Michael Jackson has become a real idol for many. A talented singer, dancer and musician, he managed to conquer the American stage. Michael got into the Guinness Book of Records more than 20 times.
This is the most controversial face of American show business. Until now, he remains in the playlists of his fans and ordinary music lovers.
How was the childhood and youth of Michael Jackson?
Michael was born in a small town in America in 1958. It is known that his childhood was not as rosy as we would like. Michael's father was a real tyrant.
He not only destroyed the boy morally, but also used physical force. When Michael becomes popular, he will be invited to the Oprah Winfrey show, where he will talk in detail about his difficult childhood.
“One night in the middle of the night, my father put on a creepy mask and came into my room. He began to let out piercing screams. I was so frightened that later I began to have nightmares. Thus, the father wanted to say that we close the windows before going to bed, ”says Michael.
Jackson's father in 2003 confirmed the information about a kind of "upbringing". However, there was no repentance in his words. According to his father, he tamed children to iron discipline, not understanding one thing - with his behavior, he inflicted severe psychological trauma on the future star.
The rise of Michael in The Jackson 5
Despite the fact that the father was harsh with the children, he brought them to the stage, creating the musical group The Jackson 5. The group included only his sons. Michael was the youngest. Despite his age, the boy had a unique talent - he originally performed compositions.
Between 1966 and 1968 The Jackson 5 toured major cities. The guys knew how to light the audience. Then they signed a contract with the famous recording studio Motown Records.
It was the same fulcrum that allowed the guys to achieve the long-awaited popularity. They began to be recognized, they were talked about, and most importantly, it was during this period that bright and professional musical compositions were released.
In 1970, a couple of tracks by the American group hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart. However, after the release of the original compositions, the group's popularity began to subside. First of all, this is due to the high competition.
The musical group decides to change leadership by signing a contract with The Jacksons. From the moment of signing the contract until the moment the Jackson 5 broke up, they managed to release about 6 records.
The beginning of Michael Jackson's solo career
Michael Jackson continues to record music, and is part of the "family band". However, he began to think about a solo career and even recorded several, in his opinion, successful singles.
Got to Be There and Rockin' Robin are the singer's first solo tracks. They get on radio and TV, occupying leading positions in the music charts. The solo performance of compositions charged Jackson, and he announced that he wanted to start a solo career.
In 1987, on the set of a project, he met Quincy Jones, who later became the singer's producer.
Under the direction of the producer, a bright album is released, which was called Off the Wall.
The debut disc is a kind of acquaintance of the listeners with the rising star Michael Jackson. The album presented Michael as a bright, gifted and charismatic singer. Tracks Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough and Rock With You became real hits. The debut album sold 20 million copies. It was a real sensation.
Michael Jackson: The Thriller Album
The next Thriller record also becomes the best-selling one. This album includes such cult tracks as The Girl Is Mine, Beat It, Wanna Be Startin Somethin. The whole world still honors and listens to these tracks. For nearly a year, Thriller topped the US charts. He brought more than 5 Grammy statuettes to the performer himself.
Somewhat later, Michael released the single Billie Jean. In parallel, he participates in the recording of a video clip for this composition. The clip is a real show in which Jackson was able to show himself and his talent. Thus, the audience gets acquainted with the "new" Michael Jackson. He charges listeners with positive and powerful energy.
By all possible means, Michael is trying to get on MTV in order to expand the audience of his fans. Unfortunately, he doesn't succeed. Music critics dismiss Jackson's attempts to get his tracks on MTV.
Many believe that this is due to racial stereotypes. Although the employees themselves strongly deny these conjectures. Attempts to get on MTV end in success, and several clips are taken into rotation.
Michael Jackson: Billie Jean's Legendary Hit
«Billie Jean» - the first clip that hit the MTV channel. To the surprise of the channel's management, the clip took first place in the music hit parade.
Michael's talent allows him to establish contact with the head of MTV. Since then, the musician's video clips have been on TV without any problems.
At the same time, Michael is filming a video for the track Thriller. According to music critics, this is not just a video clip, but a real short film, since 4 minutes pass before the performer's voice appears.
