The legacy of Michael Jackson is one that no musician will ever be able to fill. His life dedicated to entertainment leaves him as the the greatest musician our generation has seen. Easily acclaimed the most famous man on the earth. From the age of 8 he gave us music that kept us dancing. Breaking barriers in religion, music and race.
His artistry was sheer perfection and he will always remain a musical genius. June 25th 2009 was the day we lost him and his death affected the world. I happened to be on Miami Beach, Florida when an influx of tweets saying MJ was in cardiac arrest were being delivered to a friends phone. I simply shrugged it off, telling my cousin and her that it was a media stunt for him to take the money for those attending the ‘This Is It’ London concert and that he was just fine (I also had a ticket for the opening night). We got in my cousins car and drove to a local Dunkin Donoughts in Miami, with utter silence we listened to the radio changing and flicking through stations to get an updated report on his progress, the media was in a frenzy and no one could confirm whether his death was true. As we entered DD everyone was glued to the screen with CNN’s updates surrounding the condition of MJ.
We got back in the car around 5pm, a male reporter announced that Michael Jackson, the King of Pop was dead. Instantly tears started streaming down my face. The weirdest sensation ever. The car was silent all the way home and it was almost as if the world had come to a stand still, the only sounds alive were those of the many hits Michael had left us as we drove through the streets of Miami.
I had never ever met him or even had a conversation with him, but like many felt like I knew him and he was almost part of the family. Through his court cases to press releases I was always there backing it 110% for Michael. Childhood memories are incomplete without his influences. He was a part of the family, parties, reunions and more. We all had our moments in front of the TV imitating his innovative dance moves. I remember running to the screen yelling at my cousin that I was going to marry Michael Jackson as we fought to kiss him through the screen. He was a part of all of our lives and his music connected to memories growing up will continue to live in our hearts.
King of Pop – Michael Jackson – Gone to Soon
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His death still brings tears to my eyes today. I stumbled across this poem written by the great Maya Angelou. Read by Queen Latifah at his memorial, and although some of the words are confusing to me, I still feel like ‘We had Him’
“We Had Him”:
Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.
Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.
In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans can rush our tides with the abrupt absence of our treasure.
Though we are many, each of us is achingly alone, piercingly alone.
Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.
He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.
Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.
He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.
We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.
His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.
And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.
We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.
Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana’s Black Star Square.
In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England
We are missing Michael.
But we do know we had him, and we are the world.
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Written by Stephane Alexandre