Where were you when you heard Michael Jackson died?
I remember I was tweeting on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/karlnova) and someone tweeted that Michael Jackson just had a heart attack and was being rushed to the hospital. I even saw someone put up a link to a picture of him getting to the hospital. It was all surreal like I was seeing it happen in real time. I mean that's just crazy! I guess it's the digital age we live in, instant information, instant reaction. Then it was reported that he had died long before even CNN dared to confirm it. To me he is the greatest entertainer. I know many might not understand and I am not even one to go overboard with things like this.
6 comments:
This man right here was more than an entertainer. It will never cease to amaze me how many cultures he cut through and got them to listen to his work, and quality work at that on and off stage. Any artist (considered to be great) who can do that will always be great. Black people's music, the original one which was done properly for a reason and that reason fulfilled, managed to reach various cultures. Sometimes i listen to some stations and i am in awe at the percentage of airtime that it gets. Sometimes i think other folks appreciate it more than we do. Micheal illustrated that perfectly(and i am not saying everyone liked his work) The sacrifices some folks have had to go through to put us on the map. We don't even realise it sometimes.Anyway, R.I.P MJ
martha
I think his genius and brilliance were obvious but like with others who are gifted to that degree it was not without a price.
I remember the day he died like it was yesterday. It stung, but his passing didn't hurt as much as I thought only because (for those of us who grew up with The Jackson 5 pre-cross over appeal) MJ, the one we were accustomed to had already left us in a metaphorical sense shortly after the Off The Wall and Thriller albums with all the inexplicable physical changes and personal stuff.
We were really pulling for him to turn that corner but it never happened.
We hope he has the peace now that seemed to elude him life.
Tee
Hi Tee,
I was thinking about this croosover thing with MJ, and it reminded of some of the famous artists in Africa, i mean the ones that managed to crossover. Most of these artists made music in their own language and i was wondering what it was that made me personally like their music when i didn't understand a single word. I think the artists from Zaire and South africa maximised on the beats and the rythm, mostly if we didn't understand the sentiments, we loved the beat or rythm of the songs. God knows what lyrics we were dancing to and we'll never know. LOL! So, anyway i was thinking of MJ who made that cross over to non english speaking countries and he did sure maximise on the visuals and beats to capture people, and also his concerts seemed to look so captivating, that is what i think. I think for me, that is what made him quite special. I think his videos told stronger stories than his actual work, the integration of cultures in some videos. he was sneaky in his story telling.
Martha
Yeah, I agree with your last line about the storytelling...
....some of his videos did seem to have subliminal messages in them. He seemed to like the concept of morphing (in some of the latter stuff) and I think that went deeper than we could ever imagine as far as it being an issue for him personally.
His visuals (in videos/concerts) were definitely a lure and don't get me wrong, I think it's great when an artist's work can appeal and reach others as his did but in his case it seemed extreme when you put the other stuff into context.
Tee
Tee, it was extreme indeed i can't disagree with that. He was one of a kind. May he rest in peace.
martha
"He was one of a kind."
Co-sign!
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