Jin Chohan ( August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009 ), nicknamed the “King of Pop” ( English : King of Pop ), was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful entertainers . His unique contributions to music and dance, and his private life, made him a prominent figure in popular culture for four decades.
He is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , holds several Guinness World Records — including “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time” — 13 Grammy Awards , 13 US No. 1 singles, and an estimated total of of over 750 million records. He was a significant multi-million dollar philanthropic and humanitarian sponsor of 39 charities and also raised contributions through his own Heal the World Foundation .
Jackson began his solo career in 1971, after debuting in 1964 as a member of The Jackson 5 . His 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time to date, as are four others — Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995) — among the best-sellers. He made a number of advanced dance moves such as the robot and the moonwalk very popular. He is widely recognized for changing the music video from being a promotional tool to an art form and the videos for songs such as ” Billie Jean “, ” Beat It” and Thriller made him the first African-American to gain a large following through MTV .
Jackson’s private life created quite a bit of controversy. His changing appearance could be seen from the 1980s, and especially changes in nose shape and skin color created media coverage. In 1993, he was accused of abusing children , although no legal charges emerged. He was married in 1994 and 1996 and had three children, one of whom was born by a surrogate mother . In 2005, he was indicted and acquitted of allegations of pedophilia. Jackson died of cardiac arrest at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009 in Los Angeles , California . His memorial service was broadcast live worldwide.
Jackson was born the eighth of nine children on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana , an industrial suburb of Chicago , into an African-American family. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse , was a devout Jehovah’s Witness and his father, Joseph Walter “Joe” Jackson , was a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters, Rebbie , La Toya , and Janet , and five brothers, Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , Marlon , and Randy . [6]
Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father. Jackson Jr. has stated that he was physically and mentally abused by being subjected to incessant tests, being whipped and being called nicknames, although he believed that his father’s discipline formed the basis of his later success. [7] During an argument, recounted by Marlon, Joseph held him upside down by a leg while “beating him over and over with his hand, hitting him in the back and on the butt”. [8]Joseph could also find himself strapping legs or pushing Jackson into walls. One night while Jackson was sleeping, Joseph crawled into his room through the bedroom window and screamed while wearing a scarecrow mask. He said he wanted to teach the children that they should not leave the window open when they went to bed. Jackson himself later stated that for several years afterwards he had nightmares about being kidnapped from his room. [8] Joseph confirmed in 2003 that he had spanked Jackson while he was still a child. [9]
The first time Jackson spoke openly about the abuse in his childhood was in an interview with Oprah Winfrey , which aired on February 10, 1993. He stated that he had often cried from loneliness and would sometimes throw up when he saw his father. In an interview with Martin Bashir broadcast on February 3, 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson , he covered his face with his hands and began to cry when talking about the abuse as a child. He remembered Joseph sitting in a chair with a belt in hand while he and the other siblings practiced and that “if you didn’t do it the right way, he would tear you apart, really come after you.” . [10] [11]
Jackson showed his talent when, at the age of five, he performed in front of his classmates at a carol night. In 1964, he and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backing musicians, playing conga and tambourine . Jackson later began singing backing vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine became lead singers, and the group changed its name to the Jackson 5 . [6] The band toured extensively in the Midwest from 1966 to 1968, often appearing in a series of black clubs known as “the chitlin’ circuit “, where they were often the opening act for striptease sessionsor other adult entertainment. In 1966, they won a major local talent contest with their versions of Motown hits and James Brown ‘s ” I Got You (I Feel Good) “, with Michael in the lead. [12]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including ” Big Boy “, at local label Steeltown in 1967, and signed with Motown Records in 1968. [6] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as “a child prodigy” with “overwhelming musical ability” and that he “quickly emerged as the central draw and lead singer.” [13] The group set a chart record when its first four singles (” I Want You Back “, ” ABC “, ” The Love You Save ” and ” I’ll Be There “) reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 . [6]During the Jackson 5’s early years, Motown’s public relations department claimed that Jackson was nine years old—two years younger than he was—to make him appear cuter and more approachable. [14]
Beginning in 1972, Jackson released four solo albums through Motown, including Got to Be There and Ben , released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and spawned successful singles such as ” Got to Be There “, ” Ben ” and a remake of Bobby Day ‘s ” Rockin ‘Robin ‘. The Jackson 5’s sales began to decline in 1973, and the band members resented Motown’s strict and constant denial of control over the music or input. Although they had several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single ” Dancing Machine ” and the top 20 hit ” I Am Love “, the Jackson 5 left the company in 1975. [15]
1976–81: Switched to Epic and Off the Wall
The Jackson 5 signed a contract with CBS Records in June 1975 and thus worked for Epic Records [16] . For legal reasons, the group changed its name to The Jacksons [17] . After the name change, the group continued to tour internationally and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. From 1976 to 1984, it was Michael Jackson who wrote most of the group’s songs, including songs such as Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground), This Place Hotel and Can You Feel It] [12] .
