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| From the time he was just 11 years old, Michael Jackson wowed the masses with his otherworldly talent. Starting out as a member of the mega-talented group The Jackson 5, alongside his brothers, Michael always stood out as the star.
The Jackson 5 set a chart record when their first four singles (“I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save” and “I’ll Be There”) peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after signing with Motown in 1968. From his dance moves to his searing vocals, Michael’s undeniable charisma instantly catapulted the group into the living rooms of homes across America, and helped expand Motown’s tradition as the most influential American musical imprint in the world. So, in 1979 when he released the epic, Off the Wall, his stardom was almost assumed. Having birthed some of his most respected music to date, Off the Wall certified Michael as more than a child talent, but a true musical creative. However, it was his subsequent release, Thriller, that crowned him the king of pop music. But calling him the King of Pop seems almost hollow at this point. If you’re younger than 25, you never got to see what this man was in his prime. The entire world seemed to stop when he performed. When he appeared on Motown 25 in 1983, it was a truly legendary performance that defined an entire generation. Even young children couldn’t stop talking about his moonwalk, the iconic sequined glove, and everyone was trying to be like him. His albums broke records, his tours were among the highest-grossing ever, and if you weren’t old enough to see Elvis or The Beatles, MJ was the biggest musical phenomenon of your lifetime. Citing record sales numbers and numerical achievements don’t fully capture his legacy.
He was the last global megastar we will see. Understand, that level of Elvis/The Beatles/Michael Jackson worldwide popularity will not be reached again. The Internet, 24-hour celebrity channels, and reality shows have destroyed the mystique of celebrity and we’re too cynical to ever view any artist that way again … This loss feels personal. –todd williams and jacinta howard What Broke Michael Jackson’s Heart?
The first news shock wave regarding Michael Jackson’s death on Thursday, June 25 cited cardiac arrest as the pop legend’s cause of death. Sudden cardiac death, according to the American College of Cardiology, is defined as, “the sudden cessation of cardiac activity so that the victim becomes unresponsive, with no normal breathing and no signs of circulation.” In these cases, there are often no warning signs and death is swift and sudden. Still, in the aftermath of the international superstar’s untimely demise it’s difficult to determine exactly what killed MJ. What we Know: • Jackson was in the midst of preparing for a comeback tour and perform a harrowing 50-night show schedule to begin in July in London. • Jackson’s personal physician was called to the residence on Wednesday night after the King of Pop complained of not feeling well. On Thursday the doctor’s car was towed and impounded by Los Angeles police, with one investigator stating the car may contain “medications pertinent to the investigation.” • Jackson was undernourished and in frail condition. He reportedly used diuretics to control his weight, which was a little over 100 pounds at the time of his death. Jackson’s body mass index would have only been 14.3 when he died, meaning Jackson was 29 pounds under what would be considered the lowest healthy weight for a 5-foot-10-inch man. The UCLA Medical Center is only six minutes away from Jackson’s Los Angeles home. Paramedics arrived at Jackson’s residence and attempted to resuscitate him for 42 minutes before transporting him to the medical center where doctors continued their attempts for another hour. He allegedly used prescription medications and painkillers. The celebrity Web site TMZ.com, quotes a close member of Jackson’s family as saying on Friday, that the singer took a daily injection of Demerol and received a shot on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. TMZ quotes the unidentified source as saying the injection was “too much” and caused his death. Demerol is a narcotic pain reliever similar to morphine. Brian Oxman, a former attorney for the Jackson family who was with the family in the hospital emergency room on Thursday, stated he had been concerned about medications the pop star was taking. “I talked to this family about it, I warned them. I said that Michael is overmedicating and that I did not want to see this kind of a case develop,” Oxman told CNN’s “American Morning” on Friday. Jackson’s personal physician was brought in for questioning. An autopsy will provide more accurate information as to the icon’s cause of death, but fans should anticipate days — possibly weeks of investigation before an official cause of death is declared. Beyoncé and Other Celebrities React to the Loss Of Michael Jackson
As the entire world continues to wrap its collective mind around the loss of “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, some of today’s biggest celebrities have come forward to share their own grief stricken sentiments. “This is such a tragic loss and a terrible day. The incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music. He was magic. He was what we all strived to be. He will always be the King of Pop! Life is not about how many breaths you take, but how many moments in life that take your breath away. For anyone who has ever seen, felt or heard his art we are all honored to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson. I love you Michael.” –Beyoncé
“Michael Jackson will live forever through the thing that he put all of his life energy into — his music. I will do my part to keep the melody alive, to keep the energy forever changing form, but never ever dying!! Long live Michael Jackson.” –Ne-Yo
“This loss has deeply saddened me. It is with a heavy heart I composed this statement. May God cover you Michael. We all lift your name up in prayer. I pray for the entire Jackson family particularly Michael’s mother, children and all his fans that loved him so much. I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for him and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer, who in so many ways, transcended the culture. He broke barriers, he changed radio formats! With music, he made it possible for people like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to impact the mainstream world. His legacy is unparalleled. Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.” –Usher
“What talent — I’m glad I got to know the human side of Michael. Even in his frailness he was a strong guy and his music[al] contribution is for the ages.” –Rev. Jesse Jackson
“I am full of grief.” –Whitney Houston
“Michael Jackson will always be remembered as one of the greatest performers in the history of popular music. As a child of the ‘80s, I feel as though his music and his videos have been an inseparable part of my life and that of an entire generation. And the powerful thing about great music is that it will always live on. He was and always will be an icon. My heart goes out to his family, friends and countless fans for their tragic loss.” –John Legend
“Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life!! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!” –Sean Combs
“Michael Jackson is the reason why I do music and why I am an entertainer. I am devastated by this great loss, and I will continue to be humbled and inspired by his legacy. My prayers are with his family. Michael will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. He’s the greatest … the best ever. No one will ever be better.” –Chris Brown
Are Michael Jackson’s Assets Enough to Save the Estate from Ruin?
Don’t get it twisted, being in debt is not quite the same as being broke, and while some are running adding fire to the fuel surrounding his bizarre life and death, the King of Pop was not a pauper. True, at the time of his tragic demise, the legendary performer was $400 million in debt but Jackson was still pulling in $19 million annually in royalties and investment income according to The Wall Street Journal. In addition, liquidation of his considerable assets, including: the Neverland Ranch, which in early 2004, the news program “Entertainment Tonight” estimated to be valued at approximately $120 million; and the lucrative Beatles catalog acquisition worth about $500 million, will go a long way to offset much of that debt. So what’s all Jackson earned approximately $75 million from publishing, endorsements, |
