Michael Jackson

At 50 years old, Michael Jackson has this physical status:

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer.

He is regarded as one of the twentieth century's most influential cultural figures and one of the top entertainers in history.

Jackson's contributions to music, dance, and fashion, as well as his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for more than four decades. Michael, the eighth child of the Jackson family, made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5th.

He started his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records and then rose to solo prominence with the critically acclaimed Off the Wall (1979).

Jackson became a common figure in popular music by the early 1980s.

His music videos, including those for "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking socioeconomic barriers and turning the medium into an art form and promotion device.

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Life and career

Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958. He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family's life, a working-class African-American family who lived in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street. Katherine Esther Jackson, née Scruse, aspired to be a clarinet and piano performer and spent part of the Sears as a child. She was a Jehovah Witness. Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at U.S. Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band called the Falcons to supplement the family's income. Juli "Jack" Gale, Joe's great-grandfather, was a US Army scout; a family lore claimed that he was also a Native American medicine man. Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon) and Randy). Brandon, Marlon's twin, died shortly after birth.

Michael and Marlon formed the Jackson Brothers in 1964, a band formed by their father that included Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. During rehearsals, Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose" and that physically and emotionally abused him. As he and his siblings rehearsed, ready to discipline any errands, Joe remembered that he often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand. Joe confessed to yelling Michael on a regular basis. Although whipping was deemed abuse, Katherine said that although discipline was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon denied that their father was violent, but that the whippings, which were more difficult on Michael because he was younger, kept them disciplined and out of trouble, was not punishable. Michael recalled that his youth was lonely and lonely.

Michael began delivering lead vocals with Jermaine in 1964, and the group's name was changed to the Jackson 5. The group earned a talent show in 1965; Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 album "Barefootin" and performed the Temptations' "My Girl." The Jacksons 5 performed in the Midwest from 1966 to 1968; they appeared in a number of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as the opening act for artists including Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight, and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed in bars and cocktail lounges, where striptease performances were on display, as well as local auditoriums and high school dances. They won a weekly amateur night concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in August 1967 while on tour.

The Jackson 5 recorded many songs for a Gary music company, Steeltown Records; their first single, "Big Boy," was released in 1968. The Jackson 5 was the first time Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for Taylor at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1968. Taylor produced a version of "Who's Lovin' You" in early Motown, as well as a version of "Who's Lovin' You." The Jackson family migrated to Los Angeles after signing with Motown. In 1969, Motown executives decided that Diana Ross should bring the Jackson 5 to the public, partly to enhance her television career—and effectively end Motown's last product of its "production line." The Jackson 5 made their first television appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's Your Thing." Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical talents" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer" after "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer."

"I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to debut on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970, and it remained there for four weeks. "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There" were three more Motown singles: "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There." The Jackson family purchased a two-acre farm in Encino, California, in May 1971. Michael transformed from a child performer to a teen idol during this time. He released four solo studio albums with Motown between 1972 and 1975: Got to Be There (1972), Music & Me (1973), and Forever, Michael (1975). Both "Got to Be There" and "Ben" from his first two solo albums, as did a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin."

Michael maintained links to the Jackson 5's. The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists." They were enraged by Motown's refusal to encourage their creativity. The robot dance was popularized by Jackson's appearance on Soul Train's top-five single "Dancing Machine."

The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975 after signing with Epic Records and renaming themselves the Jacksons. Randy, the band's younger brother, joined the band around this time; Jermaine remained with Motown and pursued a solo career. The Jacksons continued to tour the world and have sold six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's main songwriter during this period, wrote songs including "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1978), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980).

In 1977, Jackson moved to New York City to appear as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a Sidney Lumet film starring Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross. The film was a box-office failure. Quincy Jones, who later released three of Jackson's solo albums, arranged it's score. During his stay in New York, Jackson frequented the Studio 54 nightclub, where he first heard early hip hop; this inspired his beatboxing on new tracks such as "Working Day and Night." Jackson broke his nose during a dancing routine in 1978. A rhinoplasty caused breathing difficulties that later hampered his career. Steven Hoefflin, who oversaw Jackson's activities, had been referred to him.