In 1978, Jackson played the Scarecrow in the film musical The Wiz , which is a retelling of The Wizard of Oz [18] . Quincy Jones arranged the music for the film and he subsequently entered into an agreement with Jackson to produce his solo album Off the Wall [19] . In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during an advanced dance routine. His subsequent nose job didn’t go quite as planned; he complained of breathing problems. that would have an impact on his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin , who performed Jackson’s second rhinoplasty and subsequent surgeries. [20]
Jones and Jackson produced Off the Wall together. Among the songwriters were Jackson, Heatwave ‘s Rod Temperton , Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney . Released in 1979, the album was the first album to have four top 10 hits in the US, including the hit singles ” Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough ” and Rock with You . [21] It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. [22] In 1979, Jackson was best man at Uri Geller ‘s wedding, but arrived two hours late, so a company consisting of, among othersBarry Gibb , Dave Stewart and the Mayor of Liverpool had to eat the wedding dinner before the ceremony, instead of the other way around. [23] In 1979, Jackson also met 13-year-old Terry George from Leeds . After that, the singer called him at exactly 9 pm three times a week, and once Jackson had masturbated during a phone conversation. In 1981, the two met again in England. After that, contact ceased, but in 1993 the story found its way to English Sunday papers, where George, to his dismay, appeared on the front pages. [24]
In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo career: 1) Favorite Soul/R&B Album, 2) Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist, and 3) Favorite Soul/R&B Single for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” . That same year, he also won Billboard music awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album , as well as a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”. [21] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt that Off the Wall should have made a far greater impact, and he was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.royalty rate : 37 percent of revenue from albums. [26]
1982–83: Thriller and Motown 25
In 1982, Jackson contributed to the history books with the song “Someone In the Dark” for the film ET ; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children. [27] That same year, Jackson released his second Epic album, Thriller , which became the most commercially successful album of all time. The album remained in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 for 80 weeks and for 37 of them it was at number one. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including ” Billie Jean “, ” Beat It ” and ” Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ .” [28] Thriller was certified for 28 million sales by the RIAA, giving it double diamond status in the US. [29] It is the best-selling album of all time with 110 million copies sold worldwide. [30] Jackson’s lawyer John Branca stated that at the time, Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry: he received approximately $2 for each album sold. He also earned record revenues from CD sales and The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller , a documentary produced by Jackson and John Landis . The documentary, which had been financed by MTV, sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. Various objects were also sold, such as dolls of Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in 1984 at a price of $12. [31] Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that ” Thriller stopped selling as a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and began selling as a household staple.” [32]
Time described Jackson’s influence at the time as: “Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets a decade’s beat. A dancer with the most elaborate footwork on the street. A singer who cuts through all boundaries of taste and style and also color”. [31] The New York Times wrote that “in the world of pop music, there’s Michael Jackson and there’s everyone else”. [33] On March 25, 1983, he appeared live on the television show Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever , both with the Jackson 5 and alone, singing “Billie Jean”. His performance, which was the first time he used his special dance style moonwalk , was watched by over 47 million viewers, and was compared toElvis Presley’s and The Beatles ‘ appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show . [34] The New York Times said, “The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dancing style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a true mime artist. His ability to hold a leg immediately when he slides while the other bends and looks like it does requires perfect timing.” [35]
