Random pics.. :)

My new FLUFF camera case which I bought many weeks back.. :)

My new ring which I bought last week.. :)

Do I look shy?! Hahaha.. ;p

Baby massage time..

A walk in the park! :)

Michael Jackson's This Is It T-Shirt & CD! :)

Woo Hoo! :)

Got hold of a Michael Jackson's This Is It T-Shirt! :)

Here's how you can get it too! :)

Currently only available at The Grand Cathay, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard & Cathay Ang Mo Kio Hub!

Hurry go get it while stocks last!!!

Next I'll be getting hold of the This Is It official movie soundtrack CD album too! :)

Gramophone is offering a 10% discount off the official movie soundtrack CD album when one presents a Michael Jackson's This Is It Cathay Cineplexes ticket stub at any of their outlets upon purchase.. :)

P.S.

Also got hold of this week's 8 Days Publication issue featuring MJ on its cover page & with further details & info about him too! :)

Thursday, 29th of October 2009 & Friday, 30th of October 2009.. Michael Jackson's This Is It movie! :)

Finally... This Is It!!! :)

I booked 3 tickets online a month ago for Michael Jackson's This Is It movie..

Hubby & Clement went to watch the 29th of October 2009's screening at AMK Hub & I went to watch the 30th of October 2009's screening at The Grand Cathay (Digital) yesterday..

What can I say.. I'm so moved & impressed!

This is a movie unlike no other..

This is a must-see for every MJ fan and even non-fans to understand why he was so popular and deserved every bit of the title King of the Pop.

Forever an amazing & a very dedicated performer; entertainer, an extremely talented & consummate artiste, a perfectionist, and a visionary..

The film's overflowing with his energy, passion, and dedication.

I was completely blown away and entertained from beginning to end.

His voice and his dance moves are top form and timeless.

He sang most of his greatest hits, even from the Jackson 5 era.

His voice sometimes showed his age, but his dance moves do not, at all.

Together with his selected dancers, they were smashingly awesome!

The talent,from the dancers to the musicians to the lighting and effects crew were just first rate all the way!

The entire movie was like a little family making a big project come true..

The concert would have been nothing but awesome!

If the rehearsals could be this good and engaging, one could only imagine what the concerts would've been.

It makes me sad when I see what a fantastic production this could've been to know that the world never got a chance to see it.

The intimacy of this footage makes you feel, not like you're in a concert, but like you're witness to very private performances.

You get to see first hand how involved MJ was (to every little detail of production and planning).

Lots of MJ songs and practice sessions... (Got me singing along & tapping my feet to many of them) :)

There was so much creativity, sweetness, professionalism, understanding, effort, energy in the film!

The professionalism and patience of ortega was outstanding, he was perfect for this whole production, the cast was phenomenal, MJ was awesome!

The young female guitarist was not just good looking, but crazily good with the guitar as well.

So were the vocalists..

Smooth Criminal, Thriller, The Earth Songsegments, were brilliant! but again, they're all very excellent.

I don't feel the film is exploiting his death in any way.

It's simply paying the tribute and gives fans something they deserve to see.

This film easily re-ignited my appreciation for the man, who was without a doubt one of the greatest entertainers of our time.

Michael Jackson was the greatest dancer in the history of mankind.

This documentary shows that hours before his death, he remained the greatest dancer in the history of mankind.

He was a revelation, pure and simple.

We see—for the first time—MJ without a mask. I won't attempt to characterize this complicated, insanely talented, person, but basically he's painfully shy.

And he excelled at one of the most public vocations there is: performing.

And what made him so admirable, was despite the fact of him being such an amazing; worldwide well-known pop icon of all time, he's such a humble guy..

And the greatest achievement in Kenny Ortega's simple, elegant and respectful tribute is that it allows the viewer, without a shred of distraction, to witness the process of an artist.

If you're concerned that the film will be an act of gross exploitation and an attempt to squeeze every last dime in the wake of Michael Jackson's death, know this: I haven't the slightest doubt that Michael would have wanted his fans to see this footage.

This is a film about the process, nothing more.

