Michael Jackson in his younger years, as many would like to remember him. / Photo: wordpress.com
Losing Michael Jackson is like the loss of a generation-identifying figure like
Brando or Presley but worse. While others drifted out of the spotlight and into
elderly quiet, Jackson’s sudden death takes us like a punch in the gut. And as
you gasp for air you grasp with shock and disbelief that it’s really happening.
When it sets in that the loss is real, we’re all left dazed and grasping for
what life was before this moment.
Long before the Internet and at a time when music was categorized by race and
class, Michael Jackson transcended all borders and categories and strode the
planet like a living legend.
He broke the color barrier on MTV, set the standard for music videos and created
the highest selling album of all time – a record that in this age of music
downloads will remain forever.
All the records, awards and musical breakthroughs reflect the worldly, tangible
influence of a dedicated professional who was a veteran in the business before
he was 25 years old. He prided himself on elevating toward the best – the James
Browns and the Gene Kellys. And he did that: He is now respected as the greatest
performer of the 20th century. His business and marketing mind have helped forge
his legacy alongside those of Hollywood’s immortals: Fred Astaire, James Dean,
Elvis Presley. Jackson’s popularity and impact made it so that in any corner of
the globe, millions simply uttered “Michael” – no surname was necessary in
speaking of him --- a distinction shared by few others in the 1980s.
Michael Jackson, 1984, his famous white glove
None of this is why millions of people around the world have been gathering
together to celebrate his life and mourn his death. It doesn’t explain the surge
in global Internet activity just after his death that rivaled the hours after
the 911 attacks. In communities across the nation and around the world, people
played the music they remember, car speakers blared J5 songs a bit louder and
everybody called somebody to touch in the moment.
This could not be just about the music and the dance style.
It’s because he’s ours that we mourn together. We grew up with Michael. Two
generations of Americans have grown up with Michael Jackson whether he’s an
11-year-old lead singer of the Jackson 5 giving us “I’ll Be There,” or as an
accomplished performer belting out “Billie Jean” or a musical perfectionist
whose music and artistry is still sampled today. And it’s because he cared about a better
world. Jackson’s generosity, message and philanthropy may be temporarily
overshadowed by media’s constant interest in controversy but history—and the
fans—will recall Jackson as one of the first to use his mega celebrity status to
draw attention to world social issues: racism, poverty, child abuse and more.
The Michael we've come to know
Unless otherwise indicated, photos courtesy Virgin Media
No one knows if Michael’s European concerts would have re-launched his musical
career. Certainly, acclaimed artists typically enjoy one more moment in the
spotlight before stepping away from the stage forever. We’ll have to leave what
could have been to the imagination—an ironic tribute to what he so beautifully
specialized in.
--Raoul Dennis
Let's enjoy the legacy...
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Michael Jackson in his younger years, as many would like to remember him. / Photo: wordpress.com 
Michael Jackson, 1984, his famous white glove 
The Michael we've come to know 
