To achieve this, Reid recruited Timbaland as the executive producer. Timbaland, renowned for his avant-garde rhythm structures and work with Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliott, brought a team of elite hitmakers on board. This roster included Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (who had originally worked with Jackson on the Invincible album), Stargate, J-Roc, and John McClain.
Norwegian production duo Stargate completely stripped the rock elements away, replacing them with an upbeat, driving dance groove heavily inspired by Jackson's own "Leave Me Alone." Michael Jackson Xscape -Deluxe Edition- 2014
Following the mixed reception of the 2010 posthumous album Michael , L.A. Reid sought a different approach for Xscape . The goal was "contemporization"—taking Jackson’s vocal tracks and restructuring the instrumentation to sound fresh, modern, and competitive on contemporary radio, without losing the essence of Michael's original intent. To achieve this, Reid recruited Timbaland as the