King of Pop: Michael Jackson

It’s been all over the news. The King of Pop is dead. It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? THE Michael Jackson is gone. Though I am not a big fan of the guy, I did grew up listening to his music. I remember listening to his songs as it blasts in our car stereo during one of my family’s long road trips. His music was the only thing my whole family could agree to playing while on the road. To say that MJ bridged the generation gap is an understatement. His influence in the music industry is definitely a force to reckon with. Despite the media circus, the scandals and everything that surrounded him, no one can deny the fact that this man is a legend. And I, for one, can’t imagine legends dying. It’s just something that doesn’t cross your mind. I found a write up of  Amazon member, Laszlo Matyas that sums up what I wanted to say.

I woke up from a nap and there were three text messages on my phone. Nobody ever texts me, so I knew it must have been big news. I thought there was a fire or something. Turned out, Michael Jackson is dead. I was startled, to say the least, because MJ never seemed like the kind of person that could, you know, die. To be honest, he never really registered in my consciousness as being a person; Michael Jackson was the androgynous sexual panic of “Billie Jean,” the breathless seduction of “P.Y.T.,” the thrilling kitsch of “Thriller,” the chattering afro-popisms of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” The idea that he had a human body, one that needed food and air and sleep, never really clicked in my mind. But then again, I guess that’s to be expected. I mean, how can a mere human being really be thought to be capable of creating something as monstrous, as mechanical, as all-encompassing, and as awesome as Thriller? This kid wasn’t the king of pop; he was the whole damn kingdom. And we, the audience, are not his loyal subjects; we’re just reading the travel brochures. [Source]

RIP Michael Jackson.