Michael. Michael. Michael. Where do I start. My earliest memory of Mike, he was playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz. Ease on down, ease on donw the road. The Jackson 5 was a little before my time but to me they created their on genre of music. To me, the deliciously combined r&B and rock & roll with a touch of funk. I was still mad young when he dropped Off The Wall, but I remember that being on constant rotation. I can say through out my adolescence Michael was a constant. Thriller came out. Holy shit! You gotta be kidding me. Billie Jean yo?
When I was younger I really didn't think much of those lyrics, but once I started listening music, Billy Jean's been in heavy rotation for about 15 years. Dude was trying to tell you that the girl is a freak and that baby ain't his. Okay, they got down on the dancefloor, but that was it. I love that base line.
Not too many people know that the Jacksons were Jehovah's Witness. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, so I could really relate to Mike. But then, some of the elders hear Thriller and they deemed Michael demonic. No more Mike? Say it ain't so! Yall took my X-Mas and my birthday, please give me Mike. Mike stayed.
Being a recording artist myself I can definately say MJ is the reason I make music. He made it cool to be different. To be yourself. Everything he did was global. He was a movement, a force. He didn't make music videos, he made mini movies.
I think Mike traded his humanity for the power entertain. His heart was as big as the stadiums he used to pack. He's even in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the most charitable celebrity.
To the needy, he provided aid. For the everyone else? He gave us himself and music you could live your life to.
R.I.P. Mike
There will never be showman of his caliber on this planet.
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