Pop history collided with hard-rock firepower as Michael Jackson delivered what many still call the most electrifying live version of Beat It, a performance elevated into legend the moment Slash of Guns N’ Roses stepped in with a blistering guitar solo that sliced through the pop spectacle like lightning, turning a familiar global hit into a raw, dangerous fusion of precision, swagger, and sheer adrenaline — the kind of once-in-a-generation crossover that left audiences stunned, musicians in awe, and fans realizing they weren’t just watching a concert, but witnessing two worlds collide in real time.

Eddie Van Halen shredding the guest solo on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” may be the best pop and hard rock crossover of all time. What Michael didn’t know in 1982 was that two decades later, he’d deliver a similarly iconic performance with a little help from Guns N’ Roses’ axeman Slash, who dropped the famous solo in his own style on stage. The pair teamed up for the collaboration on September 10, 2001, for a show that marked the 30th anniversary of Jackson’s first solo single “Got to Be There.”

Fans declared that the Madison Square Garden cut was without a doubt the greatest live version of “Beat It,” and The Music Man has to agree there. Jackson is in blistering form, effortlessly hitting those famous melodies while delivering a masterclass in dance and stage presence. If anyone was wondering why they call Jackson The King of Pop, just watch this performance, because nobody, before or since, has ever done it like this.

Jackson and Slash’s collab on “Beat It” drew 7.5 million views on YouTube after fan channel New Michael Jackson uploaded a remastered version of it. Fans had to agree it was peak Jackson and added comments such as “That stage with MJ and Slash together is still beyond human cognition” and “My favourite performance of ‘Beat It’, just love this instrumental, Slash’s solo, the dancers and Michael’s live vocals straight after the solo.”

Slash and Jackson loved working together, and they gave a number of performances together over the years. One of their most memorable shows came when Slash guested on Jackson’s rendition of “Black or White” on the MTV 10th Anniversary show in 1991. Slash provided the famous funky guitar riff on the tune, and later closed out the performance with a chaotic guitar solo. He then gave a memorable closer by throwing his guitar through the window of a car on stage, sending the crowd wild.

Jackson and Slash collaborated both on stage and in the studio. Slash made a notable studio contribution to MJ’s 1991 album Dangerous by tracking the guitar solo on “Give In to Me.” In 2020, Slash spoke about his relationship with The King of Pop in an interview with Kerrang. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that Jackson initiated the collaboration by contacting Slash’s manager and telling him he wanted to get in touch with the guitarist. Slash said that Jackson “really dug” his solo on “Give In to Me,” and that after that, Jackson “kept asking me if I’d be into doing this, or doing that. I’d do some shows here and there and it was fun because he was such a pro, and he was such a talent from on high.” Slash said that Jackson was a “treat to be around,” but noted that the singer was also under huge strain, being in the center of such a gargantuan commercial pop machine.