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CNN Live At Daybreak

Michael Jackson Sounding Off Against Tommy Mottola

Aired July 10, 2002 - 06:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson is sounding off against the recording industry. Have you heard about this; more specifically, Tommy Mottola, the head of Sony, for allegedly making racist remarks? The label that helped create the king of pop now believes his accusations are just a publicity stunt.

CNN's Jason Carroll has the story from New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is one of the best selling recording artists of all time. Michael Jackson, self- proclaimed king of pop, has been hitting the streets of New York, not promoting his latest CD, but criticizing the recording industry and Tommy Mottola, the head of Sony, the label that helped create it.

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: We must put an end to this racism. Racism is bad. Tommy Mottola made some very racist remarks.

CARROLL: Jackson claims Mottola used the "N" word about another African-American artist. Sony called the claim "bizarre," saying "The executive he attacked is widely supported and respected in every part of the music industry and has championed both Mr. Jackson's career and the careers of many other superstars."

Jackson is standing by his claim, and the Reverend Al Sharpton is standing alongside him. The two held a recording artists summit in Harlem on Tuesday. Sharpton distanced himself from Jackson's allegations against Mottola, instead focusing on what he called the real problem.

REV. AL SHARPTON, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: The music industry is like the Rocky Mountains, the higher up you get, the whiter it gets.

MAGGIE FARLEY, "LOS ANGELES TIMES": I think the issue of racism in the record industry is a legitimate issue that needs to be discussed.

CARROLL: But "Los Angeles Times" writer, Maggie Farley, believes Jackson's issue with Sony isn't racism, but his claim that Sony poorly promoted his latest CD, "Invincible." The album went multi-platinum, selling two million copies in the U.S., not bad, but far short of Jackson's previous albums. Were low sales due to a racist industry unwilling to promote, or a changing public unwilling to buy? We went back to Harlem for an answer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He started losing money, so he wants to fault someone else. You know, now he is coming to Harlem and crying racism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson don't look like a black people. He look like he come from a different planet, definitely. So I don't see why the reason I should support Michael Jackson.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a Michael Jackson fanatic, so I relate to all of his music. But some people just didn't buy it, because I guess he's just -- he's an older person, and his music speaks his age.

CARROLL: Ultimately, Jackson's biggest problem might be less with Sony and more with public perception of the man making the music.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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