Jackson manages to introduce the viewer to the plot of the clip.
Such videos have become the highlight of a musical artist. Jackson in his videos allowed viewers to get to know themselves and feel the story. He was very interesting to watch, and the audience kindly accepted such antics of a pop idol.
March 25, 1983 on Motown 25, he demonstrates the moonwalk to the audience. And if only Jackson knew how many times his trick will be repeated by his contemporaries. The moonwalk subsequently became the singer's chip.
In 1984, together with Paul McCartney, he released the single Say, Say, Say. Fans were so imbued with the track that it literally instantly became a hit, and simply "did not want" to leave the first lines of the American charts.
Smooth Criminal, which was recorded in 1988, is acclaimed by the public. Immediately, the singer performs the so-called "anti-gravity tilt." Interestingly, special shoes had to be developed for this trick. The audience will remember the trick for a long time, and will ask you to repeat it for an encore.
A fruitful period in the work of Michael Jackson
Until 1992, Michael released a couple more albums - Bad and Dangerous. The top hits of the records are the following compositions:
- The Way You Make Me Feel;
- Man in the Mirror, Black or White;
The composition of the last album included the composition In the Closet. Michael originally planned to record the track with a then-unknown Madonna. However, his plans have changed somewhat. He recorded a track featuring an unknown artist. The black model and beauty Naomi Campbell took part in the role of the seductress in the In the Closet video.
A year later, the singer recorded the track GiveIn To Me. Music critics noted that when performing this single, Michael departs from the usual genre of performance. The song is very dark and dark. The genre of Give In To Me is very similar to hard rock. Such an experiment was well received by the fans of the performer. And the experts called this track a worthy "dilute" composition.
After the release of this track, he goes to the Russian Federation, where he pleases fans with a big concert. After the tour, Michael records a track in which he emphasizes against racial inequality. Unfortunately, in the United States of America, the track was not included in the list of popular compositions, which cannot be said about Europe.
From 1993 to 2003, the singer recorded three more records. During this period, he expands the circle of acquaintances. Also, Michael gets acquainted with the stars of Russian show business. For example, with Igor Krutoy.
In 2004, Michael pleases fans with a collection of tracks Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection. It was a real gift for true fans. The records include the most popular tracks of the American pop idol. In addition, fans could listen to previously unrecorded tracks.
In 2009, Michael Jackson planned to release another album, and then go on a world tour. But, unfortunately, this was not destined to happen.
Michael Jackson: Neverland Ranch
In 1988, Michael Jackson acquires a ranch in California, the area of which is about 11 square collimators. According to various sources, the musician gave from 16,5 to 30 million dollars for the plot. After the purchase, the ranch acquired the name Neverland, since the singer's favorite fairy tale character at that time was Peter Pan, who, as we know, lived in the land of Neverland.
On the territory of the ranch, the king of pop built an amusement park and a zoo, a cinema and a stage where clowns and wizards performed. His nephews, sick and needy children often visited the estate. Attractions were also designed for children with disabilities, since they were equipped with means of increased protection. In the cinema itself, in addition to ordinary chairs, there were beds for seriously ill children.
Due to a scandal about child molestation and financial difficulties in 2005, Michael decided to leave the estate, and in 2008 it becomes the property of the company of one billionaire.
Michael Jackson family
Michael Jackson managed to get married twice. The first wife was the daughter of Elvis Presley, with whom he was married for 2 years. Their acquaintance took place back in 1974, when Michael was 16 and Lisa Marie was 6 years old.
But they got married only in 1994 in the Dominican Republic. According to many, this union had a fictitious connotation, since in this way the singer's reputation was saved. In 1996, the couple terminated official family ties, but even after the divorce, they remain on friendly terms.
With his second wife, nurse Debbie Rowe, Michael entered into an official marriage in 1996. The couple's family life lasted until 1999. During this time, the couple had two children - a son and a daughter a year later.
