Jon B Reflects on the Time He Worked ‘Hand-to-Hand’ with Michael Jackson: ‘What I Live For’

Jon B has made music with the greats.

In a new interview with PEOPLE to promote his Still Got Love Spring/Summer Tour, which comes amid the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Bonafide, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and producer, 51, looked back on his career.

“I remixed the song ‘You Are Not Alone’ for Michael Jackson,” Jon B tells PEOPLE.

“And it was an official remix,” he adds. “It wasn’t like I just did it on the side. They asked me to do it and I was honored. At one point, I was managed by the same management company as Michael Jackson when I first started out in my career.”

He tells PEOPLE while he has not yet seen the new biopic, Michael, which stars the late King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, he does have fond memories of their time in the studio together.

“It’s an incredible honor,” he says.

He also recalls “getting to do that with the likes of Tupac Shakur and countless other artists.”

“That’s really my name of the game as far as using the opportunity that I have as an artist to live out my dreams. The first thing for me was, all right, I’m gonna work with all my favorite people, you know?” he says.

Jon B’s debut album Bonafide was released in 1995.

One of the biggest tracks to come from it was his breakthrough single, “Someone to Love” featuring Babyface.

The song was originally featured on the soundtrack to the 1995 Will Smith and Martin Lawrence action-comedy Bad Boys.

“To [be featured] on my record, my very first song that I ever put out was a tremendous honor for me,” Jon B tells PEOPLE of the collaboration, adding that he was “a huge fan of him.”

He also calls Babyface “the pinnacle of all artists for me to want to work with. I wanted to work with him more than anyone.”

Jon B also found success on his follow-up album, Cool Relax, with the single “They Don’t Know.”

“It’s still being sung in the club,” he says of the 1997 single. “Everybody’s singing it word for word, and you’re just thinking, ‘Man, that started out as me shedding my feelings.'”

“As a songwriter, that’s very fulfilling. Let alone I get to be the artist that delivered the message. So it’s really been the one song I’m the most proud of because that’s the one song they’re singing at the top of their lungs at every show,” he tells PEOPLE.

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Jon B’s most recent album, Waiting on You, was released in March 2025 and features Tank, Rick Ross, Donell Jones, and Alex Isley.

“It’s because of the fans and their support over the last 30, 31 years now, I’m able to continue to do these albums and to be able to put music out and tour and have this amazing career that I’ve had,” he tells PEOPLE.

Jon B’s next tour stop is Sunday, May 10 in Palm Springs, Calif., at Morongo Casino. The independent artist also has several international dates lined up.