Off the Wall (1979), Jackson's fifth solo album, established him as a performer and helped him transition from the bubblegum pop of his youth to more complex sounds. It was one of the top ten entries in the United States, with "Off the Wall," "She's Out of My Life," and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You." The album debuted on number three on the US Billboard 200, with over 20 million copies sold around the world. Jackson received three American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop, Get Enough." With "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," he received a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979. Jackson was the Grand Prize Laureate of the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist. Jackson said Off the Wall had a larger effect, and he was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. He had the highest royalty rate in the music industry in 1980: 37 percent of all album sales.

From 1981 to 1983, Jackson performed with Queen singer Freddie Mercury, performing demos of "State of Shock," "Victory" and "There Must Be More to Life Than This." The songs were meant for an album of duets, but the relationship soured when Jackson brought a llama into the recording studio, and Jackson was dissatisfied with Mercury's drug use. In 2014, the songs were first released. For the Jacksons' album Victory (1984), Jackson went on to record "State of Shock" with Mick Jagger.

Jackson contributed "Someone in the Dark" to the audiobook for the film E.T. in 1982. The Extra-Terrestrial is an acronym that stands for Extraordinary. Thriller, Jackson's sixth album, was released in late 1982. It was the best-selling album of all time in the United States and the best-selling album of all time worldwide in 1983, with a total of 70 million copies. It dominated the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top ten of the 200 for the first 82 weeks in a row. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top-ten hits, including "Billie Jean," "Beat It," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin".

Jackson and his brothers were reunited with his brothers for Motown 25 on March 25, 1983, an NBC television special. The Jacksons and other Motown celebrities appeared on May 16 to a reported audience of 47 million viewers. Jackson's solo appearance on "Billie Jean" earned him his first Emmy Award nomination. He debuted his moonwalk dance, which Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier, and it became his signature dance in his repertoire. Jackson had initially turned down the invitation to the program, citing that he had been watching too much television. However, he performed on condition for the opportunity to perform as a soloist at Motown founder Berry Gordy. The role was described as "extraordinary" by Rolling Stone reporter Mikal Gilmore. On The Ed Sullivan Show, Jackson's appearance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the Beatles' appearances. The New York Times' Anna Kisselgoff praised the dance's perfect timing and technique. Gordy described the effect as "mesmerized."

Thriller received eight awards at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, while Jackson received an award for his E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial storybook is a collection of Extraordinary people. He has a record with the band Santana for winning eight Grammys in a row. Jackson and Quincy Jones were named Producer of the Year (Non-Classical). Thriller's album of the Year (with Jackson as the album's co-producer and Jones as its co-producer), and the single received the Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) award for Jackson. "Beat It" was named as the year's best rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Vocal Performance (Male). Both "Billie Jean" and Best R&B Vocal Performance (Male) were nominated for two Grammy awards, with Jackson as the songwriter and singer respectively.

Thriller received the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording (Non Classical), in honor of Bruce Swedien's contribution to the project. Jackson earned another eight awards, including the youngest artist to win the Award of Merit at the 11th Annual American Music Awards. He has also been named Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. Favorite Soul/R&B Video, Favorite Pop/Rock Video, and Favorite Pop/Rock Single, "Beat It" received the award for Favorite Soul/R&B Video. The album was nominated for Bestest Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Album. Following the introduction of Michael Jackson's Thriller's Thriller, which features Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies, Thriller's sales doubled.

Jackson's popularity made him a central figure in global pop culture, and he established himself as the "king of pop" himself. At that time, Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at any album sold (equivalent to $5 in 2021), and the company was making record-breaking sales. Dolls were modeled after Jackson appeared in stores in May 1984 for $12.00. The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary about the music video, received a Grammy Award for Best Music Video (Longform). At that time, Time magazine described Jackson's fame as "a star of records, radio, and rock video." For the music industry, there is a one-man rescue team. A songwriter who has been setting the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. "A singer who pushes the boundaries of taste, style, and color beyond their boundaries." "In the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else." The New York Times said.

On May 14, 1984, President Ronald Reagan presented Jackson with an award for his continued support for alcohol and drug use charities as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention program. The campaign was allowed to use "Beat It" for its public service announcements.

Jackson and his brothers joined PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional contract in November 1983, which is equivalent to $13,603,408 in 2021). The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the United States from 1983 to 1984, under the banner of "New Generation" was featured, public relations, and in-store displays. Jackson was involved in the design of the commercial and suggested that it be used with updated lyrics as its jingle.

