11 Bizarrely Unnecessary Sequels To Classic Songs

10. Michael Jackson - "Blue Gangsta"

Originally recorded in the late 1990s, "Blue Gangsta" was posthumously released in 2014 after some excellent trap reworking by Timbaland. According to Michael Jackson's official website, the song is meant to be a sequel "of sorts" to another gangster-related Jackson hit, "Smooth Criminal."

The connection is primarily thematic, with both songs paying tribute to Jackson's interest in the mob. Upon deeper analysis, things start to get a bit dicey.

"Smooth Criminal" tells the disturbing story of a woman's assault by a man who enters her apartment. Much of the story remains vague in the original cut, but additional lyrics in the 1988 film Moonwalker describe Jackson's search for clues as he looks for Annie's killer. In other words, he's the good guy.

By contrast, "Blue Gangsta" is told from the perspective of a criminal who's been spurned by a woman and is now threatening her life. While light on actual story, the villainous intent is made clear from assertions that there's "no way to hide," and that the harm she's caused him will soon be coming back to her.

A fiercely enjoyable piece of music by any standard, "Blue Gangsta" is nonetheless a complete reversal of the noble gangster Jackson evokes in "Smooth Criminal." If anything, one could easily imagine "Blue Gangsta" being performed by Annie's attacker as his heartbreak drives him to violent obsession. This noir-infused hip hop track may work on its own, but connecting it to "Smooth Criminal" makes it difficult to sympathize with the gangster archetype that Jackson found so provocative.

 
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Kieran enjoys overanalyzing and arguing about pop culture, believing that heated debates can (and should) be had in good fun. He currently lives in Fort Worth, TX, where he spends his time chatting with strangers on the bus and forcing them to look at pictures of his dog.