We're just lucky that this process happens to revolve around the finest entertainer of our time.

If you're even the slightest fan, this is a must see.

If you're not, I dare you not to be won over.

Also, if you're looking for signs of fatigue from Michael Jackson, you will be disappointed.

In fact, if there's one thing that bothered me about the film, it's that Michael was in such outrageously great shape that it's angering to think he died so close to the finish line.

We don't have many great entertainers left in the world. And the fact that at 50 years of age, Michael blows the top 10 pop singers of today out of the sky, is rather remarkable.

Prepare for an informative, emotional and downright exciting concert-film. This is it will show the world that with all the noise, all the distractions, all the craziness: Michael Jackson still had it.

A really great movie which is a must see for everyone!

Even though you aren't a fan of Michael, you should go watch it & really love the man!

To me, Michael Jackson, whether dead or alive, will always & forever be the reigning king of pop and music!

And I'm certain I'm speaking on behalf of all his fans from all over the world! :)

Other very useful comments:

It's All For Love, 28 October 2009

Author: L Hooper from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

A strong feeling of love towards myself, everyone around me and planet Earth is what I left the cinema feeling. Michael was alive again for those two hours. This Is It showcases the King of Pop at his finest.

As the lights blackened and the Columbia Pictures animation played, the theatre erupted with cheers of "I love you Michael" and "God bless you Michael". After the chaos died down the audience sat in awe as the King did what he did best; he thrilled us.

From the rocking tunes of They Don't Care About Us and Beat It(which I was particularly impressed with) to those real toe tapping hits such as The Way You Make Me Feel, Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin' Something to the beautifully emotional songs that really showcased Michael's ability as a singer such as Human Nature and I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Michael truly dominated the stage. Every single person in the theatre was singing along and clapping for and after every song. I was over the moon with the recreation of the Jackson Five seeing as The Love You Save is a touching one for me. The real fun came with the especially theatrical numbers that were Thriller and Smooth Criminal, both had me in fits of happiness. Then, after a dramatic and heart touching rendition of Earth Song, Man In The Mirror drew the whole show to its close, emanating love and Michael's passion for people to make a change.

I saw not one single thing, in my opinion, wrong with this film and I believe everyone will enjoy it. If you aren't a Michael Jackson fan, while you may not appreciate the significance of This Is It, you will sure as hell have a brilliant time. And if you are an MJ fan, you will truly appreciate the greatness and strong sense of meaning behind the final documentation of the true King of Pop's work, the legacy of Michael Jackson.

Loved it!!, 28 October 2009

Author: Felicite26 from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I went to the early premiere on the 27th and took my four year old son who is a huge M.J fan and he just loved he was singing and dancing and clapping and screaming having a great time... As for me I thought that this moving was amazing... If you are a Michael fan it is a must see, you will see him in a whole new way and if you are a hater you need to see it because it may just make you change your opinion about this amazing, talented man. He is so talented and gracious and for as amazing and talented as he was he didn't even act all superior he was kind and loving... Oh and the guitarist are just wow.... You gotta see it in IMAX I know I wanna go back and see it in IMAX!!! At the end it was dedicated to his three kids....

Forever Michael, 28 October 2009

Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Fans around the world had a very sad day this year when the news of Michael Jackson's death was announced. Michael had inspired so many, wither it was dancing, singing, wardrobe, or just being a generous human. The thing that made Michael so special that many people don't realize why he was so special to so many, how many years Michael had been performing. Since he was a child, my grandparents, my parents and my sister and I were fans. 3 generations as I'm sure many families feel the same.

This Is It was supposed to be Michael's major comeback tour after years of hiding after all the child molestation trial drama. 50 sold out concerts in London, I was so excited and hoping he was going to possibly come back to the states for another world tour and was even looking up how much the tickets were. Unfortunately, Michael passed away just a few days away from performing.

