‘Thriller’

After the death of Pop superstar Michael Jackson the entire media went berserk with reports of his accidental and unexpected death. The media also threw light on his epic music journey from being a kid in a world famous bad ‘The Jackson 5’ to making it big on his own as a very talented singer and songwriter. There were also controversial details of his life that were brought out after his death on June 25^th 2009.

His death came as shock to not only the music industry but also the entire world. As a child my memories of Michael Jackson’s music were the songs Heal the World, They don’t care about us and Black or White. But the best memory of Michael Jackson was that of my 15 year old cousin dancing to his music. At every family function my cousin dancing to Michael Jackson was something that was a must. The rest of us would have Goosebumps as he grooved to the music and depicted every move form the moonwalk to the robot.

After the megastars death I was automatically drawn to the media’s different analysis of his controversial life. So I began reading up on him. In my own little way I was gripped with not only his musical journey but also how he led his life. Through his life he witnessed severe criticism for what he did in his personal life. The media also went on to label him as ‘WackoJacko’ for the innumerable disagreements he had with society for his lifestyle. He was accused of molesting a 13year old boy, having a number of plastic surgeries, the hyperbaric chamber and also for living half way between reality and fantasy with his Peter Pan themed estate called Neverland.

That same year to get a clearer picture, a little of truth, and answers on matters of his life I went on to buy his biography titled ‘The Magic and the Madness’ written by Randy J Taraborelli. The author studied his life for a very long time and had a very comprehensive and balanced outlook. The book was another confirmation for me not to trust the media. The media became obsessed with the negatives of his life and failed to see through the truth Michael was fighting for.

Everything said and done Michael Jackson is undoubtedly 20^th century’s biggest pop star. His music has touched the hearts of millions of people worldwide and paved the way for a variety of music for the next generation of music makers. Through his songs he spoke about issues that he dealt with, one of the most important one was that of racism. Besides that he openly spoke about his abusive father and the trauma he went through as a child with his song ‘Scream’. He made an immediate connect with the younger generation. Jackson’s music has influenced a number of new-age artists. An estimated 1 billion people reportedly tuned into their television sets to watch the emotional memorial service that was held in his honor.

Michael Jackson not only made history while he was alive but continued to do so even after his death. In 2009 his music album became the number one best-seller in the USA, selling 8.2 million copies. With 13 Grammy awards, a rock and role hall of fame inductee, Guinness world record holder, philanthropist the title of ‘King of Pop’ is apt.