Directed by Spike Lee. Beginning in Gary, Indiana where it all started and then around the world where Michael's influence saw no limitations.
Directed by Spike Lee. Beginning in Gary, Indiana where it all started and then around the world where Michael's influence saw no limitations.
"Simmer, Sizzle, Add a little Booty. This is why we Rehearse." Watching Michael Jackson rehearse for epic tour is not just watching a man at work, it's an observation of art being chiseled into perfection. Even at during his most frustrated moments, MJ remained humble and sincere. Choreographers, dancers, musicians and even director Kenny Ortega all cater to the King's requests, but the work ethic and emotions that go into performing with such an icon is full of wonderful moments. This Is It really was MJ's final curtain call and he made the most of every second with each dance move, each change in note, each direction of movement. From looks, Michael definitely seemed brittle, yet his robotic manuevers and precise pops and locks of every one of his famed dances moves was anything but weak. It never seemed possible that Michael would ever out-do himself, yet the This Is It Tour would most definitely have upped the ante and level of artistry that goes into being a performer. At man at work and a man that enjoyed life is how This Is It will forever engrave Michael's memory in this world. In his last few months on this earth, Michael was truly happy and being able to see the humorous side of a man that spent most of his life in hiding is a peaceful memory to take to the grave.
There's no doubt that this Halloween weekend will be swelled with Michael Jackson lookalikes. The moment the King of Pop passed away, costume manufacturers went into overdrive to produce enough gear for this year's antics. From New York City's annual Halloween parade to the West Hollywood Freak Show, MJs, Thriller zombies, BIlly Jeans and Dirty Diana's will be moonwalking the streets. May this year's Michaels represent the true artistic memories of one of the greatest performers to live.
With Michael Jackson's passing, everyone became a producer. As if it wasn't a problem already everyone with GarageBand was creating their own little hits left and right, now more than ever, producers are dipping into the MJ gold mine. Some are better than others and the rest should never be heard in the first place. No ID, from all the Blueprint fame, managed to take Michael's "Who's Lovin' You" and actually make a smooth mix of it. No hate over here...
Madonna's moving and lengthy eulogy for Michael Jackson was the perfect, quiet opening to the 2009 Video Music Awards. By celebrating the King of Pop's life through words, memories, music and dance, MTV gave the proper thanks to the man who launched the cable channel's career. Janet Jackson performing along side her brother in "Scream" is exactly how we first met the little diva. On stage, looking up at her brother Michael and putting on that sass the world fell in love with.
When he came raging through the back door yelling for money and rushing her into a wall, I stood at the end of a spiral staircase watching, telling myself not be to scared. And when he sat there sprawled on the floor, drunkenly asking for forgiveness, and being handcuffed to spend the night in the tank, the police officer told me, "Sometimes people make mistakes and they get punished, but people can change." It was the Spring of 1988, my father, now solemn and ashamed, took me for a ride in his cab, which doubled as our spare car, and Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror" was the new single of the second from the legend himself. I may have only been 4, but it was the first time I remember understanding the lyrics and looking up at my dad and praying to God he was a changed man. If Mike could change the world, my dad could change mine.
MJ's music has been the seam that's connected my childhood memories. Michael was the voice of anger, chaos and happiness that defined a time when not only was I trying to find myself, but our country as whole was also refining the images of minorities through television. While my parents couldn't fix their marriage, they were determined to not let their children suffer in an environment that cultivated bad ideas. So, that meant moving us out of the ghetto and to the farmlands of Massachusetts. As we somewhat stepped away from our tumultuous life, it was the Michael Jackson inspired rebel in me that wanted to piss off everyone in my new white world. So, I started with the girl next door, who before she met me was still listening to her parents dusty country records. When I introduced her to "Dirty Diana" and "The Way You Make Me Feel," I could see the love burning in her eyes. This country bumpkin went rogue and she was never the same after that.
Finally, when things were too calm for us as a family, we moved back two years later to the urban life we once knew. I remember being 6 and having such a bad-ass rep that I could take on anyone. I was ready to show my new city peers that I could hack it and I was one of them. And to my surprise, my father had managed to find another typical white community. These kids were so white they had never seen color outside of their crayola box. Boston, being one of the the most racist cities of its kind, has never been a place for minorities to thrive. Just when life couldn't suck any more, one great Thursday rolled around when FOX would be premiering the music video for "Black And White." I begged, and begged, and BEGGED to stay up past my 8:30 p.m. bedtime to watch the premiere, and to watch the King of MY LIFE dance with all kinds of races of people (with a soft spot for the Indian girl he coordinates moves with in the middle of the street), smash in car windows and his signature crotch grab was like standing up against racism right there beside MJ.
I was too young to appreciate Michael's Jackson 5 roots and too non-exsistent to know he had a career before my life began, but for every time he was the playback to one of my life experiences, those moments are with me forever. I was 7 when I begged my cousin to take me to the Neverland Ranch, but instead, he took me to Disneyland. At age 8, I (embrassingly) admit to daydreaming that I would one day be Michael's girl. In the 4th grade, our chorus teacher was conducting a group of 9-year-olds to sing "Heal The World" in synchronicity. At 14, we memorized all the dance steps to "Thriller" and took over our local mall for a performance. And even when it wasn't cool anymore, I still bought the sibling collaboration of "Scream" because I was obsessed with the song. It's memories like these that remind me of the iconic power Michael Jackson obtained and for each of us his passing has a unique affect on our lives.
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