Akon Talks Unreleased Duet With Michael Jackson

Akon is one of the handfuls of artists who were lucky enough to collaborate with Michael Jackson before his untimely passing. The R&B singer – who first recorded alongside Jackson on the “Thriller 25th Anniversary” album – said working with the King of Pop was an “incredible” experience.

“I expected him to be a diva, not as talkative, you know what I mean, distant, send messages through other people, ” Akon said of Jackson during an interview Monday on NBC’s the “Today” show with co-host Meredith Vieira. “But he was just so direct, so humble, it was incredible.”

The singer revealed that he and Michael also worked on another song, yet to be released, called “Hold My Hand,” which includes the lyrics, “This life don’t last forever / its what you waited for.”

“It didn’t really hit me until right now… life don’t last forever,” Akon explained. “So once you’re here, you’ve got to make the best of it and leave something behind that people can really cherish.”

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, a public memorial will be held for Jackson on Tuesday at The Staples Center in LA. Over 1.6 million people entered a lottery for a chance to attend the service.