LaToya goes to Spain where she gives an interview to Alfonso Arus.
Janet performs a private show at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre in Brunei, South East Asia by request of Princess Hamidah of the Brunei royal family. An exclusive audio recording of the show is issued to attendees of Hamidah’s twenty-first birthday party.
January : Michael records a demo version of “What More Can I Give”.
Janet shoots the video for “I Get Lonely” directed by Paul Hunter and featuring the Blackstreet.
January 10 : LaToya appears as herself in an episode of MADtv.
January 18 : Michael wins the copyright infringement case against Al Bano Carrisi for the song “Will You Be There”.
January 26 : Janet opens the American Music Awards ceremony with an amazing performance of “Together Again” in a R&B version.
February : Michael & Janet see each other for the first time since December 95 in a Los Angeles hotel and MJ introduces her to his son Prince.
February 7 : Michael has dinner with Lisa Marie at the Ivvy Restaurant in L.A.
February 13 : Adrian Grant holds an exclusive interview of Michael in his hotel suite of Los Angeles.
Michael & Omer host a party for Prince 1st birthday.
February 20-27 : Michael goes to Seoul to attend the investiture ceremony of President Kim Dae Jung on the 25th.
February 26 : Janet tapes a piano/vocal performance of “I Get Lonely” on the Rosie O Donnell Show and Rosie presents her with the Grammy Award she won the night before.
“I Get Lonely” is released as the 3rd single from “The Velvet Rope”. It peaks at #3 on Hot 100 Billboard.
February 27 : Janet performs “I Get Lonely” at the Soul Train Awards.
March : Janet & the Kids rehearse for the new tour in Los Angeles .
Janet gives an interview to BET from her Malibu beach home.
March 3 : An order is entered by District Judge Carl J. Christensen at Clark County, Nevada dissolving the marriage between LaToya and Jack Gordon and awarding LaToya royalties and property.
The order concludes with a response to Jackson’s petition for a restraining order against Gordon; it is ordered by the court that Gordon and Jackson are both strictly prohibited from going within 100 feet of each other, each other’s work place or residence, or any member of each other’s family. Gordon is ordered to provide Jackson with a $350,000 settlement and pay $15,000 to cover Jackson’s attorney fees.
March 5-10 : Michael goes to Vienna with Prince Michael Jr.
March 10-30 : Michael is in Munich with Prince to visit his friends Anton & Francesca and also Marcel Avram, his former concert promoter still in jail. He also takes Prince to the circus.
March 10 : In NYC, Janet gives an interview on CNN’s Larry King Lve.
At night she & Rene attend the Blockbuster Awards in L.A where Janet is presented with an award.
Late March : Janet shoots the video for “Go Deep” in Los Angeles and after she flies to Europe with Rene & the kids to resume the tour rehearsals
April 3 : Debbie Rowe gives birth to Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, second child of Michael, at the Spalding Pain Medical Clinic of Beverly Hills. Michael attends the birth and then takes his baby girl to Neverland where Prince is waiting with Grace, Pia, Omer & Connie Cascio.
THE VELVET ROPE TOUR : EUROPEAN LEG :
April 21 : Michael gives an interview to Laurent Hopman from in his hotel suite in Los Angeles .
May 7-9 : Michael goes to the Virgin Islands with Don Barden , his new business partner with whom he wants to build casinos!
May 15 : Michael holds a press conference in Beverly Hills to announce a series of benefit concerts for the World Peace Foundation For Children.
May 17 : Michael goes to Namibia n with Don Barden. He pleads for children’s cause during the opening statement of the World Economic Forum Summit.
May 19 : During the the Forum Summit, Michael has a private meeting with President Larent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Late May : Michael & Don Barden go to Las Vegas.
June 15 : “Go Deep” is released as the 4th single from “The Velvet Rope”.
While in Paris, Janet gives a radio interview to NRJ (she is a bit sick after cancelling last night concert in Germany but the radio host comes to her hotel).
July 6 : Michael arrives in Detroit with Don Barden where he is welcomed by hundreds of fans!
July 7 : Michael & Don give a press conference in Detroit to announce a Casino project named Majestic Kingdon.
Janet & Collin Powell from ‘s Promise meet youth in a school.
July 8 : Michael & Don give a secong press conference to support their project.
July 9 : Michael & Don go to New York to speak with potential financers.
Janet gives an interview to Good Morning America.
THE VELVET ROPE TOUR : NORTH AMERICA LEG :
July 14 : Michael & Don return to L.A
July 15 : Michael has a two hour long private meeting with the Namibien President.
July 17 : Michael & Don go to South Africa
July 18 : Michael & Don go to Joannesburg
July 19 : Michael attends the 80th birthday banquet and wedding of Nelson Mandela with Stevie Wonder among others. While in South Africa, Michael visits Sun City.
