Michael Jackson

 The History of Michael Jackson

Early Years

Michael Jackson, also known as the “King of Pop”, was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. Michael was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, and he started his career singing as one of the members of the Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 consisted of Michael and his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon. Some of their most popular songs are “ABC” and “I Want You Back”, and are among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, alongside “I’ll Be There”, which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. While Michael Jackson was a part of the Jackson 5, he invented the dance “The Robot.”

Solo Career

 Michael Jackson started his solo debut in 1971 at Motown Records. He also became a lone star in 1979 with his album “Off The Wall.” Michael Jackson’s album “Thriller” from 1982 was credited for breaking racial barriers and was the best-selling album. Michael Jackson’s solo performance of “Billie Jean” earned him his first Emmy Award nomination. While wearing a glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted his iconic moonwalk dance. Michael Jackson was the best-selling musician of his time with 13 Grammy Awards, the Legend Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Trials

 In 1993, Michael Jackson was charged with sexually abusing a family friend’s child. The lawsuit was settled out of civil court and he was not indicted due to lack of evidence. In the 1980s, Michael Jackson became a figure of controversy and speculation due to his changing appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. In 2005,  he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and other charges.

Medical

Michael Jackson had a skin condition called “Vitiligo,” which caused sunlight-sensitive white patches to form on his skin. As a result, he used some skin-bleaching prescriptions which caused his skin to become lighter, so he could make the spots less noticeable. In the mid-1980s people started to notice his skin color change and were speculating about him going through cosmetic surgery.  He also suffered from arthritis in the lower spine and some of his fingers. To cope with the pain and still perform, he would take some painkillers to help.

Pepsi Commercial Incident

In November 1983, Michael Jackson and his brothers partnered with PepsiCo to do a commercial. It was to promote the “new generation” theme and he used his song “Billie Jean” with revised lyrics as its jingle. But while filming, PepsiCo’s pyrotechnicians accidentally set his hair on fire causing second-degree burns.

Death

On June 25, 2009, less than three weeks before he had his This is It concert that sold out in London, he died from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose. His personal physician,  Conrad Murray, had given him various medications to help him sleep at his rented mansion. At  12:22 pm Pacific Time, 911 operators received a call and the paramedics were there in three minutes,  finding him on the floor not breathing. They were doing CPR while taking him to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and an hour after Jackson’s arrival there, they were unsuccessful, and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm Pacific time. News of his death spread like wildfire, causing websites to be slow and would occasionally crash from user overload.

Legacy

Michael Jackson is referred to as the “King of Pop” and was known for having transformed the art of music videos and paving the way for modern pop music. Michael Jackson’s career had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation. Michael Jackson’s influence goes beyond music influencing dance moves and fashion. Michael Jackson’s songs such as “Man in the Mirror”, “Black or White”, “Heal the World”, “Earth Song” and “They Don’t Care About Us”, emphasized racial integration and environmentalism and protested injustice. According to Guinness World Records, Michael Jackson was the most successful entertainer of all time but has recently been passed by Drake.