Michael Jackson the famous King of Pop, was born in Gary, Indiana, August 29th 1958.
Perhaps one of the most controversial figures of the world of showbiz, Michael Jackson also known as Jacko, died on June 25th 2009.
From humble beginning, Michael, the seventh child of nine children, was raised in a little house with very strict house rules. The children suffered constant physical and mental abuse from their father. The children would escape to the neighbor’s house, where they would play music. His father soon started to see the talent of his children and realized the potential of big money and the chance of leaving Gary, Indiana and go to California. In 1993, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson said that as a child he cried so many times because of solitude and that he would throw up just by seeing his father.
In California, Motownl, soon saw the potential. Michael, together with his brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon formed the Jackson Five. They got world recognition with such albums reaching the top as: I Want You Back, ABC, I’ll Be There and The Love You Save, among others.
With Motown, Michael Jackson starts his career solo with the albums, Got To Be There, Ben, Music & Me and Forever, Michael. All of them got at least one world hit. By 1973 the popularity of the Jackson Five starts to decline but the last two hits I Am Love and Dancing Machine still got world fame. Special Dancing Machine, where Michael Jackson on stage simulated a robot, making it hit worldwide.
In 1979, Michael Jackson records his first solo album as an adult, Off The Wall. The album, immediately cause a big hit. The mixture of black music and disco became the big thing in the years that follow. Michael wins his first Grammy Award with the single Don’t Stop’ Til You Get Enough totally written and produced by him. For two years it was a constant expo to radio and television. For the first time an artist had two songs of the same album among the ten most played songs in USA and United Kingdom, sold 25 millions.
In 1982 the album Thriller is launched. It’s the most sold album in history. The music, together with the dancing, became the biggest sensation in America, opening doors to a new style of fashion, dancing and television. Thriller sold 106 million worldwide and kept the first position on the USA charts for 37 weeks. Seven singles were launched and Billie Jean and Beat it reached the top. In 1984 the video Thriller is published and 14 million were sold causing another world record.
On 16 of May 1983, during a show in a Los Angeles theater, commemorating 25 years of Motown and with a television audience of 50 million, after the presentation of several black artist, a show by The Jackson brothers, Michael stayed on stage and sung Billie Jean when suddenly stop, left the stage to return, walking backwards doing the Moonwalk. The 3 thousand people in the theater where totally speechless. In that show, that night Michael Jackson was undisputedly the King of Pop, shooting up his celebrity to showbiz immortality.
During his career, Michael Jackson gave millions of Dollars to charity, Including helping Children. At the White House during the Reagan Administration, campaign against drugs. To help get funds to combat the famine in Ethiopia and all Africa, he wrote We Are the World and with help of 44 other stars got US$200 million. The Song also gave him 2 Grammies.
He created a park, Neverland, where he kept a home and wild animals that he loved so much.
In 1994 Michael marries Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, but the marriage only lasts 2 years. He remarries later on with Deborah Jeanne Rowe that gave him two children, Michael Jackson Jr. (also known as Prince Michael) and Paris Michael Jackson.
In 2002 by artificial insemination, to a mother still unknown today, a third child is born. Prince Michael Jackson II (also known as Blanket).
As an adult, Michael’s eccentricities (a lot of them never proved) and several legal battles destroyed a lot of his public image. In 1993 and 2005 he is accused of child abuse. The first one was filed due to lack of evidences and the second went to trial bringing him a verdict of not guilty. Also a much criticized moment was when in November 2002 Michael Jackson show up at the balcony of the hotel in Berlin with his third child hanging by the arms outside the window balcony. In the 80’s he is diagnosed with Vitiligo (discoloration of the skin pigmentation), his skin started to become whiter, forcing him to several plastic operations.
After the 2005 trial, Michael left Neverland and went to Bahrain. He said that he still love Neverland (he sold it in 2008) but brought him ruin and that he would never again be seen with children.
Apparently victim of a heart attack at home, Michael Jackson died at the California University Hospital in LA. However, the polemics and the controversies that follow his life seemed to follow on his death, with question of the true causes of his death and the future of his children.
Michael Jackson is the second person mostly known in the World and his life really was A Thriller.