Singer Michael Jackson, left, and actress Elizabeth Taylor share a table at the Carousel of Hope, a star-studded charity gala benefitting childhood diabetes held in Beverly Hills, Calif., Saturday night, Oct. 28, 2000. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Showing posts with label King of Pop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label King of Pop. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2009
Michael Jackson performs at the Super Bowl XXVII
Michael Jackson performs at the Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena, Ca. during the halftime show, on January 31, 1993. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)
jackson five
Pop artist Michael Jackson, center, is joined by his brothers Tito, Jermaine, and Randy at opening night of his Victory Tour at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., December 1, 1984. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)
President Ronald Reagan walks with Michael Jackson
President Ronald Reagan walks with Michael Jackson on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, May 14, 1984 in Washington where Reagan presented the singer an award for his part in a national campaign against drunk driving. (AP Photo/Scott Stewart)
Producers of the Year Michael Jackson
Producers of the Year Michael Jackson, left, and Quincy Jones pose with their Grammy Awards at ceremonies at the Shrine Auditorium, Feb. 28, 1984, Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)
brother Michael's '30th Anniversary Celebration
The Jackson Five arrive for their brother Michael's '30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years' concert at New York's Madison Square Garden Friday, Sept. 7, 2001. From left are; Randy, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, and Marlon. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)
Michael Jackson holds international television award gala
US pop star Michael Jackson holds one of the Tv awards given during the 'Telegatti' ('Tv Cats') international television award gala in Milan Monday night, May 5, 1997. At right is Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti. They both attended as guests to the gala. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Superstar Michael Jackson with Princess Stephanie of Monaco
Superstar Michael Jackson waves moments after receiving his World Music Award for World's Best-Selling Album of all Time - 'Thriller' from Princess Stephanie of Monaco during a ceremony at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club, Wednesday May 8, 1996. Jackson received five World Music Awards at the ceremony.(AP PHOTO/Laurent Rebours)
Michael Jackson performs in Dinamo stadium in Moscow
U.S. pop star Michael Jackson performs at his concert in the Dinamo stadium in Moscow, Tuesday, Sept.17, 1996. The show is part of Jackson's History World tour. (AP Photo/Sergei Karpukhin)
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson acknowledge applause from the audience after coming out onstage to open the 11th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at New York's Radio City Music Hall Thursday night, September 8, 1994. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
youngest member of the singing group Jackson Five
This is a photo of Michael Jackson at age 13, the youngest member of the singing group Jackson Five, in his home in Encino, Ca., in 1972. (AP Photo)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Jackson's love-hate relationship with the camera
Los Angeles: Some superstars love the cameras. Some hate them. But few have ever provided them as many memorable images as Michael Jackson. It started with his images as a precocious black pre-teen, wearing orange dungarees and an Afro, dancing and singing with the composure of an industry superstar.
A few years later he had further developed his look. He took to wearing one glove, and period military jackets covered in sequins and precious stones.
But even more than his unique costumes Jackson defined his style with his singular way of dancing. Best known for inventing the moonwalk, he also changed the way pop stars moved with his angular, fast-paced choreography, and superbly produced videos.
His physical looks prompted intense speculation throughout his life. He had his first plastic surgery operation after breaking his nose while practicing a dance routine in 1979. He complained about difficulty breathing and had many more operations, resulting in a strange facial appearance in which his nose seemed to have collapsed.
Jackson's skin tone also considerably lightened over the years. Jackson put this down to a skin disease known as Vitilgo, but many observers also suspected that he purposely tried to change his skin tone.
Michael Jackson's video for "Thriller" with his iconic red leather jacket was actually a mini musical that made history and forced MTV to start showing music by black musicians.
It was the impact of "Thriller" that was to have Jackson's greatest cultural significance.
"His influence was more than the sum of his talents," says Chery Paris, a former professor of cultural history in the University of California.
"His music paved the way for hip hop, his presence helped African-Americans into the mainstream. But it was his sheer star quality and presence that made him the first global black megastar and made pop music a global phenomenon. People of all ages everywhere around the world were fascinated by him," Paris said.
Yet in later years these images were overshadowed but ever more bizarre photos as Jackson began to appear increasingly frail. He was rarely seen in public without a face mask - whether for protection from germs or to hide his disfigured face.
On one of his rare appearances for fans he caused controversy while in Berlin for a private visit, dangling his squirming baby over a hospital balcony, raising serious questions about his judgement.
At his arraignment for child molestation in California in 2004, he jumped on a car to wave energetically to thousands of adoring fans - but then appeared frail thoughout the trial.
One time he even turned up late for court in his pyjamas. He faced a maximum 20 years in jail, but was ultimately acquitted. Yet as he tried to escape from the unwanted glare of the world's cameras, it was clear that he remained in the prison of his own personality and fame.
A few years later he had further developed his look. He took to wearing one glove, and period military jackets covered in sequins and precious stones.
But even more than his unique costumes Jackson defined his style with his singular way of dancing. Best known for inventing the moonwalk, he also changed the way pop stars moved with his angular, fast-paced choreography, and superbly produced videos.
His physical looks prompted intense speculation throughout his life. He had his first plastic surgery operation after breaking his nose while practicing a dance routine in 1979. He complained about difficulty breathing and had many more operations, resulting in a strange facial appearance in which his nose seemed to have collapsed.
Jackson's skin tone also considerably lightened over the years. Jackson put this down to a skin disease known as Vitilgo, but many observers also suspected that he purposely tried to change his skin tone.
Michael Jackson's video for "Thriller" with his iconic red leather jacket was actually a mini musical that made history and forced MTV to start showing music by black musicians.
It was the impact of "Thriller" that was to have Jackson's greatest cultural significance.
"His influence was more than the sum of his talents," says Chery Paris, a former professor of cultural history in the University of California.
