Some Words for the King of Pop

I usually refrain from personal commentary on mxdwn. In fact, rarely does any mxdwn writer use the site as a sounding board for personal point-of-view. However, the sad passing of the music industry’s appropriately monikered “King of Pop” Michael Jackson warrants words out of the ordinary. His passing was untimely and unexpected, as the man himself was undergoing a concerted effort to rebuild and relaunch his career, one that had been beset by constant controversy and rampant speculation.I’ll simply say, that the loss of pop music’s once unstoppable titan is sad. It’s a shame. His career and his contributions are beyond compare, but most likely the man himself will be remembered more for his eccentricities and mistakes than the joy he brought to people’s lives, worldwide. It’s a shame that he’ll never have a chance to correct in the public eye the oddities of the last twenty years following his rise to stardom, especially so close to the beginning of an effort to do so.

Michael Jackson was legitimately the biggest music star ever. He was the biggest pop star, the most successful black musician ever (at that time), and a worthy galvanization and exemplum of all that pop could be yet almost never is. He was music’s own “Michael Jordan.” A relentless innovator, who determinedly monitored the tastes of his public, and found ways to artfully incorporate them into his own efforts.

Before taking a revisionist look at what the man accomplished, weighing it against his own personal missteps in the celebrity stratosphere, perhaps our attention is best focused on the best and brightest moments of his life. Death is unfortunate and unavoidable, but all people make mistakes throughout their life. Just like with any friend or family member, Michael Jackson should be revered for the joy he brought into our world.