July 21 : Janet is a guest on Late Night With David Letterman in New York City
July 24 : Michael goes to Tokyo.
July 25 : Michael attends the Kick Boxing Champion All-Star Match in Tokyo.
“Luv Me, Luv Me” is a song by Jamaican-American reggae singer Shaggy. It was first released on July 25, 1998 with Janet Jackson credited as a featured artist. The song was re-recorded in 2000 with Samantha Cole’s vocals after Jackson’s label withheld the song from being included on Shaggy’s next album.
July 27 : Michael holds a press conference in Tokyo to announce a new Japanese Company Wonder World – Land Of Toys .
July 28 : Michael flies back home.
August 3 : Michael returns to Detroit to convince the people to vote for his casino project.
August 4 : Michael and Stevie Wonder visit the Motown Museum in Detroit with Berry Gordy’s sister Ester Edwards.
After hearing that his project was rejected by the people of Detroit , Michael returns to Las Angeles.
August 20 : Michael attends Janet’s Velvet Rope concert in L.A with the 3T.
August 25-26 : Michael starts recording news songs such as “A Place With No Name”, “Break Of Dawn” and “Blue Gangsta” at the Record Plant Studio in L.A with producer Elliot Straite aka Dr Freeze and sound engineer Michael Prince.
August 29 : Michael spends his 40th birthday with the 3T at Janet’s concert at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas .
He is recording 2 songs with the 3T for their new album.
September 3 : “You” is released as the 5th single from “The Velvet Rope” along with a live video.
September 7 : Janet is on the cover of Jet magazine
September 8 : Michael records his lead vocals on “A Place With No Name” at Record Plant Studio in LA.
September 9 : LaToya performs on a TV show in Germany.
September 15 : Michael attends another Janet concert in Orlando, Florida.
October : Janet is on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
October 8 : In New York City , Janet records the duet “I Know The Truth” with Elton John.
October 9 : Janet makes a surprise appearance on the Rosie O Donnell Show in NYC to promote her upcoming HBO Special.
October 11 : This is Janet’s big night. She performs a concert at the Madison Square Garden live on HBO around the world. Q-Tips does his rap on Got Til It’s Gone and backstage Janet meets Usher, Missy Elliot & Busta Rhymes among others.
October 16 : Michael records additional lead vocals on ” A Place With No Name’ at the Record One Studio with Dr Freeze. He also starts working with Brad Buxer and Michael Prince on the songs “Speechless” and “The Lost Children”
October 29 : Michael & Debbie go to the Getty museum in Los Angeles with Prince & Paris.
November 10-20 : Michael goes to South Africa with his kids as well as Lisa Marie & her kids and together they attend a Janet’s concert.
- THE VELVET ROPE TOUR : SOUTH AFRICA LEG
| November 14, 1998 | Cape Town | South Africa | Green Point Stadium |
| November 19, 1998 | Durban | Kings Park Stadium | |
| November 21, 1998 | Johannesburg | Ellis Park Stadium |
November 17 : “Everytime” is released as the 6th & final single from “The Velvet Rope”.
November 25 : Michael spends Thanksgiving at Hayvenhurst with the Jackson family + Lisa Marie & her kids. The whole family attends except LaToya who stays in Vegas.
- THE VELVET ROPE TOUR : AUSTRALIA LEG
| November 27, 1998 | Christchurch | New Zealand | WestpacTrust Centre |
| November 28, 1998 | |||
| November 30, 1998 | Wellington | Queens Wharf Events Centre | |
| December 1, 1998 | |||
| December 3, 1998 | |||
| December 5, 1998 | Auckland | Ericsson Stadium | |
| December 7, 1998 | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
| December 9, 1998 | Sydney | Sydney Entertainment Centre | |
| December 10, 1998 | Newcastle | Newcastle Entertainment Centre | |
| December 12, 1998 | Sydney | Sydney Entertainment Centre | |
| December 13, 1998 | Perth | Perth Entertainment Centre | |
| December 14, 1998 | |||
| December 15, 1998 | Melbourne | Melbourne Park | |
| December 17, 1998 | |||
| December 20, 1998 | Adelaide | Adelaide Entertainment Centre |
December 10 : Michael & Debbie attend a dinner in honour of Dr Arnold Klein. It’s their last public appearance together.
December 11-12 : Michael attends the Grand Opening of Royal Towers of Atlantis resort in with his friend Gerry Inzerillo. He goes on stage to perform a bit of “Heal The World” with a group of children.
December 20 : Michael takes Prince & Paris to visit the Hilton family in New York .
December 21 : Janet, Rene & the Kids leave Australia and fly back home for the holidays.
December 24/25 : Michael celebrates Christmas at Neverland with Prince, Paris, the Cascios & the Bhattis.