"His music paved the way for hip hop, his presence helped African-Americans into the mainstream. But it was his sheer star quality and presence that made him the first global black megastar and made pop music a global phenomenon. People of all ages everywhere around the world were fascinated by him," Paris said.
Yet in later years these images were overshadowed but ever more bizarre photos as Jackson began to appear increasingly frail. He was rarely seen in public without a face mask - whether for protection from germs or to hide his disfigured face.
On one of his rare appearances for fans he caused controversy while in Berlin for a private visit, dangling his squirming baby over a hospital balcony, raising serious questions about his judgement.
At his arraignment for child molestation in California in 2004, he jumped on a car to wave energetically to thousands of adoring fans - but then appeared frail thoughout the trial.
One time he even turned up late for court in his pyjamas. He faced a maximum 20 years in jail, but was ultimately acquitted. Yet as he tried to escape from the unwanted glare of the world's cameras, it was clear that he remained in the prison of his own personality and fame.
RIP Michael, Tweets the world
Los Angeles: As the world woke up to the news of 'King of Pop' Michael Jackson's death, everyone from Indian politician Shashi Tharoor to California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took to Twitter, the micro blogging website to convey their shock and sorrow. Tharoor who is on his first ever overseas assignment to the Gulf remembered his meeting with the pop icon.
"MJ's songs and impact will of course outlast the recollections of his oddities. Met MJ once in my UN hat. Musical genius, but distinctly odd (like Mozart?) Wanted to be a UN goodwill ambassador but we couldn't recommend it," wrote Tharoor.
Superstar Mariah Carey wrote a poignant message saying that Jackson can never be replaced. "My prayers go out to the Jackson family,and my heart goes out to his children. Let us remember him for his unparalleled contribution to the world of music, his generosity of spirit in his quest to heal the world & the joy he brought to his millions of devoted fans throughout the world. I feel blessed to have performed with him several times & to call him my friend. No artist will ever take his place. His star will shine forever," wrote Carey.
"We lost a great entertainer and a pop icon. My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael Jackson's family, friends and fans" wrote California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Oscar winning actress Jane Fonda wrote, "I am stunned, my friend Michael Jackson is dead. he lived with me for a week on 'Golden Pond' set after Thriller."
Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat too payed obeisance through a small tweet, "R.I.P. MJ".
'Gravity' singer John Mayer wrote, "I truly hope he is memorialized as the '83 moonwalking, MTV owning, mesmerizing, unstoppable, invincible Michael Jackson. Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ."
Srilankan born Oscar nominated rapper MIA wrote ,"Michael Jackson, the first 2 English words I ever spoke, the future sucks!"
Ardent Twitter followers Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher both requested the media to respect the privacy of the grieving family. "I plea to the public to refuse to consume media that does not respect the anonymity of Michael's children. I plea to the press to respect his wishes of maintaining the anonymity of his children," wrote Kutcher.
Upcoming singers Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift wrote about the huge influence the star had on their music. "Michael Jackson was my inspiration. love and blessings," wrote Miley Cyrus while Swift tweeted, "It just doesn't feel real.. Everyone is walking around backstage saying 'Have you heard?'"
Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz wrote, "I have never felt this before in my life. I could measure my childhood 2 now on an MJ growth chart. RIP. The last legend."
"MJ's songs and impact will of course outlast the recollections of his oddities. Met MJ once in my UN hat. Musical genius, but distinctly odd (like Mozart?) Wanted to be a UN goodwill ambassador but we couldn't recommend it," wrote Tharoor.
Superstar Mariah Carey wrote a poignant message saying that Jackson can never be replaced. "My prayers go out to the Jackson family,and my heart goes out to his children. Let us remember him for his unparalleled contribution to the world of music, his generosity of spirit in his quest to heal the world & the joy he brought to his millions of devoted fans throughout the world. I feel blessed to have performed with him several times & to call him my friend. No artist will ever take his place. His star will shine forever," wrote Carey.
"We lost a great entertainer and a pop icon. My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael Jackson's family, friends and fans" wrote California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Oscar winning actress Jane Fonda wrote, "I am stunned, my friend Michael Jackson is dead. he lived with me for a week on 'Golden Pond' set after Thriller."
Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat too payed obeisance through a small tweet, "R.I.P. MJ".
'Gravity' singer John Mayer wrote, "I truly hope he is memorialized as the '83 moonwalking, MTV owning, mesmerizing, unstoppable, invincible Michael Jackson. Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ."
Srilankan born Oscar nominated rapper MIA wrote ,"Michael Jackson, the first 2 English words I ever spoke, the future sucks!"
Ardent Twitter followers Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher both requested the media to respect the privacy of the grieving family. "I plea to the public to refuse to consume media that does not respect the anonymity of Michael's children. I plea to the press to respect his wishes of maintaining the anonymity of his children," wrote Kutcher.
Upcoming singers Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift wrote about the huge influence the star had on their music. "Michael Jackson was my inspiration. love and blessings," wrote Miley Cyrus while Swift tweeted, "It just doesn't feel real.. Everyone is walking around backstage saying 'Have you heard?'"
Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz wrote, "I have never felt this before in my life. I could measure my childhood 2 now on an MJ growth chart. RIP. The last legend."
The musical genius who lived many lives
Los Angeles, June 26: He was one of the strangest celebrities ever. But history will remember Michael Jackson as a black man who managed to break through every racial and artistic barrier to become a global pop icon, a true musical genius.
A winner of 13 Grammy awards, he etched a place for himself in the hearts and minds of people as the King of Pop with his signature song and dance moves, unusual wardrobe, feminine voice - and also as Wacko Jacko for the weirdest controversies.
Capable of unleashing mass hysteria like the Beatles and Elvis, he introduced mega-stardom through his massive live concert tours. He made a mark on the music scene by selling a total of 750 million records, a record for a solo artist.
