Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles became the birthplace of a funk-driven anthem when Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones locked in the rhythm section between April and November 1982. The track opens with a driving bassline from Louis Johnson and tight guitar work by David Williams, setting an energetic tone that defines the opening of Thriller. Jackson channeled his frustration with tabloid rumors into lyrics like "You're a vegetable," creating a sharp critique of media gossip while co-producing the session.

The song's most memorable element is its vocal chant at the end, which adapts the hook from Manu Dibango's 1972 hit Soul Makossa. This Cameroonian rhythm inspired a legal settlement where Dibango received credit and royalties for the adaptation. Backing vocals from Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters, James Ingram, Bunny Hull, and Becky Lopez layered over Jerry Hey's bright horn arrangements to create a dense call-and-response texture.

Released as the fourth single from Thriller in May 1983, the track peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 in the UK. Although no official music video was produced during Jackson's lifetime, the song remained a staple of his live performances across every tour from the Victory Tour in 1984 through the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Its legacy continued to grow with inclusion in MJ: The Musical and the 2026 biopic Michael, where critics noted its emotional weight in the context of Jackson's life story. [düzenle]