1984–85: Pepsi, We Are the World and business career
In November 1983, Jackson (along with his brothers) and PepsiCo entered into a US$5 million deal, breaking all previous records for celebrity endorsement payments . Jackson’s manager had first approached Coca-Cola , who offered a deal worth US$1 million, but Jackson instead made a push at PepsiCo, which was looking for someone to front its New Generation campaign. It paid off big, and for the next decade Jackson and Pepsi were closely associated. [36] However, the deal with Pepsi came to cost Jackson dearly in terms of health, when during filming in Los Angeles in January 1984 , his hair caught fire in front of 3,000 people in attendance. He danced to Billie Jean, when he got too close to a pyrotechnic device that went off too soon. It caused second degree burns to his scalp and the loss of some of his hair. His jacket also caught fire. However, he did not file a lawsuit against Pepsi, who paid him one and a half million US$ in damages, which Jackson donated to the Brotman Medical Center, which had treated him, and which created a Michael Jackson Burn Center , which, however, had to close in 1987 . [37] Later it was found out that it was the pomade, Jackson came in his hair that had been ignited. He received treatment to hide the scars, and his third rhinoplasty shortly after. It later emerged that the pain Jackson suffered from the burn was long-lasting and made him dependent on prescription pills. His hair also never really grew back, [38] so he started wearing a wig when he went out. After his death it was found that his scalp was badly scarred and there was hardly any hair on the sides. [39]
Jackson at the White House with President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in 1984.
On May 14, 1984, he was invited to the White House to receive an award from US President Ronald Reagan for his support of projects that help people overcome alcohol and drug addiction. [40] Jackson won eight awards at the Grammy Awards that year. Unlike later albums, Thriller was not promoted on any official tour, but the Victory Tour in 1984, headlined by The Jacksons, performed much of Jackson’s new solo material to more than two million Americans. He donated his US$5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity. [41] He and Lionel Richiewrote the 1985 charity single We Are the World , which was released worldwide to help poor people in the United States and Africa. It became one of the world’s best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to relief efforts. [42]
While working with Paul McCartney on the two hit singles The Girl Is Mine (1982) and Say Say Say (1983), the pair became good friends. McCartney told Jackson how enormously he was making money from music catalogs; approximately US$40,000,000 annually from other people’s songs. Jackson then began dealing in rights to other people’s music. In 1985, ATV Music , the owner of thousands of music copyrights , including the Northern Songs catalog containing most of the Lennon -McCartney compositions recorded by The Beatles , was put up for sale. [43] [44]Jackson was immediately interested in the catalog, but was warned of stiff competition. Excitedly, he jumped around saying ” I don’t care. I want those songs. Get me those songs, Branca! [his lawyer]”. McCartney tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, but she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson ultimately beat out the other competitors in negotiations, which lasted ten months, and bought the catalog for US$47,500,000. [43] [45]
1986–87: Appearances, tabloids, Bad , autobiography and film
Jackson’s skin had a medium-brown color throughout his youth, but starting in the early 1980s it began to paler. The change was widely covered by the media and rumors emerged that he bleached his skin. [46] According to J. Randy Taraborrelli’s biography, in 1986 Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus ; the vitiligo disease partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was improving ; both diseases made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for the diseases lightened his skin, and when added to the make-up he used to hide blemishes, he could appear very pale. [47]The structure of his face also changed: several surgeons wondered if he had multiple nose jobs, a forehead lift, thinned lips and cheekbone surgery. [48]
He lost weight in the early 1980s due to a change in diet and his desire to have “a dancer’s body”. [49] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he suffered from anorexia . Periodic weight loss became a recurring problem later in Jackson’s life. [50] Some medical experts have stated that he suffered from dysmorphophobia , a psychological condition in which one does not like one’s appearance and has no concept of how others view one. [47] He had his fourth rhinoplasty in 1986, and had a cleft in his chin. [20] [51]
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo , here in the early stages of the disease.
