Please forgive me on my tardiness on blogging about MJ as I have been in avoidance mode since I heard the awful news. I don’t know how you feel but it hurt me. I think my lateness also has to do with the fact that I don’t want Michael Jackson to become old news. In this country the media swoops down on an event really hard and strong for a short period of time then disperses. Then the heavily covered subject becomes obsolete. It becomes yesterday’s
news that everyone has forgotten about. Here it is 19 days after his death and a week after his funeral and I was actually asking myself…Is it too late to blog about this? Is this not a “hot” topic anymore? What? I think not! M.J. is timeless.
I think most of us can agree that Michael Jackson has provided a soundtrack for our lives and the lives of our parents. What other artist can you name whose fan base crossed so many races, ethnicities and generations? Both my mother and I were torn by the news. I was talking about it with a 14 year old and he said “I know I wasn’t alive when Thriller came out but I know his music and I grew up copying his dances.” A 50 year old man at my job who happens to be white told me that his 12 year old daughter loves the Thriller album and that her dance team did a routine off the title track. He also said “Beat It” is a common choice of hers when playing Guitar Hero.
For me, MJ was my first boyfriend. I know he started at age five but my experience is that he had ALL the girls’ hearts on lock in the early eighties. I had the MJ posters, the pins, the dolls and lunchbox. You name it I had the MJ paraphernalia. Thriller was my first record. Yes, I had the 45″. And yes, he stole all the girls’ hearts but he had all the guys trying to be like him. Jackets with many zippers, glittery gloves, high-water pants, were all emulated by the
fellas. I remember how it was beyond exciting to watch Billie Jean on MTV. When he walked and the sidewalk lit
up…oh man. Wow! It made you fall in love whether you were male or female. He was ours! We were proud. You had to fall in love with all that talent. I was young but it made me so happy. His music made you want to dance and it made you- happy. It’s like you were cheering him on. Go Michael! Go Michael! Dance your tail off on MTV. Keep making everybody fall out at your shows. Sha-mone! And who was not petrified by Thriller? Those were cutting-edge and revolutionary ideas MJ brought us. I could go on and on about his genius but then it would be a book and not a blog. I will just say that only MJ had the videos that the world-counted down to see. He started the world-premiere concept for a music video. Before I wrap it up I must add that “Off the Wall” was also off the chain. It didn’t get all of the critical acclaim it deserved but it is a classic and it sold millions.
You know you are a success when the records you strive to beat are your own. I wonder what it was like for MJ having to think of how he was going to top Thriller. How was he going to top Bad? It was probably exciting,
frustrating, inspiring and scary all at once. Regardless, he kept the good music coming. Yes, there were changes but nonetheless the music never lost its integrity and the moves…oh my gosh…the moves never stopped.
Someone special has left us. A talent, a spirit, a force is now gone from this world and he is sorely missed. I chose not to address all the hate and haters in this blog because they are totally irrelevant to me. If you are not a fan then just move on from this blog. Of course he had flaws. Everyone does. Yes, he was eccentric which is common for a genius. But as for me and the rest of the world, we realize what we’ve lost. The numbers don’t lie. His memorial service was packed. Memorial services in his honor were packed around the WORLD. He was loved so much more than he was hated and I hope he knew that.
I know I felt the rug was pulled out from under me when I heard he passed because it was so unexpected. It still seems unreal. Even though you never met him and he had been on the low for a while, you felt like you knew him. We took for granted that he would always be around. Well no one will always be around so we should let this remind us to never take anyone’s presence for granted. You never know how much longer you have with someone regardless of their age. Michael left a positive mark on this world in the biggest way. We should strive to use our talents and gifts to do the same. It pains me that I will never be able to watch him moonwalk live across a stage. It hurts that I will never hear another Hee Hee Hee but such is life. Our beloved Michael Jackson will never be forgotten. He will NEVER be yesterday’s news to me and he will live on forever through his music.
Lift your head up high
And scream out to the world
I know I am someone
And let the truth unfurl
No one can hurt you now
Because you know what’s true
Yes, I believe in me
So you believe in you
Help me sing it, ma ma se
Ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa,
Ma ma coo sa
No one can hurt you now Mike. Rest in Peace.
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One of my favorite songs!!!
I feel your pain and passion, sister.
michael jackson was the greatest we all grew up on him…when i heard he dead is was almost like i lost an cousin or sumthin he’s been a star for sooo long a lot people were grown accustom to mike….like many others i thought mike would live much much longer…….i was already bangin his music before his passing now its just overload i gotta mike and whenever i hear his songs im singin em the whole way through that brother will surely be missed….no matter what fix news and other hating media outlets or just hating untalented individuals say mike to me will always be number one…good write clever
I feel you 100% Saint James. It sure was like losing a family member.
I now understand how white people feel about Elvis because in my mind MJ is not dead. He lives on. He’s just on a remote island somewhere moonwalking across the sand away from all the hate and media frenzy. I’m jsut waiting for him to text me that it was all a hoax.
Thanks brother.
Michael has made history in a way few others will be able to follow. Yeah, there have been other inspirational artists who have contributed to music’s lifetime hall of fame, but name another that started at age 5! Decades… 5 of them he gave to given to the world. But you know what we are of a generation that was privileged to live to experience him during his time here.
I’d say he was my second boyfriend… my first was Marvin Gaye, when he broke my heart (with is passing), Michael picked up the pieces.
For real though, I’m with you waiting to hear his death was merely a publicity stunt. Michael stop playin’, you can come out now, we wont be mad atcha!
“Michael stop playin. You can come out now. We won’t be mad atcha!”
My sentiments exactly!
Michael Jackson the only pop artist I have ever cared to listen to and the only one I ever will listen to. Know matter what people think good or bad there was not one before him and there won’t be one after him. There will only be one Michael Jackson. He blazed trails and made ways that were not open to us before in music. Jay-Z and Diddy not to mention Ice Cube can or will ever be that big!!!
did you ever see the mike & elvis tribute on tv guide channel?
and boy did kanye screw up last night…serena too!
Clever,
You know, I give Michael his props and everything, I was raised up under his music, I’m around the same age as he is. But now one realize the rich, famous, talented, non-talented, poor, and the unknown must leave this earth. No one, not anyone is invincible of this. So my question to others is,” what are you leaving behind when you are gone ?” Generational blessings or curses, the arts of creativity of the essense of your being, the fiber of your geniousness of neurons fulfilling their existence ? What, what more unfortunate circumstances and situations like Michael and others cause us to realize we need to salute to the cause of our own existence and the impact we shall make if fulfilling our indept call, answering to the drum beat of our spirit, mind and soul that impact our society and world. Thank you Michael for the impact of aiding me to realize the purpose of my call and existence!