" And no message could have Been any clearer! If you wanna make the world a better place, Take a look at yourself and then make a change!"
It is really crazy to hear that Michael Jackson passed away. Being a baby of the 80's, I grew up on MJ. I remember my father and I use to stay up late on Friday nights to watch Music Videos. I use to get pumped to see the latest MJ video.
Michael transcended race!! I believe that he was the very first artist to do so. I told many folks before that no matter where you travel in this world, if a Michael Jackson song came on... every single person around you would know the song, and it would be okay if everyone was singing it, no matter how ridiculous they looked doing it. That's because Michael had a certain sense of swagger and style about him. From his feminine-tops, his jheri-curl, his high water pants and white socks.. he made that look good.. so good people (including myself would try it with no success).
After Michael begin to fade from the pop scene... Pop music died!!! It just became annoying and just another way for radio station to take up air space.. Some of the best Michael Jackson songs made you think and hit your heart in some way... (if you don't believe me.. listen to Human Nature)
I was on You Tube for the past couple of days looking up videos and I found a Concert in Berlin and Michael "packed" this stadium abroad. He had folks fainting, passing out, screaming their lungs out, crying. How does a "black man" get to this status? Michael Jackson was the most dangerous black man on the planet. We will never see concerts and performance like that again.. Even while groups like U2 and Coldplay come close, I just don't know of an artist or band that comes close to the popularity of MJ. Even with the recent Election and Barack Obama, we kind of saw a faint similarity of transcending of race... but it was unmatched!
Maybe its because the media broke MJ down so fast that his influence and "power" were overlooked. From his race and identity being questioned, to alleged charges, and to his own choices, we forgot how Big MJ was.
While I haven't really listened to much of MJ's newer music besides, Butterflies and You Rock My World, that just shows you the power of his music and his influence over a generation, his songs will forever remain in jukeboxes, karaoke song selection books, and be played around with songs like Don't stop believing, Jukebox Hero, We will rock you, Livin on a Prayer, and etc!
In Jackson's last interview, he said and I'm pretty sure that I'm paraphrasing but that he wanted to live on forever. I hope his music does. I can't wait to show Thriller or moonwalk for my kids.. or tell them to hurry their asses up and "Cha'mon" them!!!
Michael may you rest in Peace!!
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