The King of Pop

Early Life and Family Background

Michael Joseph Jackson, born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, USA; known as the "King of Pop," was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer whose influence on pop music, dance, and culture was immense. With a career spanning over four decades, he became one of the most celebrated artists in the music industry. His innovative music videos and dance moves, like the moonwalk, defined a new era in pop music.

Gary, a small industrial town located just outside Chicago, Illinois, shaped much of Michael’s musical career and was where the music star grew up. Having grown up in a working-class African American family. Michael being the eighth of ten children; Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon (whose twin Brandon died in childbirth), Michael, Randy, and Janet, was born to Katherine Jackson, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, and Joseph Jackson, a steel mill worker and former musician. The Jacksons family was a musical family, with Michael’s siblings also displaying considerable talent. Joseph saw this as an opportunity to better his family’s life.

The Jackson 5 Era

The Jackson 5, which included Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael, was a group of five talented young boys, in which Michael was the youngest and most talented, was shaped by their father. Joseph began to train his sons as musicians every day for hours after school after discovering that a few of his sons could play the guitar and were musically gifted. This was when Michael’s interest in music developed. By the age of five, Michael outperformed his older siblings during family rehearsals by displaying an impressive natural talent for singing and dancing. His father noticed this and encouraged Michael to become part of the family band, The Jackson 5. Even at a young age, Michael had a dynamic stage presence and powerful voice, which quickly set him apart.

Joseph was a strict and demanding disciplinarian, managing and pushing his children hard to succeed in music, sometimes through physical abuse and harsh critiques. Despite challenges, his family’s support and collective dedication to music provided the foundation for his and his siblings’ entry into the entertainment industry. Where they started to perform in clubs on the Chitlin Circuit. Michael was able to learn from the performances of other artists, such as James Brown and Jackie Wilson, by watching.

The Jackson 5 soon exploded onto the pop and R&B charts in 1969, after they signed with Motown Records in 1968, thanks to the support of music producer Bobby Taylor. Motown’s founder, Berry Gordy, was captivated by Michael’s talent and helped shape the group’s early music career. The Jackson 5’s debut single, "I Want You Back," released in 1969, became a massive hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Like many of the group's earliest hits like; “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There” — all reaching number one on the charts, the song was co-written by “The Corporation,” a group of Motown writers and producers. These remarkable successes showcased Michael's talents to a national audience and established the group as one of the leading acts in pop music during the early 1970s. This marked the beginning of Michael Jackson’s path to stardom.

Solo Career Beginnings

However, Michael began to desire more control over his music and to develop his own style outside of the Motown sound. With solo performances such as “Ben” and “Rockin’ Robin,” Michael reached the top of the pop charts and was even named a “prodigy” by music critics. While starting his solo career, he continued to perform trendy dance tracks such as “Dancing Machine” with the Jackson 5.

In 1975, the group left Motown and earned two Grammy Awards nominations. They signed with Epic Records, rebranding themselves as The Jacksons. This transition period allowed Michael to experiment with songwriting and production, paving the way for his solo career.

In 1978, Michael Jackson starred alongside Diana Ross in The Wiz, a musical film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz that featured an all-Black cast. The film’s soundtrack included “Ease On Down the Road,” which was nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus—marking Jackson’s first Grammy nomination outside of his work with The Jackson 5.

The Thriller Era and Global Stardom

The following year, Jackson released Off the Wall, his debut solo album with Epic Records, which exceeded all expectations by becoming the best-selling album of the year, with sales eventually surpassing 20 million copies. Produced by Quincy Jones, the album included major hits like “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You,” blending Jackson’s high-energy style with the popular disco vibe of the era. “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” earned him his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. Despite the album’s commercial success, Jackson was disappointed that it only received two Grammy nominations and was overlooked for Album of the Year. Reflecting on this experience in his autobiography, Jackson said, “That experience lit a fire in my soul,” motivating him to make his next album even greater.

Three years later, Jackson released Thriller, his second collaboration with producer Quincy Jones. This groundbreaking album featured a stellar lineup of guest artists and launched Jackson to global superstardom. Thriller won numerous awards, including seven Grammy Awards. Jackson also earned an eighth Grammy that year for narrating the E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial audiobook, making him the first artist to take home eight Grammys in a single night. Thriller remained on the charts for over two years, sold more than 65 million copies worldwide, and became the best-selling album of all time.

The album’s first single, “The Girl Is Mine,” a light-hearted duet with Paul McCartney, quickly rose to number one on the R&B charts and reached number two on the pop charts in fall 1982. Its follow-up, the energetic dance hit “Billie Jean,” shot to the top of the pop charts, bringing along with it Jackson’s iconic “moonwalk” dance. In May 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. Following a Jackson 5 medley, he performed “Billie Jean” solo, debuting the moonwalk—a move that cemented his status as a cultural icon.

Later Career and Personal Life

In 1984, Michael Jackson earned his well-known name the “King of Pop,” acknowledging him as the most prominent figure in pop music. His genre-blending work, groundbreaking music videos, and electric performances had redefined the industry, making the title a natural fit.

During this period, Jackson experienced both remarkable achievements and significant personal challenges. His 1987 album, Bad, was a massive success, producing five consecutive number-one singles, including "Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal." Bad was followed by a highly successful world tour, during which he continued to break records and drew enormous crowds worldwide, solidifying his international superstardom. But rumors had started to pile up about the superstar. These rumors depicted Jackson as an eccentric, secluded figure, indulging in his childhood dreams at Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos, California. Stories frequently highlighted his unusual possessions, including a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, his pet chimpanzee Bubbles, and a private amusement park as supposed evidence of his unique lifestyle. The following year, Jackson took steps to shape his own story by publishing his autobiography, Moonwalk, and releasing the experimental film Moonwalker, which blended several of his music videos with imaginative and autobiographical segments.

Controversies and Legal Battles

In the early 1990s, Jackson’s lifestyle became increasingly controversial. His reputation suffered significantly in 1993 when he faced allegations of child molestation from a 13-year-old boy, resulting in an out-of-court settlement. In 1994, he secretly married Lisa Marie Presley, but their union lasted less than two years. He then married nurse Debbie Rowe, with whom he had two children, Prince and Paris, before their divorce. In 2002, Jackson welcomed a third child, Prince Michael (nicknamed Blanket, later changed to Bigi), through a surrogate.

Despite being an international star, Jackson’s image in the U.S. remained tarnished, especially after his 2003 arrest on new child molestation charges. During the trial, actor Macaulay Culkin testified in Jackson's defense, stating they had bonded over their shared experiences with fame and that he had never experienced any inappropriate behavior from Jackson. After a 14-week trial that drew massive media attention, Jackson was acquitted in 2005.

Final Years and Legacy

Following these events, Jackson faced a financial collapse that led to the sale of many of his assets, including his extravagant Neverland Ranch. He was in the midst of preparing for a series of high-profile concerts aimed at reviving his career when he died suddenly from cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009. His passing sparked an overwhelming outpouring of grief from fans, culminating in a memorial celebration on July 7 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, attended by friends and celebrities like Stevie Wonder and Al Sharpton. An autopsy later ruled Jackson’s death a homicide due to a fatal mix of sedatives and propofol, an anesthetic. In November 2011, his personal physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Refferences:

-https://www.biography.com/musicians/michael-jackson ;

-https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/is-michael-jackson-for-real-102872/ ;

-https://www.biography.com/musicians/michael-jackson ;