Black Music Month Celebrates: Michael Jackson

I honestly have no idea how to begin writing an article that is a tribute to the greatest star to ever walk the face the earth. So I guess I’ll keep it simple and cliche. Happy Black Music Month to the one, the only, Michael Jackson.

Given to the world on August 29th, 1958, Michael Joseph Jackson was the 7th child born to Joseph and Catherine Jackson in Gary, Indiana. He had six older siblings including: Maureen, Sigmund, Jermaine, Toriano, La Toya and Marlon and two younger siblings, Janet and Steven Randle. Music was already in Michael’s lineage. His father Joseph was a musician who performed in a number of local popular bands around the Indiana area and his older siblings were all talented singers and dancers. The legendary Stevie Wonder is also a cousin of Michael Jackson.

Michael himself was also an extremely passionate singer and dancer having grown up being inspired by the likes of music legends such as James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, and David Ruffin among many others. When Joseph Jackson decided to turn his children’s talent into an ensemble of a career, young Michael would be the frontman of what would become the Jackson 5 after being signed by Berry Gordy to Motown Records in 1969. Under their seven year contract the Jacksons dropped a number of hits including “The Love You Save”, “ABC”, “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There”.

After taking over the world with his siblings in the world renowned Jackson 5, Michael eventually dropped his landmark solo album Off The Wall in 1979. Michael wowed the entire planet with his high pitched grooves such as “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” and “Rock With You”, but it was his next album that would change the landscape of music forever.

Seriously, there is NOTHING that needs to be explained here. Thriller is single handedly the most famous and iconic album of all time. Michael literally made the most popular song, dance routine and music video ever with this album, along with more of the greatest songs to ever grace the human ear with “Billie Jean” and “Beat It”

It was during this time that Michael assembled the greatest ensemble of musicians ever to record the world renowned charity record “We Are The World” to raise money for the hunger crisis in Ethiopia. The record is one of music’s biggest contributions to the world ever, selling over 20 million records worldwide, its success contributed massive aid to Ethiopia’s war on famine . As if Thriller and “We Are The World” weren’t enough, Michael continued to take over the world with all of his follow up albums Bad, Dangerous and Invincible.

What does Michael Jackson mean to me as an aspiring Black artist? Everything Michael did was life. Like the rest of the world I grew up on everything from Michael because he was one of my father’s favorite artist ever. At the same time he’s also one of my favorite artist ever as well. I remember being a little kid who used to joke around and try to imitate the moonwalk with my friends on the playground and even enjoying how realistically unnerving the masterpiece that is the thriller music video was. Furthermore his music also captured the essence of my childhood.

For me personally, my favorite Michael Jackson albums are Dangerous and Invincible. If I had to rank any one Michael Jackson song as my top favorite it might be “Remember the Time”. The harmony of that song is just so genuine and realistic and don’t even get me started on the music video. He had one of all our favorite comedians in it, Eddie Murphy and he had my all time favorite screenwriter, John Singleton directing it. I always felt that was the most artistic of Michael’s short films. I rank Dangerous as the best among my favorites because of its social commentary blended with it’s artistic evolution. That album fit in perfectly with the growing culture of Hip Hop and New Jack Swing at the time with classics like “Jam” and “Black and White”.

What makes his album Invincible so epic for me is it was the Michael album of my time. I remember when this album came out in 2001 and the music video for “Rock My World” came out. Michael and Chris Tucker made the perfect team and the classic gangster film backdrop that was reminiscent of Westside Story and The Godfather was equally enjoyable thanks to additions of Marlon Brando and Michael Madsen. Not surprisingly, the song “Butterflies” became what was probably my top favorite Neo-Soul joint of the time and I love the album’s production from some of my favorite producers like Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins.

I’ll never forget the day Michael passed away. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news. I was speechless and heartbroken like the rest of the world. I think it’s safe to say that Michael’s death was the most shocking moment in music history. Of course we’ve seen countless beloved celebrities pass away all throughout the history of entertainment, but Michael’s death is the one that garnered the most longstanding media attention in the months that followed. The entire world beyond just entertainment grieved for Michael and his family. All any of us could think about was the massive impact he had on our lives and how he spoke to us with his music. We were left with that bittersweet taste when in the months after his passing the documentary film This Is It was released chronicling his plans for what was meant to be his final world tour.

There are honestly not enough words to describe the iconography of Michael Jackson. He has inspired the souls of countless. Myself included. Even in death he is larger than life. His music will forever be the soundtrack to life and the world will forever be a better place because he was here. Black Music Month Celebrates Michael Jackson.