Published: 9:20AM Friday June 26, 2009
Source: Reuters
Source: ReutersPop star Michael Jackson waves to his fans as he arrives at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Michael Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the
world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a
bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals, has died at age 50.
Jackson was pronounced dead at about 2:26 p.m. PDT (9.26am Friday
NZT) after arriving at a Los Angeles hospital in full cardiac
arrest, said Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County Coroner's
office. The cause of death is not yet known and an autopsy will
take place on Friday in LA.
Jackson's sudden death had been reported earlier by US media, which
said he was taken ill at his home and rushed to the hospital by
paramedics who found him not breathing when they arrived.
Known as the King of Pop, for hits that included Thriller and
Billie Jean, Jackson's dramatic, one-gloved stage presence and
innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the
world.
Michael Jackson- a life in pictures
He transformed music videos and his lifetime record sales tally is
believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy
Awards he received, made him one of the most successful
entertainers of all time.
But Jackson's belief that "I am Peter Pan in my heart",
his preference for the company of children , his
friendship with a chimp, his high-pitched voice and numerous
plastic surgeries also earned him critics and the nickname Wacko
Jacko.
Jackson, who had lived as a
virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on
charges of child molestation, had been scheduled to launch a
comeback tour from London next month.
Quincy Jones, who helped arrange the music on the album Thriller
and produced the Off the Wall album, told MSNBC: "I am absolutely
devastated at this tragic and unexpected news."
"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young
age, I just don't have the words. I've lost my little brother
today, and part of my soul has gone with him."
Jackson had been due to start a series of concerts in
London on July 13 running until March 2010 . The singer had
been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months.
The shows for the 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of
going on sale in March.
"Rarely has the world received a gift with the magnitude of
artistry, talent, and vision as Michael Jackson," said Neil
Portnow, president and CEO of The Recording Academy in a
statement.
"He was a true musical icon whose identifiable voice, innovative
dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and sheer star power
carried him from childhood to worldwide acclaim."
There were concerns about Jackson's health in recent years but the
promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson
had passed a four and a half hour physical examination with
independent doctors.
Outside the hospital in Los Angeles about 200 fans and reporters
gathered on Thursday, waiting for confirmation of Jackson's death
or condition.
Some fans were crying and hugging each other, and others were
climbing atop fences to get a better look at a microphone stand
where a news conference was supposed to take place.
"I hope he's gone to God, and I hope that he's free of all the
troubles he's been plagued with," Tonya Blazer, 50, who said she
had been a fan going back more than four decades to his days as a
child star.
"I just feel like I'm paying tribute to him," said Dawn Burgess,
42, a fan who said she had posters of Michael pinned to her bedroom
wall when she was a child.
Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh
of nine children. Five Jackson boys - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine,
Marlon and Michael - first performed together at a talent show when
Michael was 6. They walked off with first prize and went on to
become a best-selling band, The Jackson Five, and then The Jackson
5.
Jackson made his first solo album in 1972, and released Thriller in
1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top-10 singles.
The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least
27 million worldwide.
The next year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move
while performing Billie Jean during an NBC special.
In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie,
but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie
Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999.
The couple never lived together.
Jackson has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael
and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when
his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing
widespread criticism.
New Yorkers and tourists in the city's Times Square were shocked at
the news of Jackson's death.
"I don't know what to say. It's sad, it's really, really sad," said
Nicole Smith, an 18-year-old student from Brooklyn, New York, in
Times Square. "My mother was a fan. I listened to his music."
"I'm shocked. I thought someone was lying to me when I first heard
it. I was a fan from when he was a little boy and then he got
weird," said Sue Sheider, 51, a teacher from Long Island.
Here are some key facts about Jackson.
What's your reaction to Michael Jackson's death? Discuss it on
the message board below. Or if you have a special story to share
about him email us at
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