The King Of Pop: Michael Joseph Jackson

The name King of Pop is synonymous with the man, the myth, and the legend Michael Jackson, or as some like to call him, MJ. It goes without saying that his cultural influence was almost astronomical, like a rocket shooting into a stratosphere that was virtually out of this world. Like many others across the globe, I fell in love with the magic of Michael Jackson as a kid, whether that was the way he carried classics like ‘Smile’ with such compelling emotions or the way he captivated audiences as that soulful little boy on the Ed Sullivan show alongside his brothers. What made Michael Jackson so different from his contemporaries was that he embodied what it meant to be a true performer, dazzling audiences with dance moves like the Moonwalk, Anti-gravity Lean, or the robot that showcased a real-life magician at work. He would invest in himself for live performances or music videos since he knew the importance of a quality end result. To quote Michael himself, to study the greats and become greater, and he did just that by analyzing every inch of his influences like James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Fred Astaire, and Charlie Chaplin, as he took the path that was set before him to turn it into a magnitude that the world will never see again. The impact of Michael Jackson would follow him to his articles of clothing, which sparked a whole generation to emulate what he was wearing, whether it was his sequined military jackets, his famous aviator sunglasses, or how can you forget about that famous rhinestone glove. Other facets of Michael Jackson were that he was gifted in and out of the recording booth as he carried the titles of songwriter and producer with songs in his catalog like Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, Jam, Stanger in Moscow, and countless more. Michael would be admired for his genius as he would come up with melodies and harmonies that would last a lifetime, as his goal was to create art that stood the test of time. The King of Pop’s music wouldn’t just break the threshold that was accomplished before him. Still, it was how his humanitarianism was reflected in his music by making a conscious effort to sing and write songs that had social change and impact, as is evident in masterpieces like Heal the World, Earth Song, and They Don’t Care About Us. For instance, Michael Jackson was inspired by the Los Angeles riots that reflected the outrage at the police brutality of Rodney King for the short film Black or White. His innovation even went as far behind the camera as he changed music videos by making them into extravagant events that would become short films such as You Rock My World, Remember the Time, and Ghost. This man’s contributions to music in his short-lived fifty years include spawning a recording breaking five number-one singles off the Bad album, winning the eight Grammys in one night at the 1984 ceremony for the Thriller album, or achieving four consecutive number-one singles before completing grade school as a member of the Jackson 5. Even these accomplishments don’t even scratch the surface of his brilliance. In essence, Michael Jackson has been an icon who transcended time and space to so many of his fans, myself included. This course reminded me of the appreciation and admiration for the artistry of the King of Pop and how he captured the world as the greatest entertainer ever to grace this planet.