Michael Jackson, RIP | 06/26/2009 8:00 am
Michael Jackson: 1958 - 2009
A tribute to the King of Pop
© WireImage
He has been in our lives since he was six years old as the lead singer for The Jackson 5. His moonwalk amazed us and his vocals soared above his brothers’ — Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito. The Jackson 5’s first four singles — "I Want You Back," "ABC" (played below), "The Love You Save" and "I’ll Be There" — all became No. 1 hits.
When Jackson pursued a solo career, he grew into the talent that will forever be associated with his name. His first major solo album, "Off the Wall," included the hits "Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough" and "Rock With You."
In 1982, "Thriller" launched him into international stardom and he went on to sweep the globe through his mix of pop, R&B and soul. During his last two decades of life, Jackson faced intense media scrutiny and child molestation accusations.
On Thursday, paramedics were called at 12:26 PM pacific time to a home in Holby Hills in west Los Angeles, where Jackson has been staying. He was found with no heartbeat, according the reports, and doctors were unable to resuscitate him. Jackson died at the age of 50.
Michael Jackson leaves behind three children: son Michael "Prince" Joseph Jackson Jr., 12; daughter Paris Michael Jackson, 11; and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II, 7. Jackson is twice divorced. He had a short marriage to Lisa Marie Presley and also Deborah Jeanne Rowe, who is the mother of his two older children.
A young Michael Jackson performing "ABC" with The Jackson 5:
Michael Jackson performing "Heal the World" live:
Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, was truly a legend — and a legend never dies. Rest in peace.
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I guess alot of people are just blind or really don’t care about the truth.
The boy that said MJ sexually abused him told the police that there were certain characteristics on MJ’s genetiles.
well, they photographed MJ genetiles and low and behold those characteristics were right where the boy said they were.
He paid off the boys family (20 million $) to make it all go away.
Now tell me if your innocent you pay 1 million to make things go away. If your guilty you pay 20.
That’s how I see it, that is my opinion.
Heidi, I agree with you. He was never allowed to be a child when he was one. When he finally had control over his own life he lived the life he missed out on. I feel bad for his Children and that they have lost the only parent they have ever known.
Remember the Cartoon show, I grew up with them, went to 2 concerts when it was the Jackson Five, but never got the chance to see him solo. I had the biggest crush on Jermane which was at the time taboo, but I didn’t care his pictures were on my walls.
My children learned to dance the thriller dance as very young children. He will be missed in my household. The song that touched me the most was "The Man in the Mirror." That song holds truths for everyone I think.
Rest in Peace Michael, you will be missed by many generations. God Bless your Children and family.
Deniseann, Man In The Mirror is one of my favs as well. I LOVE Ben and all the oldies too. Hubby just complained to me the other day why was I holding on to all those OLD Jackson 5, Michael, Jermaine and Donny Osmond albums, lol He’s not complaining now. I have absolutely no tolerance for Pedophilia and if I really thought in my heart he did molest those boys I would never have written what I did. I do not believe he molested them. Was there inappropriate behavior for an adult? Most certainly, but sexual? No, I don’t think so. It’s not because I am one of those crazy "Michael can do no wrong" fans either. It is because after listening to him and others I formed my opinion based on his actions around the time he was supposed to have done it, he really was an unusual man a Peter Pan actually, for lack of a better term. But a child molester? No. I would have said this had he still been alive and the topic came up. :o) I also pray for his kids and family and send them love and light to get through this time of sadness.
Heidi, when your famous your a target for every money hungry fool out there, your life is not your own and you have to sneak around to get where your going. Michael wasn’t allowed to be a child. I heard him in an interview tell the reporter that his father was strict and beat him, and he longed to be at the park across the street playing base ball with the other kids.
That right there should make people realize he as an adult was tryiing to live the life he so longed for as a child. I never beleived he would hurt a child, let alone molest them. HIs wife at the time, Lisa Marie stood right by his side and when asked in a seperate interview that he would no more molest a child then hurt one. It just wasn’t in him.
I agree with the peter pan analogy, "I’ll never grow up, I’ll never get a job, I won’t grow up, Not Me." He had fun living the life of a child in a mans body, bringing joy to millions upon millions. His music will live on forever.
I’m sad that he has left us, I pray he was in no pan, but grateful for all the wonderful music he gave us.
Heidi,
I never bought that either. If I ever though that someone was abusing my daughter in anyway, it’s no way in hell that person would ever come around her again! The mother of those boys continued to let them go around MJ even though she suspected he was doing improper things. That always smelled to me.
Kristy & Heidi, I agree whole heartedly that the parents are out for nothing but money. Frankly, I think most of those parents weren’t much different than parents who pimp their kids off…MJ was a great contact for their child star, gave them lots of expensive things etc…later, the parents figured a way to get even more money out of him.
While I certainly don’t think the parents were innocent at all (I think they knew exactly what they were doing), I don’t buy that MJ is innocent, either; I think he just got double crossed by the pimping parents.
Hi Rachel,
Well you can believe what you want to believe but even the jury and judge found him innocent of the molestation charges, there was not one shred of substantial evidence. I don’t think he had it in him to be honest, yeah he was weird, but wouldn’t you think there would have been more charges coming out of the woodwork considering the tons of kids he has had around him his entire life? Nawww, those parents were just greedy and Michael was very misunderstood as are many creative geniuses.
** Should have used better sentence structure, lol Should have read " To be honest, I don’t think he had it in him."
I’m not sure that there would be many more accusations if he was a pedophile, for the simple reason that so many cases of child molestation go by unnoticed — the victims are too humiliated and believe that they’re the one at fault and that the world will despise them for their "shame". Plus, a pedophile surrounded by kids doesn’t have to molest everyone around him — in fact, he likely would not, because some kids will tell, and he’d try to avoid those kids.
Of course, that doesn’t prove whether he was or not. As for that, our individual intuitions and summaries of the facts are the best we can do. Regardless of MJ’s guilt or lack thereof, though, I feel sorry for the kids, because — either way — they were exploited by the parents.
Rachel, well we agree on the last paragraph. :o) I find it disgusting what people will do for money. True … a lot of victims will not speak out because of humiliation, however, like with the Catholic Priests, when one tells… it gives courage to others. Not one kid has ever had a bad thing to say about him in 50 years except the ones we are talking about.
Rachel,
The mother’s story held no credibility with me. The mother stated that MJ allegedly kissed her son in the mouth in front of her. I’m sorry but I’m not just going to stand by and watch someone do that to my kid.
Actually, Heidi: the quote is "the love of money is the root of all evil"
There is a difference.
And what kind of parents would let their kid sleep over there anyway???