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R.I.P. Michael Jackson: The Greatest of All Time

Posted Fri 26 Jun 2009 12:55PM NZST by Billy Johnson, Jr. in Hip-Hop Media Training
It still has not hit me. It feels so strange. Michael Jackson is dead. He was only 50 years old, a milestone age. He just celebrated the 25th anniversary of "Thriller," the best-selling album of all time, and re-released it in February.

He was scheduled to start his show run in London in a few weeks.

Maybe Michael's career had reached its peak, but I was not convinced that he was done with music. When he turned 50 last August, I did a series of interviews with radio stations. All of the DJs asked me if I thought Michael Jackson could make a comeback. They wanted to know if he could get past the controversies that dominated his news coverage over the last 10-plus years. My answer was a matter-of-fact "yes."

People often underestimate the power of music, and the effect that it has on us. We sometimes forget how a great song with a feel-good message lifts us up, and makes us smile and remember the place we had the most fun dancing to it and with whom.

Michael Jackson is one of the few artists in the history of the art form to be able to take one song, like "Billie Jean," and reach people of all age groups, races, and nationalities.

Michael has done this time and time again for decades, as both a solo artist and member of The Jackson 5.

This type of legacy cannot be erased by even the most horrible of charges and allegations. His music and performances are historic and forever engrained in our hearts.

Rick Sanchez, a floor manager at the popular Amoeba Music in Hollywood, says that his staff was "equally shocked" when they heard the news of Jackson's passing. "A lot of people are buying his music which usually happens in these situations," Sanchez says, referring to the breaking news of a musician's death.

Sanchez adds that all of Jackson's music always sells well at his location.

Rosemary Jean-Louis, a Michael Jackson fan and blogger from Atlanta, is nervous, hoping the news reports that Jackson has died are not true. "I don't want to believe it because it's Michael Jackson," Jean-Louis says. "He has been the guy considered invincible who always seems to come back. He is only 50. He was on the verge of such a big comeback with his concerts. No matter what he's gone through or what the crazy circumstances and dark period of his life with that poor trial-that taken aside-he is one of the musical geniuses of our times, truly the King of Pop."

I never learned to do his moonwalk dance move, but like everyone else, I was blown away when I saw him unveil it on Motown's famous 25th anniversary TV special in 1984.

I was too shy of a kid to get one of the red-and-black stripped jackets like the one he wore in the "Thriller" video, but I thought it was cool.

I did, however, have an afro Jheri curl in 1979, when Jackson released his album "Off the Wall," which included jams like "Don't Stop ‘til You Get Enough" and "Workin' Day and Night." I was 10, and whenever the high school girls on my block told me that I was cute and looked like Michael Jackson, I blushed and took it as a huge compliment.

My 6 1/2-year-old twins know and love his music as do the rest of us. This will never change.

I know he had been dealing with a lot these last few years. I hope that at the time of his passing he was in a happy place. Reportedly, he had been rehearsing in Los Angeles for the last two months, preparing for his London dates. His 50-year-old life may have been short, but it was impactful. His accomplishments are tremendous.

I offer my sincere condolences to his children, parents, siblings, and other family members, and to his friends and fans.

Watch Classic Michael Jackson videos.

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22115 Comments

161. Firdaus -
r.i.p "mikaeel"..

162. Patrick S -
No RIP here...i'm NOT happy that he died, but i don't care either!

163. Carolyn M. -
I don't care what anyone has to say about Michael Jackson, and his court problems. He was the king of Pop and always will be. There will never be another Singer/Dancer like Michael Jackson. The people in the world are so cruel. As Michael Jackson said, " If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change." " It doesn't matter if your black or white." I will love Michael Jackson now and forever. He will never be forgotten.

164. -
will miss you mj and god bless your family

165. Melissa -
He was the king of pop I mean a legand my cousin said he sucks so i punched her then i said you suck i loved his music

166. Bryanna -
michael you were a all time legen and nobody was as great as you.all my prayers go to you,prince,and paris, no children should go thourgh loseing their father.may god bless you and hope we see you in gods kingdom in heaven bye but not to long .

167. Star bright C -
this is the worst news i have herd sence my dad died. i have hiv and i worrie about myself let alone michael dying way to soon this seems impossible this does not seem the way he should of left us. to the jakson family i am sorry for your loss i will pray for you and his kids amen. from connie

168. sharonj -
You are in a better place now. The world will miss you.

169. Yahoo! Music User -
Michael you will be truely missed. I remember going to one of your concerts when I was just a little girl. I always admired you as a person, and your music as well. You are truely an angel, and your legend lives on. He will truely be missed and I send his family and friends my condolences. God bless you and the Jackson family with love.

170. -
its a shame how negative people can be. This man has passed on.Let him rest in peace.Was you there when someone claimed he molested them.was there evidence.and if he is going to hell you will sure to follow with your negative talk.god don't like ugly no matter how you dish it out all the way down to the words out of your mouth.So before you be cruel. Keep your own self out of hell first. M.J will be missed and may his family find peace in the mist of this storm.

171. Yahoo! Music User -
i cant believe the ignorance in this comment area.
Michael Jackson was the best there was at what he did. Sure you can say hes not the best ever. But he was the best at what he did and no one else had as many followers. Thats what i call real influence.

172. -
Oh c'mon, there was no way he was going to be able to do the London shows. He was constantly battling with health problems. He was in and out of hospital like a haemophiliac with exma and a self harm problem. He basically deceived his fans with this. No body in the media seems to be mentioning the dubious allegations against him regarding children. Now he's dead, perhaps the gagging order placed on them will come off and we'll get to hear about the real Jackson.

173. B-Net -
Michael Jackson, one of the best.

"This type of legacy cannot be erased by even the most horrible of charges and allegations. His music and performances are historic and forever engrained in our hearts."

Very nicelyy said.

174. freaky641 -
God! people can be so cruel at a time like this. No one can ever know for sure what happened with Michael Jackson, except Michael Jackson, what we know for sure is, he died too soon, if you dont have anything nice to say then just don't say anything. They are just empty words at a time like this.

Let see how many of you haters out there wouldnt have some kind of problem after 40 years of people clawing and using you....hmmmmm?

175. Sarge -
MJ: Requiescat in Pace!

176. Yahoo! Music User -
Well I enjoyed his earlier work. He was a little bit too strange for me sometimes but overall I do feel sorry he died. RIP

You know Farrah Fawcett also died today as well.

177. Yahoo! Music User -
we will always remember you michael jackson
RIP MJ

178. mario -
Michael Jackson changed the face of music with his great performances, wonderful voice, and one of a kind dance moves, the world has come to a stop for one might in memory of him and his blessing to this world. forever missed but never forgotten...

179. darkluv -
Michael Jackson is the greatest of all time and there may never be another artist like him. r.i.p. Michael love you

180. Yahoo! Music User -
This is unbelievable. Who would of thought? My prayers go out to the Jackson family. I do think they will find some kind of drugs in his system at the autopsy. Very tragic.
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