At the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 27, 1984, Michael and other Jacksons filmed a Pepsi commercial overseen by Phil Dusenberry, BBDO's senior account executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director. pyrotechnics mistakenly set Jackson's hair on fire during a simulation concert before a full house of supporters, resulting in second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent surgery to conceal the scars and underwent his third rhinoplasty shortly after.

Pepsi pleaded out of court and Jackson pled to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California; the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, was named in his honor. In the late 1980s, Jackson signed a second deal with Pepsi worth $10 million. The second campaign spanned 20 countries and included financial assistance for Jackson's Bad album and 1987–88 world tour. Jackson had endorsements and media deals with other companies, including LA Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, but none were as relevant as Pepsi's.

The Victory Tour of 1984 introduced Jackson's latest solo performances to more than two million Americans. It was his last tour for him and his brothers. Following controversies surrounding the concert's ticket sales, Jackson donated a portion of the proceeds, which was estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity. During "Shake Your Body," Jackson revealed his departure from The Jacksons during the final concert of the Victory Tour in Los Angeles. His charitable efforts continued with the release of "We Are the World" (1985), co-written with Lionel Richie, which raised funds for the homeless in the United States and Africa.

With 20 million copies sold, it became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with $208,728,032 in 2021). In 1985, it received four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year for Jackson and Richie as the writer. Two of the project's designers received two awards from the American Music Awards: one for the music's design and another for the USA's Africa vision. Several individuals, such as Jackson, Jones, and promoter Ken Kragen were given special awards for their contributions to the song's development.

Jackson performed with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s and discovered that McCartney was earning $40 million a year from owning the rights to other artists' songs. Jackson had begun acquiring publishing rights to others' songs by 1983, but he was suspicious of his deals, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were given to him. Early purchases of music catalogs and song copyrights, such as Sly Stone's "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1–3" (1965), and "Runaround Sue" (1961) among Jackson's early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights, including "Everyday People" (1968), Dion Barry's "Runaround Sue" (1961).

Robert Holmes à Court ruled in 1984 that he was selling the ATV Music Publishing catalog, which included the bulk of the Beatles' catalog. McCartney had been offered the catalog for £20 million ($40 million) in 1981. On November 20, 1984, Jackson made a bid of $46 million. McCartney did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' albums when Jackson and McCartney were unable to make a joint purchase and did not attempt to pursue a request on his own. Since having invested more than $1 million and four months on due diligence on the negotiations, Jackson's agents were unable to reach an agreement and left negotiations in May 1985.

In June 1985, Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a preliminary bid to buy ATV Music for $50 million; in early August, Holmes à Court contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson's revised bid of $47.5 million (equivalent to $119,675,897 in 2021) was accepted because he was able to close the deal more quickly, despite having already completed due diligence. Jackson decided to go to Holmes à Court in Australia, where he will be seen on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon. On August 10, 1985, he was accepted into ATV Music.

Jackson's skin had been medium brown when he was younger, but from the mid-1980s to the mid-1980s, his skin became paler. The change attracted a lot of newspaper attention, including rumors that he had been bleaching his skin. In 1983, his dermatologist, Arnold Klein, said he noticed in 1983 that Jackson had vitiligo, a skin disorder marked by patches of the skin losing their pigment and a sensitivity to sunlight. In Jackson, he also identified discoid erythematosus. He diagnosed Jackson with lupus that year and vitiligo in 1986. Vitiligo's drastic results on the body can cause psychological instability. To cover up the irregular blotches of color caused by the disease, Jackson used fair-colored makeup and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams. The creams would have enriched his skin, and he may have appeared more pale after applying makeup. Jackson said he had not intentionally bleached his skin and could not control his vitiligo, and that "making up stories that I don't want to be who I am hurts me." Debbie Rowe, Klein and Klein's assistant, became a mentor. Rowe became Jackson's second wife and mother of his first two children.

Jackson said he had two rhinoplasty surgeries and a cleft chin surgery in 1988, but no more than that. He lost weight in the early 1980s due to a diet change to produce a dancer's body. Witnesses described him as neotropic, and speculated he was suffering from anorexia nervosa. Weight loss became a recurring problem later in his life. Jackson's mother said he first tried surgical techniques to fix his vitiligo because he did not want to appear like a "spotted cow" after his death. She said he had more than the two cosmetic surgeries he claimed and speculated that he had become addicted to them.

Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to reduce aging, according to tabloids, who found him in a glass box. The allegation was untrue, and tabloids announced that he had spread the word by himself. Jackson took female hormone shots to keep his voice high and facial hair wispy, according to Elizabeth Taylor, who may have visited her shrine and undergone cosmetic surgery. Except for Jackson's having a chamber, Jackson's boss Frank DiLeo denied any of them. "I don't know if he sleeps in it," DiLeo said. I'm not for it. However, Michael believes that it is something that is certainly healthy for him. He's a bit of a healthie fanatic.

When Jackson brought his pet chimpanzee Bubbles to Japan, the media depicted him as an aspiring Disney cartoon character who befriended animals. It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy Joseph Merrick's bones (the "Elephant Man"). The Chicago Tribune announced in June 1987 that Jackson's publicist bidding $1 million for the skeleton to the London Hospital Medical College on his behalf. The skeleton was not on sale at the college, so it was not for sale. Jackson had a "deeply interested" in Merrick, according to DiLeo, "purely based on his growing knowledge of the ethical, medical, and historical significance."

These tabloid stories gave rise to the term "Wacko Jacko," which Jackson came to loathe. The demeaning name appeared in British tabloid The Sun in 1985, according to music critic Joseph Vogel. Jacko Macacco, the name of a common monkey used in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in the early 1820s, gave the name. In Cockney slang, "jacko" was used to describe monkeys in general, and there was also a racial connotation behind the name.

On the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran at Disneyland and Epcot until late 1980, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland, Jackson worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. After being barred in the late 1990s, it has returned to the theme park for several years following Jackson's death. Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah Witnesses in 1987. Katherine Jackson said that this could have been because some Witnesses strongly opposed the Thriller film. In 1984, Michael denounced it in a Witness newspaper.

Bad (1987), Jackson's first album in five years, was highly awaited by the industry, with more likely to see another big success. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana" were the first albums to have five US number-one singles. "Smooth Criminal," another song, debuted at number seven, was a hit. Bad received the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical, as well as the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Music Video – Short Form for "Leave Me Alone." In 1989, Jackson received an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards, making his first album to debut in 25 countries and the best-selling album in 1989 and 1988. It had sold between 30 and 45 million copies worldwide by 2012, according to the company's website.

The Bad world tour ran from September 12, 1987, to January 14, 1989. The tour in Japan attracted 14 sellouts and 570,000 visitors, almost tripling the previous record for a single tour. A new Guinness World Record was set by the 54,000 people who attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium.

Jackson's autobiography, Moonwalk, was released in 1988 by Steven Davis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Its bestsellers list ranked No. 200,000 copies and ranked at number one in the New York Times bestsellers list. Jackson addressed his boyhood, the Jackson 5th, and his father's abuse. He attributed his changing facial appearance to three plastic surgery, puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hairstyle, and stage lighting. During his stay in Paris as part of the Bad world tour, Jackson was awarded the Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris by then Mayor Jacques Chirac. In October, Jackson released Moonwalker, a live footage and short films starring Jackson and Joe Pesci. It was launched direct-to-video in the United States and became the country's highest-selling video cassette. In the United States, the RIAA named it as eight times Platinum.

Jackson purchased 2,700 acres (11 km2) of property near Santa Ynez, California, in March 1988, the equivalent to $38,950,760 in 2021). He built a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a film theater, and a zoo. The grounds were searched by a 40-strong security force. He appeared in the first Western television commercial in the Soviet Union a few weeks later.

Jackson came to be known as the "King of Pop," a term that Jackson's publicists embraced. When Elizabeth Taylor first presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, she called him "the true king of pop, rock and soul." President George H. Bush named him as the White House's "Artist of the Decade." Jackson's single "Man in the Mirror" raised $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund from 1985 to 1990, and all proceeds from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity. Jackson's interpretation of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration earned him his second Emmy nomination. Jackson was the best-selling artist of the 1980s.

