It isn't a good thing when you wake up in the morning all fresh and chirpy and log on to Facebook to open your Restaurant only to be bombarded by people's status message saying "RIP Micheal Jackson". That's what happened to me. And its shit I tell you. At first I thought it was some misinterpretation of the news but after scrolling down and seeing more and more SM (status messages) it was just too much to be a mistake rite?
So logging on to the news site I found out that it was true, that the king of pop himself has passed away due to cardiac arrest. Thats what the initial report says. Whether or not its the truth we'll just have to wait and see. Now, usually when people especially superstars die, it doesn't bother me at all, cue Heath Ledger, I mean, its all part and parcel of life right? But somehow the passing of MJ seemed to have struck a nerve with me. I guess its because as a kid, he was one of my inspirations, the reason I fell in love with music. Heck, I even have Bille Jean and Beat It on my phone alongside Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold k!
I could still remember the first cassette I owned was MJ's Bad record. Never really had the moves like him cos face it, I just can't dance. hahaha.. but seeing him do it was just awesome. No doubt his awesomeness has inspired a generation of artist who are now a household name in the industry like Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown. His songs were sang over and over again by us in karaokes, though some have been remade into IMHO pretty good songs like Cris Cornell and David Cook's version of Billie Jean, Fallout Boy's Beat It and Alien Ant Farm singing Smooth Criminal. And not to mention the countless MJ impersonation acts across the globe. Some were really good (like the one on Britain's Got Talent) and some well, kinda sucked.
Whatever it was, I will always remember him for the many things he has 'given' to the music industry. From the silver glove to the crotch grabbing, to the most famous of moves : The Moonwalk. Heck I still can't quite catch how to do it. He could be bad, a smooth criminal or even a werewolf but he was still one cool SOB while doin it. He has also thought us to love someone no matter if they're black or white, that we can heal the world, and that we'll never be alone cos he'll be there with us (which if you're a kid can be kinda creepy).
Sure in more recent years he has been marred by controversy such as his pedophile scandal and his Neverland Ranch to his 'Artist of the Millennium' award at the MTV Music awards. And who can forget his countless nosejobs but I'm sure the millions of fans out there including me, never really gave a shit about it. I knew what he was all about. And the sad thing is his comeback tour will now have to be put off permanently.
So this is my tribute to the King Of Pop, the one man who had it all : fame, money, love (married to Elvis' daughter!) and most of all : talent. May you rest in peace in your neverland and showing the people in Heaven how to dance for real...
As you rest in peace, your legend will live on...