After a long and frequently dramatic time away from the music industry, Michael Jackson is releasing his first new music in seven years. To mark the 25th anniversary of his record-breaking album Thriller, the man once known as the King of Pop is releasing a new version of the hit The Girl Is Mine. Originally a duet with Sir Paul McCartney, Jackson has re-recorded the song with The Black Eyed Pea’s Will.i.am. Jackson was booked to perform at the World Music Awards in London but managed only a few faltering notes. His latest comeback attempt is more ambitious. The Girl Is Mine will be on shop shelves on January 28, followed by a new edition of Thriller, featuring remixes by hip-hop heavyweights Akon and Kanye West, on February11. Then in March the singer starts a three-month-long UK tour.

Click here to listen to a clip from Michael Jackson's newversion The Girl Is Mine

More details are emerging about the recording sessions for Michael Jackson's upcoming studio album, which is being executive produced by Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am. Chris Brown tells that he got a verbal commitment from both will.i.am and Jackson himself to make a guest appearance on the project. "We are talking but…like I originally talked to will.I.am, because he does some stuff for him. And then when I talked to Mike, he said 'Yeah we’ll do something,' so hopefully we will do that record," Brown said.

According to the Web site, Rodney Jerkins, Teddy Riley and others are recording Jackson’s album in Westmeath Ireland, Las Vegas and New York; and features production. Allhiphop is also reporting that Jackson is currently working with will.i.am and rapper 50 Cent to produce a 10- to 30-date residency at London's O2 Arena

Windy City rapper Rhymefest and associate DJ Mark Ronson recently teamed up to release a Michael Jackson homage mixtape, "Man in the Mirror." The disc features tracks entirely sampled from Michael Jackson and Jackson 5 songs. "This was very important to me, seeing as how Michael Jackson is responsible for a revolution in music that took place when he dropped a fu*king bomb on the planet called Thriller," Fest wrote on his myspace blog. The disc was sent out about two weeks ago to Myspacers who asked for it, in exchange for comments and feedback about the music. On his blog, Fest said he'll make the mixtape available to everyone for free download tomorrow (Jan. 1) but someone beat him to the punch as the disc is already available online now. [Download Here] Fest relates MJ's classic album to his own upcoming project...