He was a man for whom life came full circle. When he died of a cardiac arrest Thursday at the age of 50 in Los Angeles, he had been labelled a fallen star - but a star who could still whip up a sold-out concert.
Jackson was born into fame Aug 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, US. He never knew real life. He was five, the youngest member of his family band, the Jackson 5, and was clearly the most popular. Having already established his star power at such a young age, his next foray into pop mainstream was his critically acclaimed album "Off the Wall" in 1979.
It was "Thriller" in 1982 that catapulted him into superstardom. The video for the song "Thriller" was a breakthrough success on MTV and heralded the age of the music video. It went platinum or diamond in 16 countries, including Britain, France and Japan.
But it was in 1983 that Jackson introduced a dance move that will most probably be the defining visual burnished in fans' memories - the moonwalk. That singular dance move could well be the greatest move of all time.
It was around the time of "Thriller" that his weirdness started showing off-stage. He purchased a chimpanzee named Bubbles and was diagnosed with vitiligo. This skin condition which causes loss of pigmentation in the skin would continue to ravage him. In his later days this condition made him look like an emaciated white man.
In 1987, he released "Bad" and then bought the 2,800-acre Neverland Ranch in California.
He was also at this time veering off into a chequered private life. In his autobiography he claimed he was abused by his dad.
While filming an advertisement for Pepsi, his hair caught fire. He had to get some corrective surgeries but many believe it did not just stop there. At the time of his death his face looked so ghastly that his nose had to be almost taped on to stay on his face.
He is rumoured to have injected himself with female hormones to maintain his falsetto voice.
Throughout his career, Jackson blurred the lines between artist, icon, and sadly ridiculed celebrity. Apart from "Thriller" and "Bad", he had a string of hits in the 1980s like "Beat It" and "Man In the Mirror".
In 1991, he again came out with the smash hit album, "Dangerous" which had the number, "Black or White". Jackson held eight Guinness records, including most successful entertainer of all time.
Jackson famously married Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley. But it didn't last and he married again. He is survived by three children.
Things really started going bad for him in 1993. That's when the first allegations of sexual abuse by him surfaced. It was settled quietly out of court. He also scorched headlines for multiple plastic surgeries and increasingly odd behaviour.
In late 2003, Jackson faced charges of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland Ranch. Jackson addressed the allegations in an interview to "60 Minutes" and gave details about his home.
"I wanted to have a place that I could create everything that I never had as a child. So you see rides, you see animals, there's a movie theatre. I was always on tour travelling, you know, and I never got a chance to do those things. So I compensated for the loss by - I have a good time - I mean, I can't go into a park, I can't go to Disneyland as myself. I can't go out and walk down the street. There's crowds and bumper-to-bumper cars. So I create my world behind my gates."
"Everything that I love is behind those gates," Jackson had told "60 Minutes".
The cases reached a climax in 2005 and he was cleared of a few charges. But many believed he was guilty and then the idea that he was a sexual predator along with generally being a strange man became too much to handle. Jackson exiled himself.
Despite earning hundreds of millions of dollars he was reported to be $500 million in debt thanks largely to his eccentrically extravagant lifestyle.
An increasingly frail and financially-challenged Jackson had been preparing for a 50-concert run in London, billed as his comeback tour. And the shows were declared sold out despite his scandal-tainted final years.
When he died Thursday, a large crowd formed outside the hospital and his home, playing Jackson's music, as news crews and reporters jostled for stories and as news helicopters hovered overhead.
For, in the end, the only redeeming quality of the man was his work.
A winner of 13 Grammy awards, he etched a place for himself in the hearts and minds of people as the King of Pop with his signature song and dance moves, unusual wardrobe, feminine voice - and also as Wacko Jacko for the weirdest controversies.
Capable of unleashing mass hysteria like the Beatles and Elvis, he introduced mega-stardom through his massive live concert tours. He made a mark on the music scene by selling a total of 750 million records, a record for a solo artist.
He was a man for whom life came full circle. When he died of a cardiac arrest Thursday at the age of 50 in Los Angeles, he had been labelled a fallen star - but a star who could still whip up a sold-out concert.
Jackson was born into fame Aug 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, US. He never knew real life. He was five, the youngest member of his family band, the Jackson 5, and was clearly the most popular. Having already established his star power at such a young age, his next foray into pop mainstream was his critically acclaimed album "Off the Wall" in 1979.
It was "Thriller" in 1982 that catapulted him into superstardom. The video for the song "Thriller" was a breakthrough success on MTV and heralded the age of the music video. It went platinum or diamond in 16 countries, including Britain, France and Japan.
But it was in 1983 that Jackson introduced a dance move that will most probably be the defining visual burnished in fans' memories - the moonwalk. That singular dance move could well be the greatest move of all time.
It was around the time of "Thriller" that his weirdness started showing off-stage. He purchased a chimpanzee named Bubbles and was diagnosed with vitiligo. This skin condition which causes loss of pigmentation in the skin would continue to ravage him. In his later days this condition made him look like an emaciated white man.
In 1987, he released "Bad" and then bought the 2,800-acre Neverland Ranch in California.
He was also at this time veering off into a chequered private life. In his autobiography he claimed he was abused by his dad.
While filming an advertisement for Pepsi, his hair caught fire. He had to get some corrective surgeries but many believe it did not just stop there. At the time of his death his face looked so ghastly that his nose had to be almost taped on to stay on his face.
He is rumoured to have injected himself with female hormones to maintain his falsetto voice.
Throughout his career, Jackson blurred the lines between artist, icon, and sadly ridiculed celebrity. Apart from "Thriller" and "Bad", he had a string of hits in the 1980s like "Beat It" and "Man In the Mirror".
In 1991, he again came out with the smash hit album, "Dangerous" which had the number, "Black or White". Jackson held eight Guinness records, including most successful entertainer of all time.
