Michael Jackson Estate Shuts Down Sexyy Red’s viral ‘Beat It’ Flip
When you remix a song by the King of Pop, people are going to notice. And when that remix goes viral, the reaction can be even louder than the music….
When you remix a song by the King of Pop, people are going to notice. And when that remix goes viral, the reaction can be even louder than the music.
That is exactly what happened after Sexyy Red recorded an explicit flip of Michael Jackson’s classic hit “Beat It.” Her version, called “Just Eat It,” started spreading across social media this week, and it did not take long for Jackson’s estate to respond.
“We were totally unaware of this,” a spokesman for the Michael Jackson Estate told Billboard in a statement on Thursday (Feb. 12). “The use of the music is unauthorized.”
In simple terms, that means no one asked for permission. And without that approval, the track is not likely to land on streaming services anytime soon.
How It Went Viral
The buzz began when Lil Yachty posted a clip of Sexyy in the studio to his backup Instagram page on Tuesday (Feb. 10). In the video, she raps along to her bold remake of Jackson’s anthem.
The footage spread quickly, picking up millions of views and plenty of opinions. Some fans were shocked. Others were angry. Things heated up even more when Yachty joked in his caption that the remix might appear on the upcoming Michael biopic soundtrack in April.
That comment did not sit well with many Jackson supporters.
In the clip, Sexyy delivers explicit lyrics over the familiar “Beat It” sound. “Just eat it, just eat it/ You better not nut fast because I hate a minute man/ And if that d—k is trash, I’m telling all my friends/ I’ll beat your a— and we bout to throw them hands,” she raps on her risque version.
She later leaned into the controversy by posting her own video to Instagram on Wednesday (Feb. 11). “Leaked footage from da Michael Jackson movie HOOCHIE TRIBUTE TO DA BEST LLMJ,” she wrote.
Fans and Artists React
Not everyone found the remix funny.
Online reactions were swift and intense, especially from longtime fans of Michael Jackson.
“Sexyy I love you? But this is so disgusting and disrespectful to his legacy and a lawsuit I’m sure is on the way.”
“This is literally a disgrace to Michael Jackson and music …. People like u should never be allowed in the music industry miss STD.”
“Let it be a lie, my good Lord, please let it be a lie.”
At the same time, Sexyy Red has shown love for Jackson before. The rapper once brought out MJ impersonator Rico Hampton to perform “Billie Jean” at her hometown St. Louis show in November. That moment was a clear tribute, not a remix.
The Weird Al Difference
Of course, this is not the first time someone has put a humorous spin on a Michael Jackson classic.
Weird Al Yankovic famously parodied Jackson’s songs with “Eat It” and “Fat.” The big difference? He asked first.
According to Rolling Stone, he described how it all happened. The first time around, he pursued Michael Jackson about a song parody; it was a shot in the dark. They were talking about the most popular and famous person in the known universe, and there he was, a goofy comedy songwriter. Jackson not only returned the phone calls, but he also approved it. He thought it was a funny idea. Then, when they did the second parody, "Fat," Jackson was nice enough to let them use his subway set for the video, so he had always been very supportive.
He also explained that the first time he met Jackson in person was long after getting permission to do "Eat It" back in 1984. The artist also mentioned that there is a contract somewhere that has Jackson’s signature next to his, proving that they are the co-writers of "Eat It," which he described as surrealistic in and of itself. The first time he actually ran into Jackson was backstage at one of his concerts, maybe four years later, when Even Worse came out with his second parody, "Fat." He brought along a gold record of Even Worse to present to Jackson. Jackson was very gracious, thanked him for it, and said some nice things.
So yes, Weird Al got permission. Sexyy Red did not.
What Happens Next?
Right now, the estate has made its position clear. The remix is unauthorized. Without official clearance, it cannot legally be released on digital streaming platforms.
Still, the situation shows how fast music can travel in the social media age.
