Michael Jackson Enlists Black Eyed Pea Will.i.am To Help On New Album

Despite all of his problems, Michael Jackson apparently still has some friends, or at least enough money to pay people to work with him on his first new studio album in five years.

The troubled pop star and Black Eyed Pea Will.i.am have been working in an Irish studio to come up with material for the follow-up to 2001's Invincible, which is expected to be released late next year by the new Bahrain-based Two Seas Records label.

"I like what he is doing and thought it would be interesting to collaborate or just see how the chemistry worked," Jackson told entertainment show Access Hollywood in an interview that's set to air on Thursday and Friday. "I think he's doing wonderful, innovative, positive, great music."

While Jackson's legal woes have been given more attention than his music over the past decade, he hasn't stopped writing new songs and said, "I want to give the world escapism through the wonder of great music and to reach the masses."

The 48-year-old may also collaborate with New York City mix tape master and 50 Cent DJ Whoo Kid, who met Jackson earlier this year in Bahrain, where Jackson had moved after being acquitted of child molestation charges last year.

Jackson is slated to appear at the World Music Awards show in London, England on Nov. 15 to be honoured with a Diamond Award for selling more than 100 million albums over the course of his career. The award has previously gone to Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey, Bon Jovi and Celine Dion. The show will be hosted by Lindsay Lohan and feature performances by the likes of Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli.