I considered Michael Jackson, the singer not the man, as one of the greatest icons of my generation. I was in 4th year high school when his album Thriller became the No.1 selling album in the world earning him the title " King of Pop ". The said album also produced a number of top hits such as Thriller, Beat It , Billie Jean, and some others which I could no longer remember. The dance craze at the time was the moonwalk, the zombie and robotic/statue moves which were copied from his music videos.
I still remember the time when during one of the weekly presentation of our youth group, I played the role of Michael Jackson while performing a dance number together with my friends to the tune of " Beat It ", with a gang fight and real knives for effect. Our sponsor and founder was so amused and entertained by our number that he ordered us to perform it during our foundation day in front of more than five hundred guests! It pains my heart to know that he is now dead as he was once a part of my youth. It was just a pity that his life turned upside down after reaching the pinacle of fame and glory, just like another 80's icon Mike Tyson. Just like another idol of mine, the great Bobby Fischer..
Michael Jackson's life was, as the title of the popular song of Crosby, Stills and Nash aptly described, " WASTED ON THE WAY " or maybe, he was just simply misunderstood. Goodbye my idol and may you rest in peace!!!
For those who don't belong to my generation, here is a brief detail of his life as provided for in WIKIPEDIA.
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)[2][3] was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, five of his solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and Thriller—credited for transforming the music video into an art form and a promotional tool—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sales of over 750 million albums worldwide. Cited as one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.
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