Jackson famously married Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley. But it didn't last and he married again. He is survived by three children.
Things really started going bad for him in 1993. That's when the first allegations of sexual abuse by him surfaced. It was settled quietly out of court. He also scorched headlines for multiple plastic surgeries and increasingly odd behaviour.
In late 2003, Jackson faced charges of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland Ranch. Jackson addressed the allegations in an interview to "60 Minutes" and gave details about his home.
"I wanted to have a place that I could create everything that I never had as a child. So you see rides, you see animals, there's a movie theatre. I was always on tour travelling, you know, and I never got a chance to do those things. So I compensated for the loss by - I have a good time - I mean, I can't go into a park, I can't go to Disneyland as myself. I can't go out and walk down the street. There's crowds and bumper-to-bumper cars. So I create my world behind my gates."
"Everything that I love is behind those gates," Jackson had told "60 Minutes".
The cases reached a climax in 2005 and he was cleared of a few charges. But many believed he was guilty and then the idea that he was a sexual predator along with generally being a strange man became too much to handle. Jackson exiled himself.
Despite earning hundreds of millions of dollars he was reported to be $500 million in debt thanks largely to his eccentrically extravagant lifestyle.
An increasingly frail and financially-challenged Jackson had been preparing for a 50-concert run in London, billed as his comeback tour. And the shows were declared sold out despite his scandal-tainted final years.
When he died Thursday, a large crowd formed outside the hospital and his home, playing Jackson's music, as news crews and reporters jostled for stories and as news helicopters hovered overhead.
For, in the end, the only redeeming quality of the man was his work.
Mystery surrounds Jackson's sudden death
Los Angeles: One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation was already turning on Friday to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" just weeks before his long-awaited series of comeback concerts. Jackson, a former child star who became one of the best-selling pop artists of all time before a descending into a strange and reclusive lifestyle, died on Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital, where he had been rushed in full cardiac arrest after collapsing at his nearby rental home.
Few details were known early on Friday about the circumstances surrounding his death, but the entertainer was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center, and doctors were unable to revive him.
His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late on Thursday.
Brian Oxman, a spokesman for the Jackson family, told CNN on Thursday that the family had been concerned about his health and had tried in vain to take care of him for months. "Michael appeared at rehearsals a couple of times, he was very seriously trying to be able to do those rehearsals," Oxman said of Jackson's preparations for a series of 50 concerts that were scheduled to begin in London in July.
"His use of medications had gotten in the way, his injuries which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebrae and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way," Oxman said.
Authorities have scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned that it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the behest of Chief William Bratton.
But they called the investigation an "every day" event.
The London concert swing was billed as a comeback for Jackson, who dominated the pop charts during the 1980s with such hits as "Thriller" and "Billie Jean" and was credited with turning music videos into a costly and cinematic art form.
He is considered one of the most successful entertainers of the past century, with a lifetime sales tally estimated at 750 million records and 13 Grammy Awards.
"Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jackson's first label boss. "He was exceptional, artistic and original. He gave the world his heart and soul through his music."
But Jackson's reputation as a singer and dancer was overshadowed in recent years by his increasingly abnormal appearance, and bizarre lifestyle, which included his friendship with a chimp and a preference for the company of children.
He named his estate in the central California foothills Neverland Valley Ranch, in tribute to the J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories, and filled it with amusement park rides and a petting zoo.
Jackson was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He became even more reclusive following his 2005 acquittal and vowed that he would never again live at Neverland.
Facing a battered reputation and mountain of debts that the Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson had spent the last two months rehearsing for the London concerts, including Wednesday night at the huge Staples Center arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
Despite reports of Jackson's ill-health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.
"I can't stop crying over the sad news," pop star Madonna said in a statement. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats but his music will live on forever."
Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children and first performed with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million internationally.
The following year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.
"I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. ... This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me," Presley said in statement.
Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999, and he later had another child with an unidentified surrogate mother.
He is survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.
Few details were known early on Friday about the circumstances surrounding his death, but the entertainer was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center, and doctors were unable to revive him.
His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late on Thursday.
Brian Oxman, a spokesman for the Jackson family, told CNN on Thursday that the family had been concerned about his health and had tried in vain to take care of him for months. "Michael appeared at rehearsals a couple of times, he was very seriously trying to be able to do those rehearsals," Oxman said of Jackson's preparations for a series of 50 concerts that were scheduled to begin in London in July.
"His use of medications had gotten in the way, his injuries which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebrae and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way," Oxman said.
Authorities have scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned that it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the behest of Chief William Bratton.
But they called the investigation an "every day" event.
The London concert swing was billed as a comeback for Jackson, who dominated the pop charts during the 1980s with such hits as "Thriller" and "Billie Jean" and was credited with turning music videos into a costly and cinematic art form.
He is considered one of the most successful entertainers of the past century, with a lifetime sales tally estimated at 750 million records and 13 Grammy Awards.
"Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jackson's first label boss. "He was exceptional, artistic and original. He gave the world his heart and soul through his music."
But Jackson's reputation as a singer and dancer was overshadowed in recent years by his increasingly abnormal appearance, and bizarre lifestyle, which included his friendship with a chimp and a preference for the company of children.
He named his estate in the central California foothills Neverland Valley Ranch, in tribute to the J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories, and filled it with amusement park rides and a petting zoo.
Jackson was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He became even more reclusive following his 2005 acquittal and vowed that he would never again live at Neverland.
Facing a battered reputation and mountain of debts that the Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson had spent the last two months rehearsing for the London concerts, including Wednesday night at the huge Staples Center arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
Despite reports of Jackson's ill-health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.
"I can't stop crying over the sad news," pop star Madonna said in a statement. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats but his music will live on forever."
Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children and first performed with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million internationally.
The following year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.