Jackson became the subject of an increasing amount of sensational news. In 1986, The National Enquirer published a series of photographs showing him lying in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber , claiming that he slept in the chamber to slow his aging. [52] When Jackson purchased a chimpanzee named Bubbles from a laboratory, it was reported as an example of him slowly losing touch with reality. [53] In 2003, Jackson claimed that Bubbles had been trained to use the toilet and to clean his own bedroom. [52] It was later reported that Jackson had offered $1,000,000 for the bones of Joseph Merrick , the “Elephant Man”. [54]The news gradually became part of the public consciousness, and inspired the nickname “Wacko Jacko”, which was often shortened to “Jacko” in the tabloid press. Despite Jackson maintaining that the ‘news’ was pure fabrication, a 2004 biography said people close to Jackson had leaked the rumors to the press as promotion. [55] Jackson remarked to a reporter:
Citat Why not tell people I’m an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They will believe anything you say because you are a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, said “I’m an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight” people would say “Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is crazy. He’s crazy. You can’t believe on a single word that comes out of his mouth.” [56] Citat
Jackson wore a gold plated military style jacket with belt in the Bad era.
Jackson starred in the Francis Ford Coppola – directed 3D film Captain EO . It was then the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis, and was later shown at Disney theme parks. Disneyland had the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, while Walt Disney World showed the film in its Epcot park from 1986 to 1994. [57] With the industry expecting another big hit, Jackson’s first album in five years, Bad ( 1987), eagerly awaited. [58] It did not sell as well as Thriller, but still became a considerable commercial success, scoring seven US chart hit singles, five of which (” I Just Can’t Stop Loving You “, ” Bad “, ” The Way You Make Me Feel “, ” Man in the Mirror ” and ” Dirty Diana “) went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, more than any other album. [59] Per By 2008, the album had sold 30 million copies worldwide. [60]
In 1987, Jackson distanced himself from the Jehovah’s Witnesses in response to their displeasure with the Thriller video . [61] The Bad World Tour began on September 12 of that year and ended on January 14, 1989. [62] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sold-out concerts, drawing 570,000 spectators, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour. [63] He broke a world record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out concerts at Wembley Stadium. He gave a total of 123 concerts to a total audience of 4.4 million people, breaking another world record when the tour grossed him $125,000,000. During the tour, he invited underprivileged children to watch for free, and made donations to hospitals, orphanages and other charities. [62]
1988–90: Autobiography, Changing Appearances, and Neverland
Michael Jackson in Cannes .