Jackson extended his Sony deal for $65 million (equivalent to $129,317,127 in 2021), beating Neil Diamond's new deal with Columbia Records. Dangerous, Teddy Riley's eighth album, was released in 1991. It was awarded eight times platinum in the United States and had sold 32 million copies worldwide by 2018. "Black or White," the album's first single, was ranked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and had similar chart successes throughout the world. "Remember the Time" was the second single on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart to debut at number three. Dangerous was the year's best-selling album, worldwide, and "Black or White" was the year's best-selling single at the Billboard Music Awards. He appeared on "Remember the Time" at the Soul Train Music Awards in 1993, citing his ankle injury during dance rehearsals. "Heal the World" made No. 1 in the United Kingdom. In 1992, there were two on the charts.

In 1992, Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation. The charity brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to use the theme park rides, and millions of dollars have been sent around the world to assist children affected by war, hunger, and disease. In July, Jackson released Dancing the Dream, his second book, a collection of poems. The Dangerous World Tour ran from June 1992 to November 1993, raising $100 million (equivalent to $187,583,506 in 2021) and 2006 people attended 70 concerts, many of which were outside the United States. Heal the World Foundation received a portion of the funds. Jackson sold the tour's broadcast rights to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.

Jackson pleaded with the Clinton administration at Bill Clinton's inaugural gala to increase HIV/AIDS charities and study, as well as "Heal the World." Jackson made his first appearance in Gabon in early 1992, and was greeted by more than 100,000 people, some of whom were carrying banners reading "Welcome Home Michael." President Omar Bongo named him an Officer of the National Order of Merit. Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief during his trip to the Ivory Coast. He thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed documents confirming his kingship, and sat on a golden throne while attending ceremonial dances.

Jackson appeared at the Super Bowl XXVI halftime show in Pasadena, California, in January 1993. Following dwindling audience figures, the NFL needed a big-name celebrity to keep ratings high during halftime. It was the first Super Bowl in which the halftime performance attracted more viewers than the game. "Jam," "Billie Jean," "Black or White," and "Heal the World" were among Jackson's titles. After the success, Dangerous climbed 90 places in the US albums chart.

On February 10, 1993, Jackson did a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey. He related to his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he said he had missed out on a large portion of his childhood and said he often suffered from loneliness. He denied tabloid claims that he bought the Elephant Man's bones, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, and said he had vitiligo for the first time. Dangerous re-entered the US charts in the top ten after the interview, more than a year since its debut.

Jackson received three American Music Awards, Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single (Remember the Time), and was the first to receive the International Artist Award of Excellence in January 1993. At the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in February, he received the "Life Legend Award". Brooke Shields was a co-award winner at the award ceremony. Dangerous was nominated for Best Vocal Performance ("Black or White"), Best R&B Vocal Results ("Jam"), and Best R&B Song ("Jam"), and Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley received the Grammy Award for Best Engineered – Non Classical.

A 13-year-old boy and his father, Evan Chandler, were accused of child sexual abuse in August 1993. Jordan and Jackson were involved in acts of kissing, masturbation, and oral sex, according to Jordan. Although Jordan's mother initially told investigator that she did not suspect him of molestation, her position changed a few days later. Evan was caught discussing his intent to sue charges, which Jackson used to argue that he was the perpetrator of a cynical father plotting to extort money. La Toya, Jackson's older sister, accused him of being a pedophile; she later retracted this, saying she had been lured into it by her abusive husband.

In August, police searched Jackson's house and discovered two legal large-format art books starring young boys playing, running, and swimming in several states of undress. Jackson denied knowing of the books' contents and said that if they were there someone had to bring them to him, but they didn't open them. Jordan Chandler gave police a rundown of Jackson's genitals. The jurors agreed that the description was not a match, and that a strip search was carried out. Jackson and the Chandlers were ruled out of court for a total sum of $23 million in January 1994. The police had never brought criminal charges. The state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994, citing a lack of evidence without Jordan's testimony.

Jackson had been taking painkillers for his reconstructive scalp surgeries, which had been postponed as a result of the Pepsi business crash in 1984, and he became dependent on them to cope with the intense traumatic stress of the sexual harassment accusations. Jackson postponed the remainder of his Dangerous Tour due to health issues, exhaustion, and opium addiction. Elizabeth Taylor, a close friend, was praised for her help, encouragement, and counsel. The tour came to an end, with Pepsi Cola, which sponsored the trip.

