In the aftermath of the passing of the King of Pop, two distinct aspects of Michael Jackson’s life come to my mind.
One is his amazing musical talent and the legacy that he left behind. His impact on the musical world is evident by the tribute that a countless number of artists have paid him throughout the years, and more importantly, by his 13 #1 hits.
But honestly, his musical success only comes to my mind unconsciously. I do not remember his songs or his achievements. I did not live in his era.
Instead, what I remember most is the controversy that surrounded him during the last decade of his life. And the same holds true for most members of the younger generation that I am a part of.
When the name “Michael Jackson” gets around at school, we immediately ridicule him. We think of Michael as a child molester, as an outcast who had an obsession with plastic surgery and whose face resembled a ghost. These thoughts are cruel but unavoidable.
I do not remember Jackson performing Thriller, but I do remember the heavy news coverage of the child molestation case in 2005. I do not remember Jackson growing up singing in the Jackson 5, but I do remember the time that he lifted his baby over the railing on a balcony for the world to see.
So when I asked my parents about the life of Michael Jackson, they told me to concentrate on the positive aspects of his life. But I was never able to witness the time when it was only joy that Michael brought to the world. If I was alive to witness Jackson’s rise to stardom, then I would truly be able to appreciate the life of one of the most famous artists ever. But I cannot go back in time. This is the unfortunate reality.