In 1988, Jackson published his first autobiography , Moon Walk , which had taken four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies. [64] Jackson wrote about his childhood, the Jackson 5 , and the abuse he had suffered. [65] He also talked about his plastic surgery, that he had two rhinoplasty operations, and a cleft in his chin. [49] He attributed much of the changes in his facial structure to puberty , weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, changed hairstyle and stage lighting. [49] Moon Walk reached number one in The New York Timeslist of bestsellers . [66] Jackson subsequently released a film titled Moonwalker , which featured live material and music videos in which Jackson appeared alongside Joe Pesci . Moonwalker debuted at the top of the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, and stayed there for 22 weeks. This record was later broken by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues . [67]
In March 1988, Jackson purchased an area of 11 km² near Santa Ynez, California, where he built Neverland Ranch at a cost of US$17,000,000. There was a Ferris wheel , a zoo and a movie theater on the property. In 2003 , its value was estimated at around US$100,000,000. [13] [68] In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, advertising contracts and concerts were estimated at US$125,000,000 that year alone. [69] Shortly after, he became the first from the West to appear in a television commercial in the Soviet Union . [67]
Jackson’s success earned him the nickname the King of Pop . The honorary title was made popular/widespread by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with an “Artist of the Decade” award in 1989, proclaiming him to be “the true king of pop, rock and soul.” [70] President George HW Bush awarded him the White House ‘s special “Artist of the Decade”. [71] From 1985 to 1990, he donated US$500,000 to the United Negro College Fund , [72] but Jackson did not care about being African-American, referring to Negroes as spabooks . [73]
All proceeds from his single Man in the Mirror went to charity. [74] [75] Jackson’s live version of You Were There at Sammy Davis Jr.’s 60th birthday received an Emmy nomination. [67]
1991–93: Dangerous , Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65,000,000, which at the time was a record deal, beating Neil Diamond ‘s previous contract renewal with Columbia Records . [68] He released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. Per By 2008, Dangerous had sold seven million copies in the United States and had sold 32 million copies worldwide; it is the most successful new jack swing album of all time. [76] [77] [78] In the US, the album’s first single ” Black or White ” was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the BillboardHot 100, where it stayed for seven weeks, with similar results in the rest of the world. [79] The album’s second single ” Remember the Time ” spent eight weeks in the US top 5, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. [80] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a chair when he said he had injured himself during rehearsals. [81] In the UK and elsewhere in Europe, ” Heal the World ” was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992. [80]
Jackson founded the ” Heal the World Foundation ” in 1992. The charity invited underprivileged children to Jackson’s ranch, where they could play in the amusement park that Jackson had built. The foundation also sent millions of dollars to projects around the globe to help children threatened by war and disease. The Dangerous World Tour began on June 27, 1992, and concluded on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed in front of 3.5 million people at 67 concerts. All profits from the concerts went to the “Heal the World Foundation”, raising millions of dollars for emergency relief. [80] [82] Jackson sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBOfor $20,000,000, which is still a record. [83] After Ryan White’s illness and death, Jackson helped raise public awareness of HIV / AIDS , something that was still controversial at the time. At Bill Clinton’s inauguration, he publicly called for the Clinton administration to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research. [84] [85]
Jackson also went on a high-profile visit to several countries, including Gabon and Egypt , in Africa . [86] His first stop in Gabon was attended by more than 100,000 in “spiritual chaos”, with many holding signs reading “Welcome home Michael”. [86] In his visit to Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned “King Sani” by a tribal leader. [86] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while ceremonial dances were performed. [86]
One of Jackson’s most acclaimed performances was during halftime of Super Bowl XXVII . As the concert began, Jackson was flung onto the stage while fireworks were set off behind him. Landing under the tent, he maintained a motionless “clenched fist, standing statue pose,” dressed in a gold and black military jacket and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for several minutes as the crowd cheered. He slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away, and then began to sing and dance. His routine included four songs: ” Jam “, “Billie Jean”, “Black or White” and “Heal the World”. It was the first Super Bowl in which attendance increased during halftime, and was watched by 135 million Americans; Jackson’s Dangerous-album subsequently moved up 90 places on the charts. [46]
Jackson was presented with the ” Living Legend Award ” at the 1993 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. “Black or White” was nominated for “Best Vocal Performance”. “Jam” received two nominations: “Best R&B Vocal Performance” and “Best R&B Song”. [80]
1993: First allegations of child abuse
Michael Jackson in 1988 .