Over the telephone, Jackson proposed Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's daughter, in late 1993. Hugo Francisco lvarez Pérez, a civil judge, married them in La Vega, Dominican Republic, in May 1994. According to the tabloid press, the wedding was a publicity stunt to shield Jackson's sexual harassment allegations and jump-start Presley's career as a performer. They married just over a year ago, and in December 1995, they split. When requesting divorce next month, Presley cited "irrelevant differences" and only attempted to regain her maiden name as a result of her divorce. "They lasted longer than I expected," Judge Pérez said after the divorce. I gave them a year. They were "a year and a half years old" in the event. Presley and Jackson discussed reconcile intermittently for four years following their split in October 2010, and that she had traveled to different parts of the world to be with him.

Jackson had intended to write music for the Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), but he dropped the project about a month later than the sexual harassment allegations emerged and went uncredited. Jackson was a Sonic the Hedgehog enthusiast and had collaborated with Sega on the 1990 arcade game Moonwalker. The reasons for Jackson's departure and whether his compositions remain in the game are contentious have been discussed. Following the allegations, Sega Technical Institute director Roger Hector and Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Naoto Ohshima said that Jackson's role was terminated and his music reworked.

However, Jackson's musical director Brad Buxer and two other members of Jackson's team, Doug Grigsby III and Ciorocco Jones, said the music remained and that Jackson went uncredited because he was dissatisfied with how the Genesis imitated his songs. Yuji Naka, a game developer, later revealed in 2022 that Jackson had written some of the songs and that the production team had visited his house, while still mourning that his songs were removed in Sonic Origins (2022) due to a royalty dispute with Jackson's estate.

Jackson's double album HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I, was released in June 1995. The first album, HIStory Begins, is one of the most hit albums (reissued in 2001 as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I). HIStory Continues is the second album on the DVD, with 13 original songs and two cover versions. The album debuted on the charts at number one and has been registered for eight million shipments in the United States. With 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide, it is the best-selling multi-disc album of all time. HIStory has been nominated for Album of the Year by the Grammy Foundation. "The testimony of a musician whose self-pity now equals his talent" was praised in the New York Times.

"Scream/Childhood" was HIStory's first single. During Jackson's child exploitation charges against him in 1993, "scream," a duet with Jackson's youngest sister Janet, protests the media's treatment of him. The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" in 2011. "You Are Not Alone" is Guinness' first single to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the second week. In 1995, it was nominated for "Best Pop Vocal Performance" at the Grammy Awards.

"Jew me, sue me, everybody kick me, kike me, don't worry about me," the original lyrics of "They Don't Care About Us" were antisemitic in 1995. Jackson introduced a version with updated terms.

Jackson was admitted to a hospital late 1995 after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance triggered by a stress-related panic attack. Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division in November, launching Sony/ATV Music Publishing. He retained control of half of the business, earning $95 million (equivalent to $168,909 in 2021), as well as the rights to more songs.

"Earth Song" was the third single to be released from HIStory and it debuted for six weeks following Christmas 1995. It was the 87th best-selling single in the United Kingdom. Jackson's appearance of "Earth Song" at the 1996 British Academy was interrupted by Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who was protesting what Cocker saw as Jackson's "Christ-like" persona. Jackson called the performance "disgusting and cowardly."

Jackson received a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, in 1996, as well as an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. From September 7, 1996 to October 15, 1997, Jackson promoted HIStory World Tour. He appeared in 82 concerts on five continents, 35 countries, and 58 cities, in his most attended tour. It cost $165 million. During the tour, Jackson married Debbie Rowe, a dermatology assistant who was six months pregnant with his first child.

Prince Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997. He brother Paris-Michael Jackson was born on April 3, 1998. In 2000, Jackson and Rowe divorced. Rowe finally relinquished custody of the children with an $8 million deal (equivalent to $14,639,832 in 2021). In 2004, she returned to court to reclaim custody after the second child assault charges against Jackson. In 2006, the case was settled.

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which featured remixes of singles from HIStory and five new songs. The product's worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, making it the best-selling remix album of all time. As did the title track, it debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, as did the nation's best. The album debuted at number 24 in the United States and was named platinum.

Jackson performed on his tenth solo album, Invincible, from 1998 to 2001, which cost $30 million to record. Jackson joined Luciano Pavarotti for a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy, in June 1999. A million dollars were raised for refugees of the Kosovo war, as well as additional funds for Guatemala's children. Later this month, Jackson produced a series of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli, and Luciano Pavarotti were among the other artists involved. The funds were donated to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross, and UNESCO. He lived in New York City from September 1999 to 2000. Jackson was named Artist of the 1980s by an American Music Award at the start of the century. Guinness World Records named him in 2000 for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer.

