The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, is dead

[Corki]

Everybody has probably heard of this by now, but last night (Thursday 25th June 2009), the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, died of a heart attack. Many considered him one of the greatest musicians alive, but his live was surrounded in controversy, especially in his later years. It is also a massive blow for fans, especially those who had forked out for his upcoming concerts in the O2 arena in London.

 

Below is the BBC article on the story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8119993.stm

 

Pop star Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles, aged 50.

 

Paramedics were called to the singer's Beverly Hills home at about midday on Thursday after he stopped breathing.

 

He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre. Jackson's brother, Jermaine, said he was believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

 

Jackson, who had a history of health problems, had been due to stage a series of comeback concerts in the UK, beginning on 13 July.

 

Jermaine Jackson on his brother's sudden death

He added: "The family request that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time."

 

"And Allah be with you Michael always. I love you."

 

TV footage showed the star's body flown from UCLA to the LA County Coroner's office where a post-mortem is expected to take place on Friday.

 

Concerns were raised last month when four of Jackson's planned comeback concerts were postponed, but organisers insisted the dates had been moved due to the complexity of staging the show.

 

A spokeswoman for The Outside Organisation, which was organising the publicity for the shows, said she had no comment at this time.

 

Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said: "I always doubted that he would have been able to go through that schedule, those concerts. It seemed to be too much of a demand on the unhealthy body of a 50 year old.

 

"It was wishful thinking that at this stage of his life he could be Michael Jackson again."

 

Uri Geller, a close friend of the star, told BBC News it was "very, very sad".

 

Speaking outside New York's historic Apollo theatre, civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton paid tribute to his friend.

 

"I knew him 35 years. When he had problems he would call me," he said.

 

"I feel like he was not treated fairly. I hope history will be more kind to him than some of the contemporary media."

 

Melanie Bromley, west coast bureau chief of Us Weekly magazine, told the BBC the scene in Los Angeles was one of "pandemonium".

 

"At the moment there is a period of disbelief. He was buying a home in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles and the scene outside the house is one of fans, reporters and TV cameras - it's absolute craziness.

 

"I feel this is the biggest celebrity story in a long time and has the potential to be the Princess Diana of popular culture."

 

Musical icon

 

Tributes from the world of music and film have already flooded in from celebrities including Madonna, Arnold Schwarzenegger and ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley.

 

Large numbers of fans have also gathered outside Jackson's home and at the UCLA medical centre with lit candles to mourn the star while playing his greatest hits. Facebook groups have also been set up for fans to share their memories.

 

The singer's albums are occupying the top 15 slots of online music retailer Amazon's current best-seller chart, led by his 1982 smash hit Thriller.

 

Paramedics were called to the singer's house in Bel Air at 1221 (1921GMT) following an emergency phone call.

 

They performed CPR on Jackson and rushed him to the UCLA medical centre.

 

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said the robbery and homicide team was investigating Jackson's death because of its "high profile", but there was no suggestion of foul play.

 

Jackson began his career as a child in family group The Jackson 5.

 

He then went on to achieve global fame as a solo artist with smash hits such as Billie Jean and Bad.

 

Thriller, released in 1982, is the biggest-selling album of all time, shifting 65m copies, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

 

He scored seven UK number ones as a solo artist and won a total of 13 Grammy awards.

 

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced Thriller, Bad and Off The Wall.

 

"He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

 

The singer had been dogged by controversy and money trouble in recent years, becoming a virtual recluse.

 

He was arrested in 2003 on charges of molesting a 14-year-old boy, but was found not guilty following a five-month trial.

 

The star had three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II.

 

He is survived by his mother, Katherine, father, Joseph and eight siblings - including Janet, Randy, Jermaine and La Toya Jackson.

[Auld Manriva]

No matter what anyone thinks of Michael's eccentricities he WAS a musical genius. The King of Pop title is not just a trivial thrown out satirical designation. He was, is and will be the King of Pop for decades. No one .... not one single performer today comes close. He was Royalty. Pop Royalty to be sure... but as well known as Queen Elizabeth I and II,( hope I got that right Tay).

 

As a performer/entertainer he had no peers. There are wannabe's, but none more than approach what he could do. Say what you will but that is the fact. He, and to a lesser degree his brothers, influenced forever the direction, style, content and image of Pop Music. The "boy bands," "girl groups" and solo Pop performers most of you have grown up with (whether you were fans or not) are a direct result of J5 and later just Michael himself. Thriller is still today the most sold "album" of all time and none other comes close. I was only a fan and bought Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad, the three Quincy Jones produced albums. But everything he did from Off the Wall on was a gem of Popular Music. His name also shot into the stratosphere the "all-star song" fund raising technique with his co-writing "We Are The World" and helming the video.

 

His eccentricities overtook him in the last 15 or so years and rightly so. But he is by no means the first nor will be the last celebrity that, that will happen to. I mentioned Pop Royalty above and the insular life of "celebrity" Royalty effects people in different ways. Michael is no more weird than many others before him, Fatty Arbuckle and Errol Flynn had major scandals associated with them just to mention two who had legal wrangles and the price of fame has bankrupted celebrity and "real" royalty throughout history and will continue to do so.  I've heard statements this morning that Michael was addicted to fame. I believe he was a victim of it, and it spilled over on those near him as well to be sure. HIs judgement was incredibly flawed, but he didn't grow up like the rest of us normal humans and his adult life was even more an "altered state".

 

Many think him or believe him to be a child molester. I never thought that for a minute. I did think him however to be a total idiot by that time and his perceived  obsession with remaining childlike and the actions arising from that, the association with kids "sleeping over" and the claims of the one boy who's life has been forever damaged just boggled my imagination. That said, I don't think he could ever have physically or intentionally harmed a child. Yes he had a ton of money and Yes he had a boatload of lawyers, but he was, had made himself, the biggest target on this planet at that time.

 

Nevertheless... The King of Pop is dead. My heart goes out to his children, who are going to be tossed about like flotsam in a hurricane. The Jackson Family, not the most stable group ever, are headed into a storm of epic proportion as well (A Perfect Storm for all love)  ..Good Luck and Best Wishes to them all.

 

 

 

[Mira]

I'm not really a big pop fan but I'd be lying if I said I haven't enjoyed his music at one time or another.

[Auld Manriva]

The King of Pop dies.... And his thread gets 2... count 'em ..TWO!! Replies.... damn Y'all.  You sure yer the Travel AND Music Org?

 

 

 

[Mira]

We're probably more on the Travel side because apparently we've all most of us traveled away from the boards.

[Samuraiflip05]

Well for me it was more an absence of injury. 

 

This was a bit of a shocker for me.  Coupled in with the other 3 celebrity deaths that week, it was a bit disturbing.  At the very least it has provided me with a plethora of MJ material to view on tv as every channel associated with music has been airing his videos since it happened. 

 

And yes, his contributions to music have been beyond that of anyone in the last quarter century.