dinner, hanging out, going to the Oscars, being silly, seeing if we could work.” However, their relationship soon fizzled out. The reason? It may be hidden in 'The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul,' where Jackson didn’t hold back his feelings about Madonna. “She is not a nice person,” he stated. Despite any past tensions, the singer also reportedly paid tribute to the late Michael Jackson on her Instagram post in 2009, where she said, "I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.”