"I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. ... This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me," Presley said in statement.
Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999, and he later had another child with an unidentified surrogate mother.
He is survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.
Doctors worked an hour to resuscitate him: Jackson's brother
Washington/Los Angeles: Physicians at the UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles worked for more than an hour to resuscitate pop icon Michael Jackson, according to his brother Jermaine Jackson in broadcast remarks.
The sudden death of the rock star on a hot Thursday afternoon triggered not only worldwide mourning but also an odd disconnect as he came back to life with his star power in nonstop broadcasts of file footage.
Paramedics answered an emergency call at Jackson's rented mansion outside Los Angeles to find him unresponsive, officials said.
"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest at his home," an emotionally-wrought Jermaine told reporters. "Upon arriving at hospital at 1.14 p.m., a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour."
The Los Angeles County coroner Fred Corral confirmed Jackson was pronounced dead at 2.26 p.m. (2126 GMT), but would not comment on the likely cause of his death.
A Los Angeles police official said that given the "high-profile nature" of the death, the case had been assigned to the robbery and homicide team. An autopsy would be carried out to determine the cause of death, with results to be released Friday.
A Los Angeles police helicopter transported Jackson's body to the medical examiner's office, where his shrouded remains were placed in a simple ambulance for the final transport.
If cardiac arrest is confirmed, medical experts said there were a variety of possible causes, including a heart attack, an aneurysm or a blood clot.
Jermaine, a one-time member of the Jackson 5 and Michael's older brother, refused to take questions, ending his remarks to reporters with his own tribute: "May Allah be with you, Michael, always."
The sudden death of the rock star on a hot Thursday afternoon triggered not only worldwide mourning but also an odd disconnect as he came back to life with his star power in nonstop broadcasts of file footage.
Paramedics answered an emergency call at Jackson's rented mansion outside Los Angeles to find him unresponsive, officials said.
"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest at his home," an emotionally-wrought Jermaine told reporters. "Upon arriving at hospital at 1.14 p.m., a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour."
The Los Angeles County coroner Fred Corral confirmed Jackson was pronounced dead at 2.26 p.m. (2126 GMT), but would not comment on the likely cause of his death.
A Los Angeles police official said that given the "high-profile nature" of the death, the case had been assigned to the robbery and homicide team. An autopsy would be carried out to determine the cause of death, with results to be released Friday.
A Los Angeles police helicopter transported Jackson's body to the medical examiner's office, where his shrouded remains were placed in a simple ambulance for the final transport.
If cardiac arrest is confirmed, medical experts said there were a variety of possible causes, including a heart attack, an aneurysm or a blood clot.
Jermaine, a one-time member of the Jackson 5 and Michael's older brother, refused to take questions, ending his remarks to reporters with his own tribute: "May Allah be with you, Michael, always."
Fans say Jackson will forever be King of Pop
Washington: Scores of curious passers-by trickled into a sports bar in downtown Washington, shocked to see news of Michael Jackson's death flash across the massive TV screens instead of Thursday's sports events.
The reactions varied from wide-eyed disbelief to sheer despair until the management started playing some of Jackson's greatest hits. Suddenly the mood turned dramatically, became almost celebratory, as some people held hands and began singing "Remember The Time" from his hit album "Dangerous".
"It hasn't hit me yet. My boyfriend texted me with the news and we switched channels," said Hilary Tutman, 21, a server at Bar Louie. "My ma called - she was crying on the phone. I loved him when I was little and can forgive him for all the scandals - I only want to remember the best of Michael."
Outside the bar, crowds gathered around two men in their 20s who were belting out Jackson hits like "Thriller", "Smooth Criminal", "Bad" and "The Way You Make Me Feel".
"I learned how to moon walk watching his videos. He made me proud to be African American. He healed the world," one of them said, referring to the song that led to the creation of a charity of the same name aimed at improving children's lives all over the world.
On Thursday, Jackson's fans chose to remember the iconic pop star who broke cultural barriers with his signature singing style, moon walking and unique fashion sense - he made military-style jackets and sequined gloves immensely popular. They opted to forget his scandal-tainted final years, his genius obscured by multiple plastic surgeries, child molestation charges and increasingly odd behaviour that earned him the nickname Wacko Jacko.
"He invented pop the way it is now. Justin Timberlake, Usher... all of them only try to emulate what he started," said James Quander, 36, an attorney from North Carolina. "My four-year-old daughter Lani bops to his music on road trips - especially from (his album) 'Off The Wall'."
Yoland Crumity, 48, a bus driver for senior citizens, said she grew up listening to Jackson and he gave her a "sense of my place in this world".
"I'm so sad because I wanted him to make a comeback. I was sure he would redeem himself and now we'll never have that chance to know him again," she said. "With his death I feel that I have lost a very important part of myself, and memories that I shared with my brothers."
An increasingly frail and financially-challenged Jackson had been preparing for a 50-concert run in London, billed as his come-back tour. As Crumity shouted out, "I'll always love you, Michael", people on the streets started cheering, but a few girls couldn't hold back their tears.
One of them cried and said, "He's gone to a better place, where he will be understood. This world did not get him. He will finally be at peace."
In Los Angeles, hundreds of fans gathered outside his home, the hospital, near his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, playing his music, some of them dancing. "His music was such an inspiration to me - it's such beautiful music. His songs helped people heal who were troubled in the world," one fan told local TV station KTTV. "Let's remember him for his beautiful music."
"If I learnt anything from Michael's music and all his trials and tough times, it was - be true to yourself," said Anthony Hailey, 25, a security guard originally from Gary, Indiana who now works in Washington.
"Michael was born in Gary and even though he became world famous and forgot his roots, he will always belong to us," Hailey said. "My grandma who is 95 listens to his music, although it is rarely played on radio - but there will be a huge Jackson revival now. Her favourite song is 'You Are Not Alone'... I wish Michael knew that he was not alone."
