Cross 1

Tana Cross

English III

Records 1A

30 April 2018

The King of Pop

Listening to music is an everyday activity whether that be in the car or from your phone.

Michael Jackson has been one of the figures in the pop music industry that will continue to

shape the way music is created today. Jackson shaped the music industry and earned the title

of ‘King of Pop’ through how he was raised as a child, his ability to constantly release chart

topping hits and the idea that he made enemies that would ultimately lead to his murder.

Jackson may have been seen to have the ideal childhood by the general public. Michael

Joseph Jackson is born to Katherine and Joe Jackson in Gary, Indiana on August 29th of 1958.

(“A Michael Jackson Timeline”). Michael would later join his brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine,

and Marlon, who became one of the biggest pop groups in music history. One of Motown's most

successful acts in the 1970s, The Jackson 5 had four of their first singles hit the top of the

Billboard chart, but the group's appeal was more than just musical - they were among the first

black teen idols to appeal to a white audience. The Jackson 5's mix of mind-blowing musical

talent and sheer charisma earned the family the status of pop royalty in the music business and

later helped launch Michael's legendary solo career.(“The Jackson 5”). Although, how they

developed their drive and work ethic wasn’t exactly the most humaine. Each and every member

grew up being physically beaten for making mistakes in rehearsals. This resulted in the 5

brothers fearing the idea of failure on a level that most people wouldn’t experience in everyday

life. “You are one of the most famous child stars that has ever existed. You have fame and

fortune and all anyone could really ever ask for. Except, for a childhood. Your childhood was full

of neglect and abuse. You didn’t have time for friends. Your best friends were your older

brothers. Instead of playing outside with other kids, you’re stuck in the studio recording music or
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practicing for an upcoming show for hours. Meanwhile, your father is standing no less than ten

feet away from you with a belt in his hand. You are the example because you are the star. So,

you better not mess up a step or miss a note because that belt will strike you. You just messed

up one step and before you know it you’re on the ground crying out from the pain. But it was just

one step, why should you be punished so brutally? (Michael Jackson: A Tragic Childhood |

WRTC 103). These poor boys never had the typical childhood and essentially didn’t really have

a childhood from the start. This caused all of the Jackson boys—especially Michael—to have to

grow up in order to accommodate the expectations of the music industry.

Jackson can very easily be considered the ‘King of Pop’ and earned that title through his

ability to release music that was made for everyone. He was someone that you could

considered to be ‘one of the firsts’ when it came to many aspects of the music industry. Post

Jackson 5, his climb to the top as a solo artist started with his first album generating seven Top

10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Jackson’s Off The Wall album was only the beginning of his

flourishing solo career and the release of Thriller soon proved that to be true. “Jackson debuted

what would become his signature dance move, the moonwalk, during a performance of "Billie

Jean" on the May 16, 1983. Later that year, on Dec. 2 Jackson changed the music video world

for good when he released the music video for "Thriller." The near 14-minute epic unlocked the

unlimited possibilities of music video, while helping to cement the viability of the medium.” (“10

Reasons Michael Jackson Became The King Of Pop”). He continued to make history when he

became the first artist to win eight GRAMMYs in one night at the 26th Annual GRAMMY Awards

on Feb. 28, 1984. As Jackson got older, he allowed his listeners to hear his growth with albums

such as Bad, Dangerous, Blood On the Dance Floor and Invincible. One of his most remarkable

successes was the fact that he became the first celebrity to receive two stars on the Hollywood

Walk of Fame in late 1984.(“10 Reasons Michael Jackson Became The King Of Pop”).

With great success come a great number of enemies, and this could have lead to the

demise of such a musically gifted legend. It is believed that Jackson had made himself an easy
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target for the hatred of the public through his abundant success. But on June 25th of 2008, the

world seemed to have stopped and all tasks came to a complete halt when news of Jackson’s

death appeared on TVs across the nation. “The "King of Pop" was found dead in his home

under mysterious circumstances. What did Michael Jackson's children and trusted staff witness

prior to his sudden death? Did his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, cause Jackson's

demise? Some suggest Jackson took his own life and others claim he was murdered by those

who thought Jackson was worth more dead than alive” (The Death of Michael Jackson). The

mystery of Jackson’s sudden death still remains a conspiracy. But, it seems easy to believe that

there was an ulterior motive when listening to the 911 call made by Murray and the actions

taken by Jackson’s staff to ‘save his life’. “The singer died from an overdose of the powerful

anaesthetic propofol. His doctor Conrad Murray was later found guilty of involuntary

manslaughter. But [his daughter, Paris] believes there is more to the story. "He would drop hints

about people being out to get him," she said."And at some point he was like, 'They're gonna kill

me one day.' She went on to say "a lot of people" wanted her father dead, and that she was

playing a "chess game" to bring them to justice. The teenager did not name specific people, and

did not implicate Conrad Murray in her accusations” (Savage) Jackson’s eldest, Paris, has a

point and the idea that his death was a complete setup seems to be feasible.(Savage).

Michael Jackson’s legacy still lives on today and affects modern music. His music

became apart of many people’s childhood and they continue to pass the legacy on to future

generations. His success in the entertainment industry paved the way for so many entertainers,

but he also made enemies along the way. Those that surrounded him quickly became

threatened by his rapid growth and this could have ultimately been the cause of his death.
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Works Cited

“10 Reasons Michael Jackson Became The King Of Pop.” GRAMMY.com, 15 May 2017,

www.grammy.com/grammys/news/10-reasons-michael-jackson-became-king-pop.

Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.

“A Michael Jackson Timeline.” NPR.org,

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4702126. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.

“Michael Jackson Jury Members Recall Child Molestation Trial, Why They Found Him Not

Guilty.” Global News, 24 July 2017, globalnews.ca/news/3620304/michael-jackson-child-

molestation-trial-jury-members/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.

Michael Jackson: A Tragic Childhood | WRTC 103. sites.jmu.edu/103fall14/mj-draft/. Accessed

6 Apr. 2018.

Savage, Mark. Paris Jackson: 'My Father Was Murdered'. BBC News, 25 Jan. 2017,

www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38737565. Accessed 16 Apr. 2018.

The Death of Michael Jackson. www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/hln/how-it-really-happened/the-

death-of-michael-jackson/. Accessed 16 Apr. 2018.

“The Jackson 5.” Biography, www.biography.com/people/groups/the-jackson-5. Accessed 20

Apr. 2018.