Michael Jackson. The King of Pop. Wacko Jacko. Wackson Jackson. Ol' Man-Black-No-More. Frightey Whitey. Of all the nicknames people have come up with to label this artist Michael Jackson is and still will be a true legend. No other artist has been able to compare to him. He broke barriers, influenced artists, and contributed so much to the modern music industry. Throughout the years, the ignorance of the public had soared. Often people criticized him and made statements about him without being knowledgeable of the facts and the truth. This is partially in the blame of the media. Now that the death of Michael Jackson has taken the interests of people from around the world, many are now understanding the truth and appreciating what he has done not only to the music industry but to the world.
Michael Joseph Jackson wasn't the only talented person in his family of 11. Born on August 29th, 1958 in Gary, Indiana; Michael Jackson was the 2nd youngest of 8 other brothers and sisters to Joe and Katherine Jackson. His four brothers Tito, Jermaine, Jackie, and Marlon were part of their group Jackson 5, his oldest brother Randy was once in a group called Randy and the Gypsy's and then joined the Jackson 5 to replace Jermaine, his oldest sister Rebbie Jackson was a choreographer for Lou Rawls and Chaka Khan, and Latoya and Janet Jackson were both solo artists. Joe Jackson, a member of a music group called The Falcons, was a very authoritative father, physically and emotionally abusing Michael Jackson when he was younger. Michael Jackson claimed his father took away his childhood. He was restricted to rehearsing for long hours and often longed to play outside with the neighborhood children but couldn't because of his father's household rules. Katherine Jackson, unlike her husband, was calmer with her children. She was often there to comfort and protect her ten children. In 2000 when Michael had distanced himself from his father and siblings, his mother was the only one he allowed himself to be close with. Michael always felt a sense of loneliness and felt as if others did not understand him. He is the godfather of Nicole Richie, Lionel Richie's adopted daughter and Michael Gibb the son of Barry Gibb. It was said that he was addicted to antidepressants and pain killers.
Like his sister Latoya Jackson, Michael Jackson was diagnosed with Vitiligo, an infection of the skin which causes skin to lose its pigmentation and causes skin to become lighter and eventually white. Unlike his sister Latoya, Michael's condition was unable to be cured early and was rapidly proceeding. In 1985 he was diagnosed with Lupus; a disease that infects the tissue in the body and leaves a red mark on the skin.
His debut into the music industry came at the start of Jackson 5, with his 4 brothers, when he was eight years old. Over the years, Michael Jackson released five studio albums. In 1971 he began his solo career whilst still in the Jackson 5. His first four singles made a hit topping the Billboard charts at number 1 in 1972 . In 1978, Michael Jackson landed his first starring role as Scarecrow in the musical The Wiz and began working with producer, Quincy Jones. It was in 1979 that an accident in rehearsal caused Michael Jackson to have plastic surgery on a broken nose. After an unsuccessful rhinoplasty, he engaged in a second surgery. That same year he sold his first solo album Off The Wall, which sold over 20 million copies worldwide and reaching number 3 on Billboard 200. In 1982 Michael Jackson released his second album Thriller. Selling over 109 million copies worldwide, Thriller is the best selling album in the world. In 1983, he debuted his signature dance move The Moonwalk on Motown 25. The moonwalk is a strategic move which allows the dancer to move backwards while sliding the feet in a certain step.
On January 1984, Michael Jackson suffered from second degree burns on his scalp due to an accident while filming an advertisement for Pepsi Cola. After the accident The Michael Jackson Burn Center burn ward was created to honor him with 1.5 million dollars. It was then that he had his third rhinoplasty and became self conscious of his physical appearance. After his Victory Tour with the Jackson 5, he gave 5 million dollars to charity. That year he won eight Grammies and received a Humanitarian Award from President Ronald Reagan. In 1985 he co-wrote We Are The World with Lionel Richie which became a best selling single, selling over 20 million copies all of which the money went to famine relief. It was in the year of 1986 that Michael Jackson had a fourth rhinoplasty and had a cleft chin made to make him look more masculine. That same year rumors began spreading and tabloids began creating rumors about Michael Jackson. It was said that he slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process, bought his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to separate himself from the public and reality, and bought the bones of The Elephant Man. Even though he did have a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles all the rumors were false. At one point his own sister Latoya Jackson created a rumor saying she was abused by him which later turned out false. I
n the mid 1980's, Michael Jackson began experiencing significant changes in weight loss. Rumors were spreading that he suffered from anorexia and other weight loss disorders. His skin condition, Vitiligo began becoming apparent and rumors were spreading that he bleached himself to become white, which was false. In 1987 his third album, Bad was released. Selling over 25 million copies, It had seven hit singles, five of which made number one on Billboard 100. His Bad World Tour set a world record and made it into the Guinness World Records book. Most of the profit from the tour was given to hospitals and charities. In 1988 he released his first autobiography and bought land for his Neverland Ranch. He also donated $500,000 to The United Negro College Fund. The fourth album Dangerous was the fourth studio album released in 1991 and sold 32 million copies worldwide. The album's biggest hit was Black and White.