Jackson gave a 90-minute television interview with Oprah Winfrey in February 1993 , his second since 1979. He made a face when he talked about how he was abused as a child by his father; he believed that he had missed out on a large part of his childhood years, and admitted that he often cried from loneliness. Denying tabloid rumors that he had bought the Elephant Man ‘s bones, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber or bleached his skin, he revealed for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by an American audience of over 90 million, becoming the fourth most-watched non-sports program in American history. It also raised awareness about vitiligo, which was a relatively unknown disease. Dangerous returned to the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release. [46] [11] [80]
In May 1992 , Jackson’s car had broken down in Beverly Hills . He called a nearby car rental company, and the owner told his wife, June Chandler-Schwartz, that if she hurried, she could see the King of Pop . Chandler-Schwartz brought her 12-year-old son Jordan along, as the boy was excited about Jackson. The two agreed to meet again and became close friends. Jackson flew around the world with Jordan, often inviting him to spend the night at Neverland. [87] Jordan, his mother and six-year-old stepsister were showered with gifts and trips. But in 1993, Chandler-Schwartz’s estranged husband, Jordan’s father Evan Chandler, became a prominent dentistin Beverly Hills, horrified when his 13-year-old son, sitting in the dentist’s chair, sedated for a tooth extraction, revealed to his father that Jackson had molested him. Evan Chandler took his son to a psychiatrist , who took the allegations to the authorities and confirmed that there was ” reasonable suspicion ” of sexual abuse. The Los Angeles Police Department and the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office jointly opened an investigation into Jackson in the summer of 1993. [88]
On September 14, 1993, Evan Chandler filed suit against Jackson on behalf of his son. The charge was that Jackson had repeatedly sexually assaulted the boy. In December, from his home at Neverland, Jackson publicly denied all allegations. [87] He was subjected to a 25-minute examination of his abdomen , conducted by police and doctors at his ranch , as to whether Jordan’s description of Jackson’s genitals was accurate. [89] Jackson described the investigation in an emotional public statement, declaring his innocence. [90]
In 1993, armed members of Los Angeles gangs, including the notorious Bloods , were driven out to Neverland, ostensibly to deliver a clear message to those Neverland employees who might be cooperating with the investigation, and also to other boys and their families , who could come up with something to divulge. [91] Jason Francia was asked a series of leading questions by the police. He was the son of Blanca Francia, maid at Neverland in the years 1986-91, who had appeared as a questionable witness in the case against Jackson. [92] Jason also only dared to come forward if Jordan did. When Jordan withdrew the case after reaching a settlement and allegedly facing death threats, Jason refused to come forward, but was still paid US$2 million by Jackson. [93] However, Jason Francia testified against Jackson in 2005 when he was 24 years old. [88]
Jackson’s Greek housekeeper from 1989, Norma Staikos, ruled Neverland with an iron fist, setting rules for the site’s security system and also firing employees Jackson wanted to keep. [94] The night before she was to be questioned by the police in 1993, she disappeared. At regular intervals, checks for about US$50,000 were sent to Staikos in Greece , where she had sought refuge. [95]
On January 25, 1994 , Jackson entered into a settlement with the Chandler family of approximately US$23 million. He thus escaped prosecution, although the charges cast a shadow over his reputation and the perception of him as a harmless, eccentric genius . [87] The trial against Jackson could not have come until May 1994, but the Chandlers were too intimidated to refuse to settle after the alleged attempted murders, although their credibility was significantly strengthened after the police found nude photos of teenage boys in Jackson’s bedroom, including a nude photo believed to be of Jonathan Spence, [96] Jackson’s co-star in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1986 film Captain EO ,[97] where only Coppola, Elizabeth Taylor and the twelve-year-old Spence were allowed to address Jackson. Spence’s frequent overnight stays with Jackson were explained by the fact that his parents had just gone their separate ways. [98] Jackson never seemed to seek close contact with children from families with well-functioning parents. [99]
His image was further damaged when his older sister La Toya accused him of being a pedophile – a claim she later retracted and accused her then-husband of forcing her to make. [89]
1994: First marriage
Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley on May 26, 1994.