In 2002, Michael Jackson had another son by a surrogate mother, whose identity remains a mystery. One day, with his last son, he had an incident in front of the general public. Once the father decided to show the baby to his fans from the window of the fourth floor of a local hotel in Berlin. At this moment, the child almost slipped out of Michael's hands, which frightened the audience.
Michael Jackson: scandalous moments
In 1993, Michael Jackson was charged with a sexual nature against Jordan Chandler, who, as a 13-year-old child, spent time at the musician's ranch. According to the boy's father, Michael forced the child to touch his genitals.
The police became interested in the case, and they called the molester in for questioning. But the matter did not come to a court lava, the singer and the boy's family came to a peace agreement, which provided for the payment of 22 million dollars to the boy's family.
Ten years later, the story of corruption repeated itself. The Arvizo family filed pedophilia charges against a 10-year-old boy who also often spent time on the Neverland hacienda. Gavin's father and mother said that Michael slept in the same room with the children, drugged them with alcohol and felt the children everywhere.
In denial, Michael defended himself by claiming that the boy's family was extorting money in this way. After 2 years, the court will acquit the pop idol on the fact of lack of evidence. But the litigation and the services of lawyers significantly devastated the musician's accounts. Also, all these events had a negative impact on Michael's health. He began to take drugs that reduced his depression.
Charity
The philanthropy of Michael Jackson knew no bounds, for which he was awarded the Guinness Book of Records in 2000. At that time, he supported 39 charitable organizations.
For example, the song "We are the world", which Michael co-wrote with Layanel Richie, brought in 63 million dollars, every cent of which was donated to the hungry in Africa. Each time he visited unfavorable countries, he visited children in hospitals and orphanages.
Surgical interventions
The beginning of a solo career made Jackson want to radically change his appearance. If you take into account the beginning of his solo career and the end of 2009, it was almost impossible to recognize a black guy in Michael.
It was rumored that Jackson was ashamed of his origin, so he went under a surgical knife to get rid of dark skin, a wide nose and full lips typical of African Americans.
One of the American magazines published the filming of the Pepsi advertisement, in which the pop idol starred. It captured the tragedy that happened to Michael on the set. Pyrotechnics were used, which exploded ahead of schedule close to the singer.
His hair was on fire. As a result, the singer received 2nd and 3rd degree burns on the face and head. After the incident, he underwent several plastic surgeries to remove the scars. To ease the pain of the burns, Michael begins taking painkillers, which he soon becomes addicted to.
Music critics believe that Michael tried to change himself due to the fact that at the beginning of his career his rights were infringed. Jackson himself refutes these rumors about a change in skin color, arguing that he suffers from pigmentation disorders.
According to the singer himself, the pigmentation disorder occurred against the background of stress. In support of his words, he showed the press a photo where it can be seen that the skin has a heterogeneous color.
Michael Jackson himself considers the rest of the changes in his appearance to be quite natural. He is a public artist who wants to remain always young and attractive for his fans. One way or another, his operations did not affect creativity in any way.
Death of Michael Jackson
Those who were surrounded by Michael Jackson said that the singer suffered from piercing physical pain, which did not give him a chance for a normal and healthy existence.
The performer was on serious medications. Biographers of the pop idol claimed that Michael abused pills, but despite this he was in excellent emotional and mental condition.
On June 25, 2009, the singer was resting in a private house. Because he was in physical pain, his attending physician gave him an injection and left the area. When he returned to check on Michael's condition, the singer was dead. It was not possible to revive and save him.
The cause of the pop idol's death remains a mystery to many. Fans have repeatedly wondered how an overdose of a drug could happen? After all, all actions took place under the guidance of the attending physician. But no matter what questions the doctor was asked, he approved the cause of death: an overdose of drugs.
After 4 years, the investigation was able to prove that the cause of the death of the star was the negligence of the attending physician. The doctor, who was in the last days of Michael Jackson's life, is deprived of his medical license and sent to prison for 4 years.
On the day of the funeral, a farewell ceremony took place. The funeral was broadcast live. For fans of Jackson's work, this was a real tragedy. Fans couldn't believe that the pop idol was no more.
