I think this article is excellent. I was disappointed when I didn't see where I could express that in a comment after the article.
How interesting of a thought for me that this was published today - the day of the Grammy's. A day where any other artist could have been the focus of attention. But instead, this journalist, in my opinion, must have felt like we all did, that the Grammy's, and the world, just isn't the same without Michael Jackson. Blessings on you all.
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LoginBy Whitney Hunter
Published: Sunday, February 13, 2011
Updated: Sunday, February 13, 2011 21:02
Michael Jackson was world renowned as one of the greatest entertainers of our generation, yet his life was always smeared by accusations and bizarre events. Thrust into the spotlight at an early age, Jackson never got a chance to enjoy his childhood and often suffered at the hands of his father, Joe Jackson. Jackson was often physically, mentally, and emotionally abused by his father.
This abuse would cause severe psychological problems in Jackson's personal and professional life for years to come. Amazing the world with eye popping performances and sharp dance moves was Jackson's way of obtaining the love he so desperately sought from his father in childhood.
Seeing Jackson perform in his music videos and performances was a wonder to behold. Jackson would strut on stage in his black pants that stopped right before his ankle with some white socks covered in glitter, his juicy curl, and glitter covered jacket with that infamous glove.
Jackson would often just stand on stage for the first part of his performances and gaze deeply into the crowd. Jackson's fans would roar, "We love you Michael," over and over again until the sound was deafening. Jackson would then tease them by sharply turning his head left and the crowd would cheer, "Michael!" Jackson would then abruptly turn his head right and pandemonium would break out. People often had to be ejected from the audience due to them passing out or their unruly behavior. Jackson basked in the glory of it all.
Jackson had many awesome dance moves in his arsenal, but the most imitated of all Jackson's moves was probably the move dubbed the "moon walk". First debuted in 1984 at the legendary Motown celebration, Jackson amazed the world as he seemed to defy gravity as he ever so smoothly and precisely glided across the stage. He seemed so at home with the stage as if he was born into the dance. He was not like other performers who had to go to school and apply themselves to learn the art of dance; he instinctively knew which moves to make. In show business there are just some things that cannot be taught: that special "it" factor or brilliant quality that makes or breaks a star. Whatever people call it, Jackson always had it.
The King of Pop once said in regard to his music videos that he did not want to become just another "can on the assembly line," and with that Jackson created some of the most thought provoking and creative videos known to man."They Don't Really Care About Us, a video shot in Brazil during a time of great uncertainty within the country, drove the message home that there exists a problem in the government where the people were being ignored and grave inequalities existed. The video was especially ground breaking because it showed Jackson, a man dubbed by the media as wanting to be white, among Black people championing their beliefs and rights.
The video showed Jackson dancing as one with the native people, holding hands, and shouting at the many injustices and social inequalities of that time. The video portrayed him as a man that even though his skin color was white, he was still a Black man and proud of it. Videos like " Remember the Time," set in Egypt and featuring Black supermodel Iman and Black comedian Eddie Murphy showed Jackson conveying this same concept of Black pride. The video was significant because Jackson chose to make the king and queen of Egypt black. This move was profound because many white historians were reluctant to accept that many powerful people such as kings and queens in Egypt were black.
Jackson may have contributed a lot to the world via his performances, music and videos that touched many people's lives and will probably continue to touch people for years to come, but his most lasting legacy will be his role as a constant humanitarian. Jackson holds the record as the celebrity to have made the most monetary donations to any single charity.
In this fact lies a sad truth, for a man that was held underneath a microscope and subject to brutal public scrutiny all his life, Jackson gave his life and career to humanity. It seems odd that when you give so much to the world unselfishly, you often get the short end of the stick.
