Terence Trent D'Arby Claims Michael Jackson 'Sabotaged' His Career in Explosive Interview: 'He Was a B------ to Me'

Sananda Maitreya, who was known as Terence Trent D'Arby, has claimed that Michael Jackson intentionally worked against him during the height of his fame in a new interview, stating that the late King of Pop "was a b------ to me."

The 63-year-old spoke to Sky News ahead of his first U.K. tour in over two decades, and reflected on his early stardom and complicated relationship with Jackson.

"The toughest part was maybe they idolized someone who was a c--- to me," Maitreya said. "It was difficult for me to tell my kids that the same Michael Jackson who is a hero to this part of your youth — I had to deal with that b------."

Maitreya gained his fame in the late 1980s with his first album entitled Introducing the Hardline According to..., which had over one million sales within days. However, he said his career lost momentum after alleged internal conflicts at Sony, claiming Jackson used his influence to remain dominant.

"I don't have any empirical evidence that I can point to in a court of law and say his fingerprints were all over some of this," he said. "But of course, he wasn't very comfortable with me."

One former Sony executive told RadarOnline, "Michael guarded his position carefully. Sananda was fresh, fearless, and incredibly gifted — perhaps too gifted for comfort. The message from above was clear: the spotlight had to stay on Michael."

Associates of Maitreya remembered how swiftly public support evaporated when he was criticized for his outspoken persona. "He paid the price for his ambition," said the long-time associate. "And quite frankly, it might have turned out that he, in fact, saved my life."

But despite the lingering resentment, Maitreya felt a complicated thankfulness toward Jackson. "He didn't owe me a f------ thing," he said. "And quite frankly, it might have turned out that he, in fact, saved my life."

He added, "All of my colleagues who went through this — George, Prince, Michael — they're no longer here. It may very well be possible that I'm still here because of Michael's interference."

Now based in Milan with his wife and sons, Maitreya revealed he has just overcome bladder cancer. He talks of renewal. "There are seeds I'm bringing now, to re-seed the future," he said.

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Michael Jackson