The reactions varied from wide-eyed disbelief to sheer despair until the management started playing some of Jackson's greatest hits. Suddenly the mood turned dramatically, became almost celebratory, as some people held hands and began singing "Remember The Time" from his hit album "Dangerous".
"It hasn't hit me yet. My boyfriend texted me with the news and we switched channels," said Hilary Tutman, 21, a server at Bar Louie. "My ma called - she was crying on the phone. I loved him when I was little and can forgive him for all the scandals - I only want to remember the best of Michael."
Outside the bar, crowds gathered around two men in their 20s who were belting out Jackson hits like "Thriller", "Smooth Criminal", "Bad" and "The Way You Make Me Feel".
"I learned how to moon walk watching his videos. He made me proud to be African American. He healed the world," one of them said, referring to the song that led to the creation of a charity of the same name aimed at improving children's lives all over the world.
On Thursday, Jackson's fans chose to remember the iconic pop star who broke cultural barriers with his signature singing style, moon walking and unique fashion sense - he made military-style jackets and sequined gloves immensely popular. They opted to forget his scandal-tainted final years, his genius obscured by multiple plastic surgeries, child molestation charges and increasingly odd behaviour that earned him the nickname Wacko Jacko.
"He invented pop the way it is now. Justin Timberlake, Usher... all of them only try to emulate what he started," said James Quander, 36, an attorney from North Carolina. "My four-year-old daughter Lani bops to his music on road trips - especially from (his album) 'Off The Wall'."
Yoland Crumity, 48, a bus driver for senior citizens, said she grew up listening to Jackson and he gave her a "sense of my place in this world".
"I'm so sad because I wanted him to make a comeback. I was sure he would redeem himself and now we'll never have that chance to know him again," she said. "With his death I feel that I have lost a very important part of myself, and memories that I shared with my brothers."
An increasingly frail and financially-challenged Jackson had been preparing for a 50-concert run in London, billed as his come-back tour. As Crumity shouted out, "I'll always love you, Michael", people on the streets started cheering, but a few girls couldn't hold back their tears.
One of them cried and said, "He's gone to a better place, where he will be understood. This world did not get him. He will finally be at peace."
In Los Angeles, hundreds of fans gathered outside his home, the hospital, near his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, playing his music, some of them dancing. "His music was such an inspiration to me - it's such beautiful music. His songs helped people heal who were troubled in the world," one fan told local TV station KTTV. "Let's remember him for his beautiful music."
"If I learnt anything from Michael's music and all his trials and tough times, it was - be true to yourself," said Anthony Hailey, 25, a security guard originally from Gary, Indiana who now works in Washington.
"Michael was born in Gary and even though he became world famous and forgot his roots, he will always belong to us," Hailey said. "My grandma who is 95 listens to his music, although it is rarely played on radio - but there will be a huge Jackson revival now. Her favourite song is 'You Are Not Alone'... I wish Michael knew that he was not alone."
Jackson's superstardom tarnished by scandal
Los Angeles: Michael Jackson saw his musical versatility and head-turning dance moves propel him from child prodigy to solo superstar before child sex abuse scandals tarnished his reputation and his career.
News of Jackson's death, which media reports said was caused by cardiac arrest, broke as the 50-year-old singer was poised for a come-back with a string of 50 concerts scheduled to start in London on July 13.
They were to be his first concert series for 12 years and were expected to earn Jackson more than $400 million according to concert promoters AEG Live.
Jackson's fame reached a climax in 1982 with the iconic album and music video "Thriller". He sold an estimated 750 million records and won 13 Grammys throughout a career that spanned four decades.
But the moon-walking, sequin-gloved performer was beset by eccentricities that in 2008 had turned him into a virtual recluse with a mountain of financial woes.
Concerns about his health had been rampant during his 2005 trial in California on charges of child sex abuse - at which he was acquitted - and in 2008 when he was photographed in Las Vegas in a wheelchair for reasons that were never explained.
AEG Live said Jackson had passed a lengthy physical exam in early 2009, before the London concerts were announced.
Jackson was credited as the first black entertainer to gain a strong crossover following on music channel MTV. Music videos such as "Thriller," featuring dancing zombies, and "Beat It," pushed the boundaries of the fledgling art of music videos, while his spectacular stage performances created armies of devoted fans around the world.
After the release of "Thriller," Time magazine described him as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley" and said he was a "star of records, radio, rock video."
But Jackson's belief that "I am Peter Pan in my heart", his preference for the company of children, his friendship with a chimp called Bubbles, his high-pitched voice and numerous plastic surgeries earned him the name "Wacko Jacko."
The gradual change in his skin color to a pale white - which he said was caused by the skin pigmentation condition vitiligo - and his penchant for wearing surgical masks and shrouding his children with veils in public, added to his reputation as an eccentric.
After two, ultimately unproved, allegations in 1993 and 2003 of sexually abusing young boys during sleepovers at his Neverland Ranch in California, Jackson never recovered the exuberance and musical creativity that marked his youth.
After his acquittal in 2005 on charges of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy, Jackson shut the gates of Neverland and began a nomadic lifestyle in Bahrain, Dubai, Ireland and Las Vegas while battling lawsuits over his dwindling finances.
Jackson said repeatedly that he loved children and would never harm them but he was often forced to defend his views on sharing his bed with children.
"Children love me. I love children ... They want to be with me. But anybody can come in my bed. A child can come in my bed if they want," he said in a 1996 US television interview.
Born on Aug. 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Jackson started singing as the youngest member of brother group the Jackson 5, which clinched its first record deal in 1968 when he was 11.
Hits like "ABC" and "I'll Be There" helped the brothers become the first group in pop history to have their first four singles top the US pop charts, and by 1972 Jackson released his first solo album.
