The name Michael Jackson brings a rush of different emotions; love,
awe, respect, to mention a few.
He was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Dubbed the “King of
Pop”, he was widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural
figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest entertainers of
all time. Jackson’s contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along
with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular
culture for over four decades.
On June 25, 2009, the news of Michael Jackson death at the age of 50
rocked the world and spread quickly online, causing websites to slow
down and crash from user overload. Reports said that he had given up
the ghost after being given a lethal dose of an anesthetic, propofol
and benzodiazepine. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was found
guilty of involuntary manslaughter for administering the drug and he
was released from prison in 2013.
Michael Jackson broke a lot of records in the world of entertainment.
He was one of the best-selling music artistes of all time, with
estimated sales of over 350 million records worldwide; Thriller was
the best-selling album of all time, with estimated sales of 66 million
copies worldwide. He won hundreds of awards (more than any other
artiste in the history of popular music). Michael was inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, and was the only pop or rock
artiste to have been inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame back then.
His other achievements included Guinness world records (including the
Most Successful Entertainer of All Time), 15 Grammy Awards (including
the Legend and Lifetime Achievement awards), 26 American Music Awards
(more than any other artiste), and 13 number-one US singles (more than
any other male artist in the Hot 100 era).
Michael Jackson was also the first artiste to have a top ten single in
the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. Despite his death,
his popularity appears robust 10 years after. According to reports,
the late superstar’s belongings still fetch top prices from buyers.
He’s sold millions of dollars worth of Jackson memorabilia over the
years, including his famous Thriller jacket, for $1.8 million US in
2011. He transformed the art of music videos and paved the way for
modern pop music. For much of his career, he had an unparalleled
worldwide influence over the younger generation.
A day to the 10th anniversary of his death, his younger sister, Janet
Jackson broke her silence amid new allegations against her brother, in
“Leaving Neverland”, an HBO documentary by two men who said Jackson
s&xually abused them for years as minors — and her message was simple
… his rep will be just fine. She addressed what she thought would
happen to the King of Pop’s legacy going forward … saying, “It will
continue.” Janet went on to say that she still saw Michael’s influence
in the world today and that was a reassuring sign.
The documentary focused on two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck,
who denied Jackson abused them while the singer was still alive but
have now laid fresh accusations against him. Both said having their
own children forced them to face the truth. He had acknowledged
befriending numerous children, including some he invited into his bed,
but denied he molested any of them. The claims in the documentary were
not the first, but reignited the scandal after the star’s fatal
overdose at age 50. His estate filed a $100 million lawsuit against
HBO for “posthumous character assassination.”
Leaving Neverland became the third most-watched HBO documentary in the
last decade, according to the network. At the same time, support for
the man and his music remains steadfast as his streaming numbers
continue to soar. Live on, legend!
…World pays tribute to pop icon
Fans, music icons and the whole world took some time on Wednesday to
celebrate legendary pop, icon Michael Jackson, exactly 10 years after
his tragic death.
The icon, who is largely considered the greatest pop star of all time,
has his legacy intact and his music amazingly cuts through three
generations.
Being an icon, MJ, who passed away aged 50, was already among the top
trends worldwide by the time his 10th anniversary was upon us. It goes
without saying that the late MJ inspired a number of contemporary acts
including RnB sensation, Chris Brown, whose music style and dance
moves are a reflection of the Beat It hitmaker.
Despite an illustrious career that spans back to the 80s, MJ, being
human, was also a troubled man in some forms, with his death still a
point of controversy to date.
His rather complicated legacy has at times divided his fans, although
no one could argue about the late singer’s prowess as far as the music
is concerned.