This Is It documents the rehearsal footage of his future concerts. Ranging from a wide variety of his mega hits from his newest song This Is It going back to his roots singing "I Want You Back", "I'll Be There" and "State of Shock". Of course also performing all of the fan favorites from his Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous Albums as well. Watching this movie got me teary eyed as well as others in the theater when he performed both "Human Nature" and "I'll Be There", he still had his wonderful voice giving his all. Michael was an absolute perfectionist and his shows in this documentary as other describe how he knows his tune and his years of experience has helped them grow.

Also having little commentaries with the musicians and dancers, everyone so excited to work with Michael. You could tell this was the cherry on top of the sundae for them working with one of the world's greatest entertainers. The girl who was rocking out on the lead guitar was beyond awesome, my sister and I had our jaws dropped on how she just tickled those strings making those incredible sounds come out. The dancers were also just wonderful and had such energy and presence and would've done a terrific job.

All I can say is that This Is It would have been the ultimate concert. Michael really went all out for this concert with mini movies introducing his songs. He had a little Chicago gangsters clip with Humphrey Bogart and other gangsters chasing after Michael. Thriller was also such a show with the dancers rising from their graves and their costumes were awesome! Michael also did a very touching performance of Earth Song that would make anyone want to look at our Earth and want to make a difference.

To sum this up, this was a gift to Michael Jackson fans and was incredible to watch. Even if you're not a MJ fan like my boyfriend is, you'll still enjoy it, he was impressed on how dedicated everyone was and loved the music. This Is It should not be missed!

10/10

awesome..must watch for all fans, 28 October 2009

Author: shreyash015 from India

As a die hard fan of the most amazing entertainer mankind will ever know i write this review...The movie makes u wanna see more and more of MJ.. The footage of Michael Jackson performing his last dance moves is just amazing...A movie for all the fans..must watch..The movie makes u wanna cry..Michael Jackson's voice and dance moves are just to die for and are timeless..his music will live on forever in our hearts..The movie is totally based on his last rehearsal for the 50 concerts that were to take place..Also the sets that were involved and the other dancers and technicians were also a part of the movie. On the whole the movie has got footage of the KING OF POP only very few could see..As i said before the movie is a must watch for all MJ fans..Love u Mj..your music will live on forever..R.I.P MJ

Sooo many other comments that it would take forever to be uploaded here..

P.S.

ALERT!

There is footage throughout the final credit sequence and after the credits end. And if you can, see it in a DP theater...for the sound alone..

An amazing experience! :)

Domo-kun has taken a liking to Moo-moo!!! Hahaha! ;p

Clement bought me this very cute soft toy cow from Japan..

I named it Moo-Moo.. ;)

Domo-kun has taken a liking to her ever since I introduced them to each other..

They are now best of friends..

So much so that Moo-Moo even allows Domo-kun to ride on her back..

Hahaha! ;D

I DETEST rude people..

I DETEST people who speak sarcarstically.. (Want to speak that way, then jolly well have the guts to say it to my face!)

I DETEST people who think I owe them the whole world just because of the fact that they had done me a favour before..

I DETEST people who have faces that look like it's been soaked in pickled juice everyday..

I DETEST people who carry their "black" faces everywhere.. especially to work..

I DETEST people who are very temperamental & inconsistent in their moods.. Their moods change like the weather.. 1 minute they happy, they're in a good mood, the very next minute, they are in a foul mood..

I DETEST people who are also inconsistent in their words.. Say a thing 1 minute, but say another the next minute..

I DETEST people who say 1 thing but do another..

I DETEST people who "puts words in my mouth".. Things I never said, they say I did.. WTF???!!!

I DETEST people who "act smart".. Like the saying in the Hokkien dialect goes.. "Smart enough can already.. Don't try to "act smart"..

I DETEST people who talk without putting themselves in other people's shoes..

I DETEST people who assume EVERYTHING when they actually don't know ANYTHING..

I DETEST people who say "somebody" said this & that when actually that "somebody" is nobody but they themselves.. (which leads to my next point..)

I DETEST people who lie..

I DETEST people who talk behind my back when they say they don't..

I DETEST people who only want things done their way..

I DETEST people who always try to explain themselves & want people to accept their explanation, YET do not bother to give others a chance to explain themselves & accept their explanations..

I DETEST people who are not correctable..