Those early years, under a strict father, took their toll. Jackson said later that he built his home Neverland, with a zoo, train rides, movie theater and carousel, because he "wanted to have a place that I could create everything I never had as a child."
He teamed up with producer Quincy Jones to make "Off the Wall" (1979) which yielded four hit singles and then "Thriller" with its dance, rock and pop tunes that produced seven Top Ten singles and stayed on US charts for over two years.
By 2009 it had sold more than 45 million copies worldwide.
In 1985, he wrote the famine relief charity single "We Are The World" with Lionel Richie, which became one of the fastest selling singles of that era.
The hit albums "Bad" and "Dangerous" followed and Jackson began calling himself the "King of Pop" as rumors mounted about his odd private life. In 1994, he made an out-of-court payment to settle accusations that he molested a boy in California.
A few months later, he stunned the world by marrying Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley, but the couple divorced in 1996. The same year, he married former nurse Debbie Rowe and had two children - Prince Michael Jackson I and Paris Michael Katherine. They split up in 1999.
Four years later he had another son, Prince Michael Jackson II with an unidentified surrogate mother.
News of Jackson's death, which media reports said was caused by cardiac arrest, broke as the 50-year-old singer was poised for a come-back with a string of 50 concerts scheduled to start in London on July 13.
They were to be his first concert series for 12 years and were expected to earn Jackson more than $400 million according to concert promoters AEG Live.
Jackson's fame reached a climax in 1982 with the iconic album and music video "Thriller". He sold an estimated 750 million records and won 13 Grammys throughout a career that spanned four decades.
But the moon-walking, sequin-gloved performer was beset by eccentricities that in 2008 had turned him into a virtual recluse with a mountain of financial woes.
Concerns about his health had been rampant during his 2005 trial in California on charges of child sex abuse - at which he was acquitted - and in 2008 when he was photographed in Las Vegas in a wheelchair for reasons that were never explained.
AEG Live said Jackson had passed a lengthy physical exam in early 2009, before the London concerts were announced.
Jackson was credited as the first black entertainer to gain a strong crossover following on music channel MTV. Music videos such as "Thriller," featuring dancing zombies, and "Beat It," pushed the boundaries of the fledgling art of music videos, while his spectacular stage performances created armies of devoted fans around the world.
After the release of "Thriller," Time magazine described him as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley" and said he was a "star of records, radio, rock video."
But Jackson's belief that "I am Peter Pan in my heart", his preference for the company of children, his friendship with a chimp called Bubbles, his high-pitched voice and numerous plastic surgeries earned him the name "Wacko Jacko."
The gradual change in his skin color to a pale white - which he said was caused by the skin pigmentation condition vitiligo - and his penchant for wearing surgical masks and shrouding his children with veils in public, added to his reputation as an eccentric.
After two, ultimately unproved, allegations in 1993 and 2003 of sexually abusing young boys during sleepovers at his Neverland Ranch in California, Jackson never recovered the exuberance and musical creativity that marked his youth.
After his acquittal in 2005 on charges of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy, Jackson shut the gates of Neverland and began a nomadic lifestyle in Bahrain, Dubai, Ireland and Las Vegas while battling lawsuits over his dwindling finances.
Jackson said repeatedly that he loved children and would never harm them but he was often forced to defend his views on sharing his bed with children.
"Children love me. I love children ... They want to be with me. But anybody can come in my bed. A child can come in my bed if they want," he said in a 1996 US television interview.
Born on Aug. 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Jackson started singing as the youngest member of brother group the Jackson 5, which clinched its first record deal in 1968 when he was 11.
Hits like "ABC" and "I'll Be There" helped the brothers become the first group in pop history to have their first four singles top the US pop charts, and by 1972 Jackson released his first solo album.
Those early years, under a strict father, took their toll. Jackson said later that he built his home Neverland, with a zoo, train rides, movie theater and carousel, because he "wanted to have a place that I could create everything I never had as a child."
He teamed up with producer Quincy Jones to make "Off the Wall" (1979) which yielded four hit singles and then "Thriller" with its dance, rock and pop tunes that produced seven Top Ten singles and stayed on US charts for over two years.
By 2009 it had sold more than 45 million copies worldwide.
In 1985, he wrote the famine relief charity single "We Are The World" with Lionel Richie, which became one of the fastest selling singles of that era.
The hit albums "Bad" and "Dangerous" followed and Jackson began calling himself the "King of Pop" as rumors mounted about his odd private life. In 1994, he made an out-of-court payment to settle accusations that he molested a boy in California.
A few months later, he stunned the world by marrying Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley, but the couple divorced in 1996. The same year, he married former nurse Debbie Rowe and had two children - Prince Michael Jackson I and Paris Michael Katherine. They split up in 1999.
Four years later he had another son, Prince Michael Jackson II with an unidentified surrogate mother.
Mystery surrounds Jackson's sudden death
Los Angeles: One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation was already turning on Friday to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" just weeks before his long-awaited series of comeback concerts. Jackson, a former child star who became one of the best-selling pop artists of all time before a descending into a strange and reclusive lifestyle, died on Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital, where he had been rushed in full cardiac arrest after collapsing at his nearby rental home.
Few details were known early on Friday about the circumstances surrounding his death, but the entertainer was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center, and doctors were unable to revive him.
His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late on Thursday.
Brian Oxman, a spokesman for the Jackson family, told CNN on Thursday that the family had been concerned about his health and had tried in vain to take care of him for months. "Michael appeared at rehearsals a couple of times, he was very seriously trying to be able to do those rehearsals," Oxman said of Jackson's preparations for a series of 50 concerts that were scheduled to begin in London in July.
"His use of medications had gotten in the way, his injuries which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebrae and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way," Oxman said.
Authorities have scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned that it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the behest of Chief William Bratton.
