The posthumous release of Michael Jackson's XSCAPE this week and the impending fifth anniversary of his death next month has me all up, in and through my feelings. But instead of wallowing in grief (yes, MJ's loss still hurts), I'm swallowing the lump in my throat and wicking away my tears long enough to celebrate the life and legacy of this man, and XSCAPE is proving the perfect soundtrack. The surprisingly good collection is in heavy rotation right now, and one of the songs that I was digging on first listen was the Timbaland-produced "Blue Gangsta." The refixed track is slick and full of swagger, akin to classics like "Bad" and "Smooth Criminal."
Taking a few cues from the "Smooth Criminal" music video, "Blue Gangsta" gets a visual interpretation from the cast of Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour. A bar is the scene for all manners of excitement to pop off with a group of guys kicking it and playing cards before a femme fatale slinks in the spot and they all want what she's got. The men all pause when she walks into the room and she distracts them with her sensual dancing on the bar top. She has them all open, but they get shut down with the quickness when her man -- the "Blue Gangsta" -- strolls in. More dancers appear on the scene, and they further bring the lyrics to life with their costumes and intricate choreography. Unlike the visuals for "Love Never Felt So Good," Michael isn't present in photos or footage, but his presence is definitely felt.