In 1992 Michael Jackson created the Heal The World foundation to allow underprivileged children onto his ranch and raise money for sick children. He was crowned King Sani in Africa and was given The Living Legend award on the 35th Grammy Award show. In 1994 he was accused of molesting a 13 year old boy but was never charged. The boy later admitted it was all a lie. The same year on May 26th he married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of the famous music legend Elvis Presley. They later divorced on January 18th 1996. In 1995 he released his album History which sold over millions copies. In 1996 he married his dermatologist Debbie Rowe. They later had 2 children, Prince Michael Jackson born on February 13th1997 and godchild of Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor and Paris Katherine Michael Jackson born on October 8th, 1999 also the godchild of Macaulay Culkin and Elizabeth Taylor. Prince Michael Jackson II born February 7, 2002 is the child of Michael Jackson who donated his sperm to a unidentified woman. When Prince Michael Jackson II was a newborn, Michael Jackson held him over the railing of a 4 level hotel room. The incident caused a major scandal.
Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson divorced in October 1999. Michael Jackson had full custody of his children. Michael Jackson supported about 40 charities and donated to many hospitals and helped the needy. Michael Jackson released Invincible in 2001. Invincible stayed the most expensive album that wasn't produced in the world. In 2003 Michael Jackson was accused of sexually abusing a 13 year old cancerous boy named Gavin Arvizo. The mother of Gavin Arvizo had asked Michael Jackson to pay her 2 million dollars to keep from embarrassing him and his family. During prosecution Michael Jackson's lawyer questioned both Gavin and his brother. Each gave a different version of the story. Michael was asked if it was bizarre to sleep with children, in which he replied no. Gavin Arvizo`s 18 year old sister also claimed she was a victim of Michael Jackson. She claimed that she often didn't tell the truth and lied about people and when they asked if she lied she said yes and that she was confused about the incident. Gavin Arvizo`s brother Star said he was a witness, and saw Michael Jackson abuse his brother, naked, and showing pornographic sites and magazines, and said he tried to make him drink wine, and told him not to say anything to anyone even if they put a gun to his head. When the lawyer asked him another time what happened and if he someone asked him to say those things he said he did not remember. When asked where he got the code to access 1489 Neverland he did not answer. When he repeated some of the questions that he had asked from previous days the answers were different.
Late for his court hearing, Michael Jackson appeared in pajama pants upsetting the judge, he was later found not guilty. The mother of the children (Janet Arvizo) had told them to lie. Janet Arvizo had once used her children to shoplift at JC Penney. When they were caught by a security guard she claimed that her children were JC Penney models. When the security guard checked and found out that it was not true, Janet said the security guard molested her and was filing a complaint if they didn't pay her a million dollars. JC Penney gave her 137,000 dollars to drop the case. A psychiatrist later declared her as a schizophrenic.
In 2008 Thriller was re-released for it's 25th anniversary. The same year, his ranch was threatened to be foreclosed. After a deal with his ranch, he was cleared of his debt. In 2009 he was scheduled to do a 50 concert tour. Michael Jackson died at age 50 on June 25th, 2009. He will always be remembered. He had his ups and downs in the industry. He was a legend. The media had alot to do with the way he was perceived to the public. Some believe it is partially the blame of the media that he was often depressed and felt so alone. He suffered from Vitiligo, a skin condition that the public wasn't well informed about. He was falsely accused and instead of the media and the public informing themselves they criticized and made fun. His own sister accused him of being a pedophile.
Michael Jackson was a legend. He forever will be.