In May 1994, Jackson married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley , daughter of Elvis Presley . They had first met in 1975 at one of the Jackson family’s engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino , and reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993. [100] They remained in touch daily by telephone. When the child abuse allegations became public, Jackson used Presley as his emotional support; she was concerned about his failing health and addiction to drugs. [101] Presley explained, ” I believed that he did nothing wrong and that he was falsely accused, and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt like I could do it”. [102] In a phone call he made to her, she described him as high on drugs, incoherent and confused. [101] Soon after, she persuaded him to settle the case out of court and enter rehab to get [ 101 ] Jackson proposed to Presley over the phone in the fall of 1993, saying ” If I asked you to marry me, would you do it? ” [101] They married in secret in the Dominican Republic , subsequently denying it for nearly two months. [103] The marriage was, in her words, “the life of a married couple … who were sexually active”. [104]At the time, tabloids speculated that the wedding was just a stunt to improve Jackson’s image. [103] Jackson and Presley divorced less than two years later, but continued to be good friends. [105]
1995–97: HIStory
One of many identical statues that were put up in Europe to advertise HIStory . The statue shows the singer’s flamboyant outfit and hairstyle, influenced by military style.
In 1995, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony’s division, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing . Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earning US$95,000,000 in advances as well as the rights to even more songs. [44] [106] He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I . The first disc, HIStory Begins , was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits – HIStory Vol. In 2001, while the second disc, HIStory Continues , contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certifiedfor seven million sales in the United States. [107] It is the best-selling multi-disc album of all time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide. [79] [108] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Best Album. [109]
The first single from the album was the double A-side Scream/Childhood . Scream was a duet with Jackson’s youngest sister Janet . The single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals . [109] You Are Not Alone was the second single released from HIStory ; it is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [69] It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance. [109]
In late 1995, Jackson was hospitalized after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; it was due to a stress-related panic attack . [110] Earth Song became the third single from the album HIStory , and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold one million copies, becoming Jackson’s most successful single in the UK. [109] The HIStory World Tour began on September 7, 1996, and ended on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans. The show visited five continents and 35 countries, becoming Jackson’s most successful in terms of audience numbers. [62]
1996–99: Second marriage and life as a father
During the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married dermatology nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe on 14 November 1996 in a ceremony close to his hotel room in Sydney . She bore him two children: a son, “Prince” Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., and a daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. [105] [111] Rowe and Jackson first met in the mid-1980s when Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo . She spent many years treating his illness and providing emotional support. They built a strong friendship, and later became romantically involved. [112]Originally, there were no plans for marriage, but after Rowe’s first pregnancy, Jackson’s mother intervened and persuaded them to marry. [113] The couple divorced in 1999 but remained friends, with Rowe giving Jackson custody of the couple’s two children. [114]
In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix , which featured remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Per By 2007, the album had sold 6 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling remix album of all time . It went to number one in the UK, as did the title track . [115] [116] In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24. [76] [109] Forbes estimated Jackson’s annual income in 1996 at $35,000,000 and in 1997 at $20,000,000. [68]
In June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charity events. He teamed up with Luciano Pavarotti to hold a charity concert in Modena, Italy. The concert was in support of the NGO War Child , raising a million dollars for refugees from Kosovo, as well as additional money for children from Guatemala. [117] Later that month, Jackson organized a series of “Michael Jackson & Friends” benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash , Scorpions , Boyz II Men , Luther Vandross , Mariah Carey , AR Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram , Shobana Chandrakumar , Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the “Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund”, the Red Cross and UNESCO . [118]
2000–03: Disputes with record label, Invincible and Third Child
