Today, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson passed away.
Despite his eccentricities and scandals, there is no denying that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest music artists and performers to ever live. His resume speaks for itself. He first burst out on the scene as the precocious lead singer of the Jackson 5, displaying a powerful voice and funky dance moves. He later went solo releasing "Thriller" which is the best selling album of all time worldwide. He revolutionized music videos with long epic storylines and dance numbers as seen in the video for the "Thriller" single. His dance movies were smooth, innovative, and jaw dropping. How many people could pull off the "Smooth Criminal" lean, jumping on to their tippy toes, or 720 degree spin moves? People the world over (including myself) are still trying to figure out the moonwalk.
Michael Jackson is one of those people whose name and persona is known all over the world. His influence is readily apparent in music and popular culture. Why else would people wear white socks with high waters or single sequenced gloves? Also without Michael Jackson, there would be no Usher or Chris Brown. It's that simple. He really was larger than life.
When I look back on Michael Jackson, a few key moments will always come to mind. I will recall the little boy in hippie stylings singing "I Want You Back" (my favorite J5 song). I will remember him lighting up the floor tiles in the music video of "Billie Jean." Finally, I will always see the live performance of "Billie Jean" for Motown 25 where he first publicly busted out the moonwalk on national television.
His style, moves, and music will always live on.
Video of Motown 25 "Billie Jean" Performance
