Jimmy Jam says Prince, Michael Jackson were "competitive" yet respected each other

Washington [US], April 26 : Producer and songwriter Jimmy Jam shared fresh memories of Michael Jackson and Prince, saying the two global icons may have been competitive, but they also had deep respect for each other.

Jam, who worked closely with both stars, spoke to PEOPLE at the Hollywood premiere of Michael . During the interaction, he reflected on the relationship between the late singers and how differently they approached their music.

According to Jimmy Jam, both artists wanted to be the best, but there was no lack of admiration between them. He said they were rivals on the charts, yet they respected one another's talent and work.

"Probably were both competitive, but they also were very respectful of each other," he said.

He also shared how Prince worked in a fast and instinctive style. Jimmy Jam said Prince could begin a song in the morning and have it fully recorded, mixed and ready by the end of the day.

"The way they went about doing what they do is totally different. I always say Prince would start a record at the beginning of the day, and at the end of the day, the record would be totally done, mixed, ready to go. Very spontaneous. That's the way Prince did it," he shared.

Speaking about Michael Jackson, Jimmy Jam said the singer was far more careful and detailed while creating music. He recalled spending days changing just one line while working on the song Scream.

"Michael was very meticulous. I remember, on 'Scream,' we literally spent three days changing one line, and he just said, 'We have to challenge ourselves.' And we finally were like, 'Okay, we're done challenging that. It sounds great. It sounds great.' "

Jimmy Jam said both stars had different creative styles, but each had an effect on the other. In his view, they learned from one another even if people often focused only on their rivalry.

He added that Prince and Michael may not have created music the same way in one room, but their mutual influence was clear.

According to PEOPLE magazine, Michael Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest. Prince passed away in 2016 at the age of 57 due to an accidental fentanyl overdose.

Jimmy Jam also remembered Prince warmly, saying the music icon still crosses his mind often.

Meanwhile, the new Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' released in theatres on April 24.

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