After announcing his much-anticipated return to the stage, Michael Jackson was just 8 days out from starting his sold out 50 concert tour at London's O2 Arena before he passed away. On June 25th, 2009, the legendary Michael Jackson was pronounced dead after a lethal overdose of an anesthetic to help him sleep. Eight years after the King of Pop's untimely demise, there is still much mystery that surrounds this legendary musician. Even after his death, Michael Jackson's music, style, and legacy continue to influence pop culture today.
While many of us have heard the weird rumors about Jackson, and very few actually know what he was like. After much research, I have found that Michael Jackson was a misunderstood musician, who was extremely talented and truly just wanted to live his words "Heal The World". Many of his lyrics speak about love, hope, change, humanity, and peace showing that he was using his significant influence for hopes of a better tomorrow. He was praised by world leaders such as Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton as well as Princess Diana and Nelson Mandela about his positive influence on the youth and adolescence. After eight years, I believe it's time to recognize eight things that will always be remembered about the late King of Pop.
1. He won 13 Grammy Awards
Although Michael Jackson is only holding eight Grammy's in this picture, he won a total of 13 Grammy's throughout his life. The first eight were awarded to him after the major success of his album second album Thriller. After not winning any Grammy's for his first album Off The Wall, Michael promised himself with his next album he would win many. His promise definitely came true because he is The Most-Awarded Artist Of All Time, not only with Grammy's, but with other awards as well
2. Thriller is the Best Selling Album Of All Time
We all love this song and album, whether you want to admit it or not. We have all tried to nail the dance moves from the video and crank it at max volume around Halloween. Thriller, Michael Jackson's second album and most viewed music video have broken music industry history! The Thriller music video cost half-a-million dollars; at the time, it was the most expensive video ever made. The opening title card "Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult" was inserted due to his strong Jehovah's Witness faith.
3. Neverland Ranch
Michael Jackson once said he built Neverland Ranch and filled it with childlike items such as a zoo, amusement park, movie theater, and train station to makeup for his lost childhood. Many people found this "creepy" but we need to remember, Michael Jackson really didn't have a childhood. He started singing for the Jackson 5 at six-years-old which is not something everyday six-year-old children deal with on a daily basis. Neverland Ranch also did a lot of philanthropic work, as it teamed up with Make A Wish foundation to allow terminally ill children to have a normal life for a day filled with excitement. Neverland Ranch is still on the market, so if you have a whopping $67 million, you can own the late King of Pop's former residence.
4. His charitable work was recognized worldwide
Even though Michael Jackson achieved numerous awards with his music, he also used it for good. He visited countless hospitals, donated money that his music produced to many charities, and even wrote a single titled "We Are The World" with Lionel Richie that raised $60 million for victims of a famine in Africa. While Michael Jackson was a mega star, he always remained humble and had an undying passion to help people.
5. He had many famous friends
Michael Jackson had many famous friends. People remember his friendships with Elizabeth Taylor, Brooke Shields, Diana Ross, and Quincy Jones but he had even more people who he called "friend". While Michael Jackson was a shy person, his friends have stated multiple times that he was a kind and gentle soul. His famous friendships would lead to world famous collaborations, bringing even more fame to him and his music.
6. His marriage to Lisa Marie Presley
While many people found Michael Jackson's marriage to Lisa Marie Presley to be a scam, after watching and reading countless interviews about the marriage from both parties, I believe they truly loved each other. The marriage only lasted 19 months, but you could tell after their divorce Michael and Lisa were never the same. Lisa went on to have two other failed marriages while Michael focused his energy on his children. Even after he died, Lisa Marie told Oprah that "she truly loved him and for the longest time wished the marriage had worked". While it wasn't meant to be for the King of Rock and Roll's daughter and the King of Pop, their love and marriage was definitely not a scam.
7. His children still continue to support his efforts philanthropically
Even though not much has been heard about what Blanket has been up to these days, his older siblings Prince and Paris are using their inherited fame for good. Paris is an activist, promoting the importance of our environment and Prince works with at-risk kids and homeless shelter charities. Michael Jackson's children definitely inherited his passion for making the world a better place.
8. He is the highest earning deceased artist ever
Although he may be gone, his music still captures the hearts of all who listen. Michael Jackson has not only released two new albums since his death, but each album contains new music never heard before. It seems like even in the afterlife, Michael Jackson still tries to promote messages of hope, love, and acceptance as well as remaining true to his legacy and producing a few bad-ass songs that make you just want to dance.
On the eighth anniversary of his death, it is fair to say his legacy and music will live on for generations to come.
