club 30's with mjfangirl- a Michael Jackson Fan Podcast

In this episode I am so excited to welcome back Big Al to the show! Big Al was Michael Jackson’s longtime amusement park manager, who worked with him for 15+ years. Today he takes us inside Neverland Valley Ranch and walks through what daily life was really like running Michael’s private amusement park. From opening the gates early in the morning to maintaining rides, trains, and safety systems. You guys also submitted lots of questions, some of which we discussed today (and more coming in part 2) He shares detailed stories about the layout of the ranch, the steam train, Michael’s favorite rides, and how events were carefully planned so everyone experienced every part of Neverland. The conversation also moves into personal moments that reveal Michael Jackson away from the stage. Big Al recounts being gifted one of Michael’s fedoras, driving him and his children to Thanksgiving dinner, being invited to share the holiday meal, and later receiving a custom Santa Claus suit made just for him. Stay tuned for PART 2, dropping next week!TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Welcome to Michael Jackson’s Neverland01:05 – Big Al- Manager of Michael Jackson’s Amusement Park01:30 – “Michael Jackson Gave Me His Hat”03:30 – Why Michael Jackson’s Neverland Was Different05:30 – A “Normal” Day at Michael Jackson’s Neverland07:10 – How Michael Jackson Planned Days for Sick Kids08:50 – Why Michael Jackson Didn’t Play His Own Music 09:30 – Big Al’s Thanksgiving Call From Michael Jackson16:10 – How Neverland Ran Without Michael Jackson20:00 – Michael Jackson’s Favorite Neverland Rides28:00 – “This Will Be Michael Jackson’s Biggest Christmas”36:45 – Michael Jackson Has a Santa Suit Made for Big Al45:30 – Big Al on the Michael Jackson Moments That LastedJoin our community of Michael Jackson fans at Club 30's https://www.patreon.com/mjfangirl ✩ Contact & SocialsInstagram, facebook, twitter @mjfangirlblogMy amazon storefont: https://www.amazon.com/shop/mjfangirlblogPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/MjfangirlPodcast on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music: “Club 30s with MJFANGIRL- a Michael Jackson podcast”Business Inquiries - [email protected]

The Michael Jackson movie trailer is finally here, and in this video, Randall and I are reacting to it live for the very first time! Rather than just an emotional watch-through, we slow it down and take a closer, more intentional look from our longtime fan perspective, breaking down scene choices, visual cues, tone, symbolism, and what the filmmakers seem to be signaling about Michael’s story. Watch along with us, and let’s break it down together!!!Check out Randalls video mix - Michael Jackson, Clipse, Tyler, the Creator - P.O.V. (Video Mix)youtube.com/watch?si=WGOkCuXTI7WRvtC2&v=CMP6yeW9wL0&feature=youtu.be Join our community of Michael Jackson fans at Club 30's https://www.patreon.com/mjfangirl ✩ Contact & SocialsInstagram, facebook, twitter @mjfangirlblogMy amazon storefont: https://www.amazon.com/shop/mjfangirlblogPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/MjfangirlPodcast on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music: “Club 30s with MJFANGIRL- a Michael Jackson podcast”Business Inquiries - [email protected]

For nearly 20 years, choreographer and creative partner Travis Payne worked alongside Michael Jackson-- from the Dangerous era and HIStory Tour, to Ghosts, Scream, and This Is It.
In this episode of Club 30s with mjfangirl, I’m joined by Randall (therocfiles / rocsmocs.com ) for a deep-dive conversation with Travis about the creativity, collaboration, and precision behind some of Michael’s most ambitious work. Travis shares what it was really like collaborating with Michael on set and on tour, how Ghosts evolved through multiple versions, and what fans never saw behind the scenes while building massive productions around the world. We also discuss Michael’s rehearsals, global and street-dance influences (including the Bankhead Bounce), and the reality of bringing MJ’s vision to life.

Follow Travis Payne:Website: travispayne.com
Instagram: @travispayne1
Listen to Club 30s with MJFANGIRL:Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Amazon Music
Join the community (Club 30’s / Patreon):patreon.com/mjfangirl
Connect with mjfangirl:Business inquiries: [email protected]: @mjfangirlblog

CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro: MJfangirl + Randall welcome Travis Payne (Michael Jackson creative partner)
00:01:01 - Travis Payne credits: Michael Jackson (Dangerous, HIStory, Ghosts, Scream, This Is It)
00:02:57 - Travis Payne origin story: Atlanta dance training
00:04:03 - Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation Tour
00:09:48 - Travis Payne on mentoring young dancers
00:14:37 - Travis Payne’s inspirations (Bob Fosse, Alvin Ailey, Debbie Allen + more)
00:15:34 - Michael Jackson influence on showmanship
00:18:31 - First time working with Michael Jackson
00:20:44 - Joining Michael Jackson’s Dangerous Tour
00:26:50 - “Dangerous” performance: film references + building MJ’s live cinematic world
00:28:37 - Michael Jackson “Dangerous” at Soul Train Awards: why it was full-circle
00:32:33 - Michael Jackson rehearsal standard
00:33:15 - Bankhead Bounce in “Dangerous”: hip-hop dance + Atlanta culture in MJ choreography
00:38:01 - Divine Nine stepping + “Global Dance”
00:40:26 - Michael Jackson “Ghosts” era: creative process + early concepts
00:41:45 - “Ghosts” filmmaking detail: the “dust” took days to perfect
00:44:01 - Why “Ghosts” was ahead of its time (Thriller legacy + Stan Winston + tech)
00:54:43 - HIStory Tour logistics: Kingdom Air planes + more
01:02:21 - Michael Jackson “Scream” behind the scenes: MJ + Janet collaboration
01:13:00 - MJ Immortal / ONE / Michael Jackson: The Experience

In this episode of mjfangirl, we dive into a conversation I have been wanting to have for a long time about Michael Jackson and hip hop culture. As hip hop rose from the streets to become the dominant voice of Black youth culture, Michael Jackson had to navigate a world that suddenly valued authenticity, edge, and credibility in ways pop music never had before. This episode explores what happened when the King of Pop met a culture that did not automatically bow to pop royalty.
Joined by voices from the Black Jackson Estate Podcast- Ashleigh, and Nikki, along with Randall, and Chris Lacy, we break down how that cultural shift reshaped Michael’s career. We talk through the transition from Thriller to Bad, the New Jack Swing era of Dangerous, and the more experimental and often misunderstood HIStory and Invincible years. The conversation asks whether Michael was embracing hip hop, adapting under pressure, or being actively tested by a culture that had changed the rules.We explore Michael’s real relationships with hip hop artists like Biggie Smalls, Heavy D, Wreckx-N-Effect, Eve, and others, as well as collaborations that almost happened, including Lil’ Kim and Pharrell. We unpack behind the scenes stories from Rodney Jerkins, Michael’s admiration for Biggie and 50 Cent, and why songs like Unbreakable and This Time Around still spark debate decades later. We also examine James Brown’s influence, beatboxing, dance, and the street culture that shaped Michael’s creative evolution. If you have ever wondered where Michael Jackson truly fits in hip hop history, this episode is for you.ROUNDTABLE MEMBERS: Black Jackson Estate  @theblackjacksonestatepodcast  https://www.patreon.com/c/theblackjacksonestate/Chris Lacy : https://chrislacy1990.medium.com @ chrislacy1990Randall - @ therocfiles /  @rocsmocs  #HipHop #NotoriousBIG #michaeljackson TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Michael Jackson & Hip Hop: Why This Conversation Matters02:26 – Personal Hip Hop Origins (NYC, Atlanta, The South)05:32 – From Thriller to Bad: Cultural Pressure on Michael Jackson06:59 – Quincy Jones, Rap Skepticism & the “Hip Hop Is a Fad” Debate09:23 – James Brown, Beatboxing & MJ’s Hip Hop DNA10:27 – New Jack Swing & Dangerous Falling Between Eras11:47 – Run-DMC, LL Cool J & Hip Hop Challenging MJ’s Image14:59 – Dangerous Era Collaborations (Heavy D, Wreckx-N-Effect)18:31 – HIStory Era: “We’re Still on the Same Track”22:22 – Michael, Janet & Biggie at the VMAs23:20 – Michael Jackson on Hip Hop (VIBE 2001 Interview)27:25 – Listener Voicemails: Favorite MJ Hip Hop Collaborations31:35 – Notorious BIG on Invincible & Unbreakable34:15 – Was Biggie’s Verse “Never Heard Before”?38:22 – Biggie’s Bars on MJ Songs (Lyric Breakdown)42:00 – The Lil’ Kim Collaboration That Never Happened46:10 – Pharrell, The Neptunes & “Super Thug”49:41 – Could Michael Have Pulled Off Neptunes Beats?54:55 – Michael & Hip Hop Dance56:20 – The Moonwalk Debate1:08:30 – Final TakeawaysJoin our community of Michael Jackson fans at Club 30's https://www.patreon.com/mjfangirl

this is an older episode but worth listening to, as it was a previous Youtube only episode! Today we have an exclusive interview with one of the most trusted names in Michael Jackson collecting.
In this video, I sit down with Jonathan, owner of MJ Market, to go inside the world of Michael Jackson memorabilia, from rare collectibles to the hard truth about autograph authenticity.
We break down how serious collectors authenticate Michael Jackson autographs, what separates real memorabilia from fakes, and why certain items hold long-term value while others don’t. Jonathan shares real-world experience from the collector market, including common mistakes fans make and what to look for before spending serious money.
Whether you’re just starting your collection or already deep in the hobby, this conversation will help you collect smarter, avoid costly errors, and understand what truly makes Michael Jackson memorabilia valuable.
Visit michaeljacksonmarket.com and get money off your first order using code MJFANGIRL .

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