By Marcus Cygy

Original article here: http://www.cygy.com/2009/06/remembering-michael-jackson-1958-2009.html

Michael Jackson, an incredible entertainer, performer, musician, and pop star who built a colorless bond between black soul and white pop music while earning the nickname “King of Pop,” has tragically passed away today in Los Angeles. He was 50.

Paramedics were called to Jackson’s home earlier this afternoon, but they were unable to revive him when he went into a deep comma stemming from a cardiac arrest.

The life of Michael Jackson will be remembered on many fronts. Perhaps what people will bring up more often than not initially are the gloomy times from the bizarre accusations perpetrated against him during the 2005 child sexual abuse trial. Jackson was indicted for four accounts of molesting a minor, four counts of intoxicating a minor, one count of abduction, and one count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive at his 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch compound. Jackson denied all counts and on June 13, 2005, the jury found him not guilty on all charges.

What should be remembered most about Michael Jackson’s life though is the fact that he gave his life to the fans. At the tender age of 11, Michael debuted on the professional music scene as a member of The Jackson Five. In 1971, he began his solo music career, which saw five of his solo studio albums become one of the world’s best-selling records. These include “Off the Wall” (1979), “Thriller” (1982), “Bad” (1987), “Dangerous” (1991), and “HIStory” (1995).

The worldwide sales figures are numbers that still stand the test of time. 1979’s “Off the Wall” album sold 20 million copies. 1982’s “Thriller” album sold between 100-109 million copies, which is still the largest number of sales for any musical album through to today in 2009. The “Bad” album of 1987 sold 30 million copies, which was followed by “Dangerous” selling over 17 million copies in 1991 and “HIStory” selling 20 million copies in 1995.

Michael Jackson’s achievements don’t stop there. In 1997, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of The Jackson Five. Furthermore, Jackson is among 15 other people that has been inducted into this hall of fame twice, because in 2001 he was inducted again as recognized for his solo career.

As the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson became the first African-American entertainer to rally a strong crossover following on MTV in the 1980’s. His music videos, such as “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” and “Thriller,” were catalysts for music videos we see today where the video is not based solely on music itself, but is used as a promotional tool where the form of art can be introduced into performances.

No art performances were more apparent than the famed “robot” and “moonwalk” dance techniques Jackson would use in the videos on MTV and live on stage at concerts. In the 1990’s, videos such as “Black or White” and “Scream” solidified Michael Jackson as a staple attraction for MTV viewers. His unparalleled musical sound and vocal essence was what made Michael Jackson one of the biggest stars of this world, and it’s his work that has become the standard of influence for many hip hop, pop, and contemporary R&B artists today.

The Guinness World Records recognizes Michael Jackson as the “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time.” Supporting that claim are the 13 Grammy Awards he has won, 13 number one singles in his solo career, and 750 million albums sold worldwide during his nearly four-decade career.

In the 1980‘s, Michael Jackson received industry awards and honors from the United Negro College Fund and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 1985, Jackson was also a key player in the all-star benefit single “We Are the World,” written by Jackson and Lionel Richie. Together they raised $60 million for hunger relief in Africa. Together with his rise to fame and willingness to give back, Michael Jackson earned the reputation of being one of the world’s most beloved entertainers.

Michael Jackson was a certainly a man of many faces and just like how his performances and albums have lasted the test of time in sales worldwide, these same performances which have been described as being awe inspiring and magical are what will remain atop the list of remembrance when speaking of Michael Jackson in the future times to come. These were the moments that exercised times of excitement where Jackson’s following was able to intertwine people of all ethnicities into one worldwide cult.

Michael Jackson had two brief marriages. First to Lisa Marie Presley, whom he married in 1994, and to Deborah Rowe, whom he married in 1996. Jackson is survived by his three children, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.