But they called the investigation an "every day" event.
The London concert swing was billed as a comeback for Jackson, who dominated the pop charts during the 1980s with such hits as "Thriller" and "Billie Jean" and was credited with turning music videos into a costly and cinematic art form.
He is considered one of the most successful entertainers of the past century, with a lifetime sales tally estimated at 750 million records and 13 Grammy Awards.
"Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jackson's first label boss. "He was exceptional, artistic and original. He gave the world his heart and soul through his music."
But Jackson's reputation as a singer and dancer was overshadowed in recent years by his increasingly abnormal appearance, and bizarre lifestyle, which included his friendship with a chimp and a preference for the company of children.
He named his estate in the central California foothills Neverland Valley Ranch, in tribute to the J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories, and filled it with amusement park rides and a petting zoo.
Jackson was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He became even more reclusive following his 2005 acquittal and vowed that he would never again live at Neverland.
Facing a battered reputation and mountain of debts that the Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson had spent the last two months rehearsing for the London concerts, including Wednesday night at the huge Staples Center arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
Despite reports of Jackson's ill-health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.
"I can't stop crying over the sad news," pop star Madonna said in a statement. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats but his music will live on forever."
Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children and first performed with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million internationally.
The following year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.
"I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. ... This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me," Presley said in statement.
Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999, and he later had another child with an unidentified surrogate mother.
He is survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.
Few details were known early on Friday about the circumstances surrounding his death, but the entertainer was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center, and doctors were unable to revive him.
His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late on Thursday.
Brian Oxman, a spokesman for the Jackson family, told CNN on Thursday that the family had been concerned about his health and had tried in vain to take care of him for months. "Michael appeared at rehearsals a couple of times, he was very seriously trying to be able to do those rehearsals," Oxman said of Jackson's preparations for a series of 50 concerts that were scheduled to begin in London in July.
"His use of medications had gotten in the way, his injuries which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebrae and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way," Oxman said.
Authorities have scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned that it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the behest of Chief William Bratton.
But they called the investigation an "every day" event.
The London concert swing was billed as a comeback for Jackson, who dominated the pop charts during the 1980s with such hits as "Thriller" and "Billie Jean" and was credited with turning music videos into a costly and cinematic art form.
He is considered one of the most successful entertainers of the past century, with a lifetime sales tally estimated at 750 million records and 13 Grammy Awards.
"Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jackson's first label boss. "He was exceptional, artistic and original. He gave the world his heart and soul through his music."
But Jackson's reputation as a singer and dancer was overshadowed in recent years by his increasingly abnormal appearance, and bizarre lifestyle, which included his friendship with a chimp and a preference for the company of children.
He named his estate in the central California foothills Neverland Valley Ranch, in tribute to the J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories, and filled it with amusement park rides and a petting zoo.
Jackson was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He became even more reclusive following his 2005 acquittal and vowed that he would never again live at Neverland.
Facing a battered reputation and mountain of debts that the Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson had spent the last two months rehearsing for the London concerts, including Wednesday night at the huge Staples Center arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
Despite reports of Jackson's ill-health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.
"I can't stop crying over the sad news," pop star Madonna said in a statement. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats but his music will live on forever."
Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children and first performed with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million internationally.
The following year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.
"I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. ... This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me," Presley said in statement.
Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999, and he later had another child with an unidentified surrogate mother.
He is survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.
Michael Jackson no more
 |
"We were notified by LAPD that Michael Jackson was transferred from his house to the hospital," said Los Angeles County Coroner Fred Corral. "He was unresponsive and pronounced dead at approximately 2.26 this afternoon."
Corral said an autopsy would be performed to check for toxicology and other problems. The results are to be released Friday.
A large crowd formed outside the medical centre and his home, playing Jackson's music, as news crews and reporters jostled for stories and as news helicopters hovered overhead.
Corral said that he had suffered a cardiac arrest and local media reported Jackson had not been breathing when paramedics reached him. Reports from hospital first said he was in a coma, before numerous media reported his death.
"We are just stunned - I can't tell you what has taken place but everyone is just stunned," family spokesman Brian Oxman told CNN. Referring to reports that Jackson was in ill health, Oxman said he "feared and warned about" the level of medication that Jackson was taking, though he stressed that "he was in fine condition. We have never seen him in any kind of weakened condition".
Jackson is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
Jackson had appeared increasingly frail and financially-challenged in recent years. Despite earning hundreds of millions of dollars he was reported to be $500 million in debt thanks largely to his eccentrically extravagant lifestyle.
Jackson's rented home was roped off after paramedics arrived to transport the King of Pop to the hospital.
Born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Jackson was a child star with the Jackson 5 and became one of the most successful recording artists of all time with the release of the album "Thriller" in 1982 - the best selling album of all time. His successful songs redefined the modern music video and forced MTV to start showing black performers, and paved the way for the acceptance of rap and hip-hop as mainstream musical styles.
Elevated to the stardom level of the Beatles and Elvis, he also introduced a new level of mega-stardom through his music and clothes, his dance moves, and his massive live concert tours.
"Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of colour - way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama," said black leader Al Sharpton. "Michael did with music what they did in sport politics and music. No controversy will erase his impact."
He raised consciousness about the plight of Africa with the supergroup recording "We Are the World" in 1985. But after that most of his headlines were dogged by scandal - from his marriages to Lisa Presley and former nurse Debby Rowe, to his eccentric lifestyle behind the gates of his fantasy childhood estate, named Neverland, after the setting of the book Peter Pan.
He managed to settle an allegation that he molested a boy there in 1993, but was forced to face a sensational "trial of the century" 10 years later. He was ultimately acquitted of the charges, but the exposure caused huge damage to his career and financial situation.
At the time of his death he had been preparing for a 50-concert run in London that was meant to represent his comeback and secure his financial future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)