Michael Jackson is one of the artists who rightly earned his place in the noblest pages of music history. A prolific creator who revolutionized the rhythms of his time, blending different styles with the vision and knowledge of an expert.
However, his figure has been overshadowed by various controversies ranging from a traumatic childhood, accusations of child abuse, the paternity of his children, or shocking physical changes.
With the Jackson Five
Michael Jackson’s first foray into the entertainment world was alongside his brothers in the group The Jackson 5. These five young men amazed the American public in the 60s, turning the formation into one of the most relevant groups in the music industry despite their young age. In fact, young Michael, at just eleven years old, already stood out among his brothers, showcasing the potential he possessed.
Despite everything, the success of the Jackson 5 had a very bitter side behind the scenes. Over the years, Michael Jackson has recounted on several occasions the abuses that he and his brothers suffered from their father, Joseph Jackson, who did not hesitate to beat his children with a belt if they failed during rehearsals.
The King of Pop
During the last years of The Jackson 5 as a group, Michael Jackson also released several solo albums. A phase during which this prodigy managed to establish his name as one of the most prominent in U.S. music during the 70s and 80s, achieving his great milestone in 1982 with the release of Thriller.
The resounding success of the album has led many to consider it the record that changed the trajectory of music up to that point. A critical acclaim that was accompanied by seven Grammy Awards, a total of 65 million copies sold worldwide, and the most significant music video in history.
In the following years, Michael Jackson’s music continued to be the protagonist, although news began to circulate in the early 90s linking him to a child abuse case at his residence and theme park, Neverland.
Additionally, alongside those early reports, the continuous plastic surgeries and the loss of his natural skin tone began to grab more headlines than the artist’s work in the studio, where he continued to create new and successful music.
The balcony incident
One of the most memorable images of Michael Jackson, which in a way illustrates the character’s decline, occurred in November 2002. Leaning over a balcony of the Adlon hotel in Berlin, the artist wanted to show his children to the fans congregated outside the hotel.
Covering their identities with a towel, Michael Jackson held his children over the railing and even held the smallest, Prince Michael II, over the void, causing terror among those present at the risk of the baby falling from a great height.
Child Abuse
The first accusation of sexual abuse of a minor came in 1993 when the family of Jordan Chandler, one of Michael Jackson’s child dancers, sued the artist. However, a settlement was eventually reached to avoid the courts.
In 2005, the most publicized trial that the artist faced occurred. The family of Gavin Arvizo accused Michael Jackson of sexual abuse during the boy’s stay at Neverland as part of the singer’s initiatives to help children with cancer. A trial that lasted six months, during which Jackson was accused of 10 crimes, although he was ultimately acquitted.
The release of Living Neverland in 2019 brought back the spotlight on the shadows of the artist with revelations from Wade Robson and Jimmy Safechuck, two of the children who lived at Neverland in their childhood, reiterating the sexual abuse allegations.
This is It
The project This is It, whose main component was the eponymous documentary about the preparations, represented the last attempt by the singer to regain media attention on the stages with a residency at the O2 Arena in London as a farewell to music.
A comeback that was cut short by Michael Jackson’s death due to acute propofol intoxication, a potent anesthetic, for which he was later charged with involuntary manslaughter by Conrad Murray, his personal physician.