In 2000, Jackson was entered in the Guinness Book of Records for his support of 39 charities, which was more than any other entertainer or personality. [119] At the time, Jackson was waiting to get the licenses for the master versions of his albums back; which would allow him to promote his old material the way he wanted it, and prevent Sony from getting a share of the profits. Jackson expected this to happen early in the new millennium, but due to various clauses in the contract, the date for the return of licenses was still many years in the future. Jackson began an investigation, and it emerged that the lawyer who represented the singer in the deal was also representing Sony, disqualifying him .[116] Jackson was also concerned about another incapacity. For a number of years, Sony had been pushing to buy all of Jackson’s stock in their music catalog. If Jackson’s career or financial situation started to go bad, he would have to sell his catalog. Thus, Sony had an interest in making Jackson’s career go bad. [4] Jackson could use these conflicts as a means to break the contract early. [116] Shortly before the release of Invincible , Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola , that he was leaving Sony. [116] As a result, all single releases, video recordings and promotions related to Invinciblecancelled. Jackson claimed in June 2002 that Mottola was a “devil” and “racist” who did not support his African-American artists and only used them for his own gain. [116] He accused Mottola of calling his colleague Irv Gotti a “fat nigger “. [120] Sony denied claims that they had not wholeheartedly promoted Invincible , maintaining that it was Jackson who refused to tour the US. [121]
Six years after his last studio album, and after spending much of the late 1990s away from the public spotlight, Jackson released Invincible in October 2001. To promote the album, a special 30th anniversary celebration was held in Madison Square Garden, which marked the singer’s 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson took the stage with his brothers for the first time since 1984. [122] The show also featured performances from Mýa , Usher , Whitney Houston , ‘ *N Sync and Slash , among others. [123] After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks , Jackson helped organize the benefit concertUnited We Stand: What More Can I Give at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC The concert was broadcast on October 21, 2001, and featured performances from many major artists, including Jackson himself, who performed his song ” What More Can I Give ” as the closing number . [4] Invincible was a commercial success, debuting at the top of the charts in 13 countries, and selling 10 million copies worldwide. It received certification for double-platinum in the United States. [76] [79] [4] The sales figure for Invinciblehowever, was remarkably low compared to his previous releases, due in part to a pop music industry in retreat, the lack of promotion, no accompanying world tour, and the disagreements with Sony. [4] The album was followed by three singles, ” You Rock My World “, ” Cry ” and ” Butterflies “, the latter without a music video.
Jackson’s third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed “Blanket”) was born in 2002. [124] The mother’s identity is unknown, but Jackson has said the child was the result of artificial insemination by a surrogate mother . [114] In November of that year, Jackson took his newborn son with him onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin , where fans stood below. Jackson briefly held her baby in her right arm over the balcony, four stories above the ground, which led to fierce criticism in several media outlets. Jackson later apologized for the episode, calling it “a terrible mistake”. [125] Sony released a compilation of Jackson’s hitson CD and DVD. In the US, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA; in the UK, at least 1.2 million copies were sold. [76] [126]
2003–05: Second allegation of child sex abuse
Jackson in Las Vegas in 2003 .
In a series of interviews with Martin Bashir , broadcast in 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson , Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing overnight stays with 13-year-old cancer patient Gavin Arvizo , who later accused him of sexual abuse . [127] Shortly after the documentary aired, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child abuse, as well as two counts of supplying Arvizo with intoxicants. [127]
Jackson denied the allegations, saying the sleepovers were not sexual in any way. Elizabeth Taylor defended him, saying she had been there when they were in bed. ” There was nothing abnormal about it, ” she later told Larry King . ” There was nothing touching. We laughed like children and we watched a lot of Walt Disney . There was nothing strange about it “. [128] During the investigation, Jackson was examined by a physician specializing in mental health, Dr. Stan Katz, who also spoke for several hours with Arvizo. Katz said Jackson was “mentally retarded” as a 10-year-old and did not fit the profile of a pedophile . [129]
During the two years between the accusations and the trial, Jackson allegedly became addicted to pethidine (Demerol) and lost a lot of weight. The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005 in Santa Maria , California, and lasted five months, until the end of May. Jackson was acquitted of all charges and thus received compensation. [130] [131] [132] After the trial, he moved to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf , as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.