I DETEST people who only think bad of others..

I DETEST people who are ungrateful..

I DETEST people who DETEST ME..

People I detest, I always make it a point to remain distant from them..

I choose not to be close to them even if we are related or have to be related in anyway..

They will always be nothing but just acquaintances to me..

Michael Jackson 'This Is It' Official Movie Trailer

This is it!!! I'm sooo looking forward to catching this movie!!!

Movie will be in theaters everywhere October 28.

I can't wait for September 27 to come so that I can go & book the tickets!!!

I'm so afraid they may be all snapped up within the 1st few hours..

I'll just try my best & keep my fingers cross..

Michael Jackson's "This is it" concert movie hitting theatres this coming October 29, 2009..

This is 1 movie not to be missed!!!

I wouldn't, for sure!!!

Watched Michael Jackson's Memorial Service held at Staples Center, Los Angeles, on the 7th of July 2009 @ 1.30am (Singapore Time)

The two-and-a-half hour Michael Jackson's Memorial Service held at Staples Center, Los Angeles, on the 7th of July 2009, at 1.30am (Singapore time) was a very touching, inspiring & heart-wrenching one..

[For those who missed it, the memorial service can be watched on Youtube..]

A handout photo shows programs placed on seats before Michael Jackson's Public Memorial Service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles July 7, 2009. Michael Jackson's family and close friends held a private service at a Los Angeles cemetery on Tuesday as fans crowded into the city's downtown area for a star-packed public memorial to the "King of Pop."

Michael Jackson's casket is carried into the Staples Center during his public memorial service in Los Angeles July 7, 2009. A Gospel choir singing "We're going to see the king" launched an emotional public memorial for Michael Jackson on Tuesday as the music world and thousands of fans bade farewell to the singer known as the "King of Pop."

The tribute to the late singer ended after his family took to the stage to address the assembled crowd at Los Angeles' Staples Center, with his 11-year-old daughter, Paris, speaking about how much she loved her father.

Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris Michael Katherine, becomes emotional & cries as she speaks at her father's memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, July 7, 2009.

Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris Jackson, center, is hugged onstage by the Jackson family after speaking at the memorial service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

Michael Jackson's 3 kids finally unveiled after decades..

Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson (L) and two sons Prince Michael Jackson II (also known as Blanket) and Prince Michael Jackson I (R) wave at the end of a memorial service for their father music legend Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, July 7, 2009.

The two-and-a-half hour service - which featured a mix of performances, tributes and recollections from those who knew the pop icon - was dominated by the presence of the star's coffin in the centre of the stage, reportedly due to Michael's parents Joe and Katherine Jackson's wish to have an occasion similar to the funeral of the late Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash in 1997.

Michael Jackson's casket is displayed at the Jackson public memorial service held at Staples Center on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 in Los Angeles.

The Jackson brothers carry Michael Jackson's casket out after the memorial service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, July 7, 2009.

Prior to the memorial service - which was watched by billions on TV and the internet around the world - 100 of the singer's close friends and family had gathered at the Hall of Liberty in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park for a private funeral service.

The Jackson family of siblings.. This photo provided by the MJ Memorial shows, (from left to right), Rebbie Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Janet Jackson, Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Jackie Jackson and Jermaine Jackson at Michael Jackson's public memorial service held at Staples Center on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 in Los Angeles.

The 18-car motorcade accompanying the coffin from Joe and Katherine's house to the cemetery was given a police escort and forced major Los Angeles roads to shut.

Police roadblocks around the resting place prevented fans from approaching the private service.

R.I.P. Michael..

You will always be remembered as the awesomely, impressively, amazingly talented King of Pop forever..

No one could ever take your place ever since you made it into the entertainment scene in 1970 till this very day..

We will always love you & miss you..

Your music & legacy lives on..

Michael Jackson Memorial held at Staples Center, Los Angeles on the 7th of July 2009..

This is it!

A Michael Jackson memorial service will be held on the 7th July 2009 at Staples Center, Los Angeles.

A total of 1.6 million scrambled for the tickets..

However, many were disappointed as only 11,000 tickets were given out free to the selected lucky applicants..

The 90-minute event will be a celebration of the life of Jackson, who died on June 25 at age 50 of an apparent cardiac arrest.

Among the memorial participants will be Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III.

Fans wait in line to sign a large poster of Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Monday..

About 50 theaters across the country, from Los Angeles to Topeka, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., were planning to broadcast the memorial live, for free.

A motorcade has left the home of Michael Jackson's parents, apparently heading for a private service in advance of a star-studded memorial in downtown Los Angeles.

Numerous vehicles under California Highway Patrol escort headed out from the San Fernando Valley property shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday. The motorcade included five Rolls-Royces, three Cadillac Escalades and 10 identical black Range Rovers.

The motorcade is believed headed for Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills for a private ceremony where the body of Michael Jackson is rumoured to be laid to rest.

A freeway has been shut down amid Los Angeles' morning rush hour for the motorcade.

Los Angeles was the epicenter of Jackson-mania, but the outpouring of emotion was worldwide.

All around the world, countries are showing the event "live"..

Belgium's two national public broadcasters were to broadcast the memorial live later Tuesday and several hundred Jackson fans gathered at a Hong Kong mall late Tuesday.

Fans in Asia planned to stay up into the wee hours, bars across Europe were holding Michael Jackson theme nights and television stations from Sydney to Paris were clearing their schedules Tuesday to broadcast the King of Pop's star-studded memorial service live from Los Angeles.

In London, some fans planned to watch the event on a big screen outside the 02 Arena, where Jackson was to have performed 50 comeback shows starting next week. Others said they would watch at home after the BBC announced it would cancel scheduled programming and show the ceremony live.

Fans were gathering at Berlin's O2 World arena and at a restaurant just off Paris' Champs-Elysees, where screens were being erected and Parisians were invited to bring their own music to ensure a steady Jackson-only soundtrack for the event.

In Sweden, fans were planning candlelit gatherings in central squares in the three biggest cities: Stockholm, Goteborg and Malmo. A sports bar in Oslo, Norway was hoping to put together a special Jackson-themed menu to accompany its celebration.

Several Australian TV stations also planned to carry the event live, and the memorial was being broadcast on a giant screen in the southern city of Melbourne at 3 a.m. local time.

In Hong Kong, a suburban mall planned to tune its TV screens to the event at 1 a.m. as part of a celebration featuring performances of Jackson's signature "moonwalk" and a nonstop broadcast of his videos.

In Japan, home to some of Jackson's most passionate fans, about 100 people gathered at a Tower Records store in downtown Tokyo to watch his videos on a big screen hours before the Los Angeles memorial. The store, which Jackson visited twice, displayed his hand print in a cement block and large posters celebrating his performances. Several shelves dedicated to the pop star were stacked with his CDs and DVDs.

In the Philippines, the country's longest running noontime television variety show, "Eat Bulaga," said it would hold a Jackson dance contest Wednesday in honor of the pop icon after the Los Angeles memorial.

Even in reclusive, military-controlled Myanmar, a dance group held a memorial service for Jackson and nearly 200 fans staged a candlelight vigil in a Yangon park last week, the local Weekly Eleven News journal reported.

It has become a global event!

Jackson's fans from all over the world are definitely not going to miss this global event..

Me included..

I'm one of them who's gonna stay up to watch the "live" telecast showing on Singapore Television, Mediacorp Channel 5 at 1.30am later!!!

How I wish I was 1 of the lucky 11,000 who were selected to have the free tickets to access into the Staples Center, Los Angeles to attend Michael Jackson's memorial service..

Michael Jackson will not be buried at his beloved Neverland ranch.. Photos & Video of him rehearsing on June 23rd, hours before his death..

Michael Jackson will not be buried at his beloved Neverland ranch because his family can't obtain the paperwork required to bury a body on private property...

The singer's family were reportedly hoping to lay the star to rest at his beloved ranch but are now scrambling to find a new location amid fears it would be illegal to bury Michael at his former home.

California's health and safety laws prohibit the burying of bodies outside designated cemeteries. The family has been unable to obtain the residential exemption required to bury the star on private property.

Previous reports claimed Michael - who died last week after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest - would make his final journey from Los Angeles to Neverland today (02.07.09) in a white horse-drawn carriage.

It was claimed he would then be placed in a glass coffin so fans could pay their respects ahead of a burial on the grounds of the Santa Barbara ranch on Sunday (05.07.09).

Santa Barbara police had already been preparing crowd control and security plans for the memorial, and workmen have spent the past few days sprucing up the abandoned property.

Yesterday (01.07.09), a truck was seen delivering hundreds of portable toilets.

It is believed Michael's body is being held at Los Angeles' Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills, where his grandmother was buried in 1990.

Many believe Michael will be laid to rest there, alongside celebrities including Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Liberace and David Carradine, who died in Thailand last month.

Insiders claim a public memorial will be held at the Staples Center sports arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning (07.07.09).

Unlike the planned Neverland ceremony, the body will not be present.

Michael spent the last night of his life at the Staples Center, rehearsing for his upcoming London residency until midnight on June 24.

Here's some photos (provided by AEG) of pop star Michael Jackson rehearsing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 23, 2009...

Here's a video footage of Michael Jackson's concert rehearsal just 2 days before he died..

Click on the thumbnail below to watch his concert rehearsal video!



He's still amazing on stage at 50!

He's still the best ever..

It would have been an awesome concert performance!

Such a pity.. :_(

It's been almost a week since M.J. has left us..

Yeah.. It's been almost a week since M.J. has left us..

However, most of us still have not gotten over the fact that he's gone..

Many of his fans, including myself, are still coming to terms with his death etc..

Everyday we still see & hear news of his death via the media.. newspapers.. television & radio broadcast etc.. Speculations on what actually happened before his death.. What led to his death.. & what happened and is still happening, after his death..

Fans of his, like me, are familiar with his life story & it never fails to bring tears to our eyes to always remember all that he had went thru' in his entire life from the moment he was a child star till his recent death..

It really saddens & pains our hearts to recall all the humiliation, pain, hurts, accusations, loneliness, etc. he suffered while he was still alive..

Reports confirmed what eventually led to his death was he suffered from a cardiac arrest.

After years of suffering from ill-health.. his frail body finally succumbed to all the years of accumulated & overwhelming pressure..

News was M.J.'s health had deteriorated thru' the years due to the emotional trauma he had suffered during the 2 court cases he had to face in regards to the accusations of him molesting 2 different boys on 2 separate occasions..

Besides that, his health was further jeopardised when he had to spend the last few months, weeks & days practising for his string of up-coming concerts..

The 50-year-old singer was poised for a come-back with a string of 50 concerts scheduled to start in London on July 13.

They were to be his first concert series for 12 years and were expected to earn him more than US$400 million (S$582 million) according to concert promoters AEG Live.

He wanted to do his very best to earn not just the amount to cover up his debts & annul/nullify his bankruptcy, but to also gratify & enrapture his armies of devoted fans from all around the world..

But what was really heartbreaking news was that he mentioned he was threatened by his debtors to perform despite his deteriorating ill health or else they would have him killed!

Poor guy.. :_(

His fame came at a cost.. A lifetime of it & even to the extend of it leading to his untimely death..

He suffered physically, psychologically, emotionally.. throughout his entire life.. since he was a kid..

He really didn't deserve to suffer all that he had to..

Such an amazingly talented, child-like, gentle & mild guy like him really didn't deserve to be so nastily treated in his life..

A tribute to Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Yesterday was one of the saddest day in the world's history..

The world's greatest music & pop icon, performer, entertainer, musical genius, legend - Michael Jackson died at 2:26 pm (5:26am Singapore time) of a cardiac arrest at the age of 50.

As sensationally as he lived, as famous as a human being can get. He was a child Motown phenomenon who grew into a moonwalking (the trademark of his that will forever remain his only) megastar, the self-anointed King of Pop who sold 750 million records over his career and enjoyed worldwide adoration.

He will always be the tabloid caricature and the provocative, genre-changing musical genius that his fans will always treasure.

Countless of worldwide fans, whose devotion knew no bounds, who visited the gates of his private ranch north of Santa Barbara, California, arriving at Neverland on pilgrimages from Europe and Asia, and who were among the first to flock to UCLA Medical Center as news of his death spread yesterday afternoon. Those were the same kind of fans who camped out at the Santa Barbara Superior Courthouse, to show their support during his 2005 trial. They released doves and wept when he was acquitted.

Then there was the other kind of fan, who preferred to keep memories of the singer locked firmly in his 1980s prime: Today's young adults all have memories of being toddlers and grade-schoolers who moonwalked across their mother's just mopped kitchen floors. Even the hardest rockers will easily confess to the first album they ever bought: "Thriller."

The singer suffered an apparent heart attack at one of his residences in Bel-Air. Paramedics said Jackson was not breathing when they arrived at 12:26 p.m (Pacific time). The singer was brought to the UCLA Medical Center at 1:14 p.m. PDT and pronounced dead at 2:26 (5:26 Eastern).

Web sites began reporting that the singer had been taken to the hospital. Soon, streets in the Westwood neighborhoods around the hospital were clogged with traffic as crowds of onlookers formed, much as they did wherever the singer had appeared. Soon enough, they were dancing and playing Mr. Jackson's music, as a helicopter flew away with his body, en route to the coroner. All around the world, from Los Angeles to Adams Morgan to Times Square to Tokyo and beyond, people cued up Mr. Jackson's songs -- some digging out cassettes and LPs.

His producer Quincy Jones said "To this day, the music we created together on 'Off the Wall,' 'Thriller' and 'Bad' is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all . . . talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

Alan Light, a journalist who has edited Spin and Vibe magazines said, "It's almost impossible to overstate the impact he had on popular music and popular culture. He really defined what the music video could be. He was the ultimate crossover figure, bringing black music and rock-and-roll together. He is someone who will be remembered as an absolute superstar. He may have lost some of his popularity in the United States, but he remained a superstar in corners of the world not visited by other artists."

Mr. Jackson's career began as a family business in Gary, Ind. As the Jackson 5, the group moved in a comparatively short time from local talent contests to national stardom, with the encouragement of established artists including Gladys Knight. Driven by their father in a borrowed Volkswagen van, the Jackson 5 appeared in Chicago, at New York's Apollo Theater and as the opening act for the Temptations and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. At Knight's urging, Motown owner Berry Gordy signed the group to a contract in 1968.

Two years later, when Michael was 12, the Jackson 5 had four No. 1 hits, including "ABC" (which won a Grammy Award as best pop song) "I Want You Back" and "I'll Be There." Under Gordy's intensive grooming, the Jackson 5 achieved an astounding degree of mass popularity among black and white audiences. Their concerts caused near-riots, with young Michael becoming an unlikely prepubescent sex symbol and a Saturday morning cartoon.

Mr. Jackson began to emerge as a solo artist with the album "Got to Be There" (1971), which included the hit song "Rockin' Robin."

At 15, his voice broke, giving him a range from soprano to tenor. At the same time, the Jacksons began to chafe under the strict artistic control of Gordy and demanded greater artistic freedom. In 1975, the Jacksons left Motown for CBS's Epic label, but Gordy managed to keep the rights to the Jackson 5 name. Michael and his brothers continued performing as the Jacksons, and in 1978 Michael sang and danced as the Scarecrow in the film "The Wiz," an all-black remake "The Wizard of Oz" starring one of Jackson's idols, Diana Ross.

Jones, who produced "The Wiz's" soundtrack, agreed to produce Mr. Jackson's next solo album. Their first collaboration, "Off the Wall" (1979),

sold 9 million copies and had four Top 10 hits. In 1982, Mr. Jackson released his next, "Thriller,"

which was also produced by Jones. It became an instant phenomenon, selling more than 40 million copies globally and yielding seven Top 10 hits, including "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the title track.

"Thriller" won eight Grammy Awards, but it was Mr. Jackson's breathtaking performances on music videos accompanying the album that became instantly memorable. He choreographed the exciting dance routines, which featured his showstopping moonwalk, acrobatic moves and uncanny precision. He started wearing a white glove on one hand, which became one of his sartorial signatures. Several guest stars, including Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen and Vincent Price, appeared on videos from the album.

His 1987 album, "Bad,"

sold 30 million copies and produced five No. 1 singles, including the title track, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" and "Man in the Mirror." Videos from the album dominated MTV. By the time of his 1991 album, "Dangerous,"

Mr. Jackson had parted ways with producer Jones. Although the album sold 32 million copies, it was seen as something of an artistic letdown.

In his 30s, Mr. Jackson started to become more enigma than entertainer. He straightened his hair and nose, beginning a process of almost surreal self-reconstruction. In time, Jackson's skin turned from brown to a pale, ghostly white, his nose shrank from repeated plastic surgery, and his frame remained painfully gaunt. He wore outlandish costumes in public, spoke in an airy, high-pitched whisper.

His world devolved into a series of tabloid headlines that reported rumors or facts about everything from his curious pet ownership to the plastic surgeries that drastically changed him. He built a private playland, the sprawling Neverland, replete with an amusement park and zoo, to which he invited scores of underprivileged children. He was accused of abusing a child in the 1990s (a case which was settled out of court in 1994 for a reported amount between $15 million and $24 million).

For all his impact on popular music, Mr. Jackson's life seemed to play out as a metaphor on the delusions and cruelty of fame. He was unlucky in the art of public relations, and sometimes he was just unlucky, as when pyrotechnics set his hair on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.

Other misfortunes he seemed to bring on himself -- and theories about his behavior were never in short supply. People loved to think they had cracked the mystery of Michael: He wanted his face to resemble Liz Taylor's. He hated his appearance because his father and brothers used to tease him. He was repressed, he was asexual, he was an addict, he was a pervert, he was from outer space, he was a genius, he was stupid, he was insane. The truth was never known and Jackson recoiled from media scrutiny, and largely thwarted the assistance of image experts, who displeased him.

In the early 2000s his fortunes and recording contracts waned, and an album, 2001's "Invincible,"

essentially tanked, selling only 10 million copies worldwide. Mr. Jackson lashed out at his record label and claimed, at an appearance with the Rev. Al Sharpton, that he was the victim of racism. The hits kept not coming, but the headlines did: In November 2002, Jackson appeared to dangle his blanketed infant son over a Berlin hotel balcony while greeting fans and paparazzi below, which brought outrage.

He was briefly married to Elvis Presley progeny Lisa Marie Presley -- a largely symbolic union of pop dynasties. After that marriage was over, he became a father to three children, whose paternal and maternal origins created much speculation: Prince Michael I, who is now 12, and Paris Michael, 11. His youngest child, Prince Michael II (nicknamed Blanket as a baby), is 7. (He is also survived by his siblings and his parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson.)

Mr. Jackson was planning to appear in a sold-out series of concerts in London next month that would have run until March. Promoters of the concerts had recently said that the singer had passed a physical examination to assuage any doubts he was ready for a comeback.

Mr. Jackson went back to court in the spring of 2005, after a boy accused the pop star of molesting him. Mr. Jackson's fragility was never more pronounced than in that Santa Maria courthouse. Here at last was the daily, up-close look at a withered man in a mirror, under the courtroom's fluorescent lights. He was always polite, and always sad. Mr. Jackson was acquitted and spent the rest of his days on the move, on jets and in hotels, dodging bankruptcy proceedings, as if he were on the run from not only what he was, but what the world made him.

But after all the past few years of controversies, no one can deny that M.J'S 40 years of amazing music career has definitely impacted the world & the music industry.

He was the one who shattered racial barriers...

His 40 years of music has crossed generational lines...

His talents far outweigh his eccentricities & there will be no other like him ever on this earth.

He will & forever will be the King of Pop.. whether dead or alive..

No matter what .. YOU WILL ALWAYS & FOREVER BE REMEMBERED, LOVED & DEARLY MISSED, M.J!

[Some info posted on this blog post has been taken from The Washington Post]

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