Two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden in September 2001 to celebrate Jackson's 30th year as a solo artist. For the first time since 1984, Jackson met with his brothers. Má, Usher, Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Destiny's Child, Monica, Liza Minnelli, and Slash were also on the show. Technical difficulties marred the first show, and the audience booed Marlon Brando's address. In November, nearly 30 million viewers watched the shows on television. Jackson was instrumental in the September 11 attacks; What More Can I Give Benefit Concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on October 21, 2001. As the finale, Jackson sang "What More Can I Give."

Jackson's appearance of Invincible was preceded by a controversy between his record label, Sony Music Entertainment, which preceded his debut. In the early 2000s, Jackson had hoped that the masters of his albums would return to him, after which he would be able to market the music as he pleased and keep the money, but clauses in the agreement delayed it several years into the future. Jackson requested a prompt departure from his employment. Invincible was first published on October 30, 2001. It was Jackson's first full-length album in six years and the last album of original material he released in his lifetime. It debuted in 13 countries and went on to sell eight million copies around the world, with double-platinum certification in the United States.

Jackson received his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century on January 9, 2002. Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"), who had been born by artificial insemination later this year, gave birth to his third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket"), who had been conceived by artificial insemination. Jackson briefly held Blanket over the railing of his Berlin hotel room, four stories above ground level, causing widespread mockery in the media. Jackson apologised for the incident, calling it "a tragic mistake." Promoter Marcel Avram filed a breach of employment lawsuit against Jackson on January 22, accusing him of failing to produce two scheduled 1999 concerts. A Santa Maria jury ordered Jackson to pay Avram $5.3 million in March. Jackson's lawyers dropped all appeals on the decision and settled the case for an undisclosed sum on December 18, 2003.

Jackson appeared at the Apollo Theater on April 24, 2002. Former President Bill Clinton and the Democratic National Committee were a fundraiser at the concert. The funds collected will be used to encourage people to vote. It cost $2.5 million. Michael Jackson Live at the Apollo, and it was one of Jackson's last on-stage appearances.

At Al Sharpton's National Action Network in Harlem, Jackson called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola "a bigote and very devilish" and someone who abuses black artists for his own benefit. The allegation prompted Sharpton to form a team investigating whether Mottola exploited black artists. Mottola fired Irv Gotti a "fat nigger," Jackson said. Sony released a statement describing them as "ludicrous, spiteful, and hurtful" in reaction to the attacks, as well as defending Mottola as someone who had fought for decades. Jackson's contract eventually declined to renew Jackson's deal, with the excuse that his $25 million advertising campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour Invincible in the United States.

A documentary film crew led by Martin Bashir followed Jackson for several months beginning in May 2002. Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a 12-year-old boy in the documentary, which was released in February 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson. He said he had nothing wrong with sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which caused controversy. He maintained that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misinterpreted.

Mayor Oscar Goodman gave Jackson the keys to Las Vegas's city in October 2003. On November 18, 2003, Sony announced Number Ones, the country's most popular hits compilation. The RIAA has awarded it five times platinum and nine times platinum in the United Kingdom for exports of at least 2.7 million units.

Santa Barbara police charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a juvenile with alcoholic beverages on December 18, 2003. Jackson denied the charges and pleaded not guilty. The People vs. Jackson trial began in January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted until May. Jackson found the situation stressful, and it was detrimental to his health. If convicted, he may have faced up to 20 years in jail. Jackson was cleared on all counts on June 13, 2005. After the verdict, he became clumsy and travelled to Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah. Michael Jackson's files were released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in December 2009. These files, among other information, revealed the Bureau's involvement in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations against Jackson. There were no signs of criminal activity on Jackson's behalf, according to the FBI.

Jackson decided to use a part of his ATV catalog ownership, now worth about $1 billion, as collateral against Bank of America's $270 million loan. The loans were sold by Bank of America to Fortress Investments, an investment firm that buys distressed loans, the year before. Fortress Investments gave Jackson a new loan of $300 million with reduced interest payments (equivalent to $403,258,898 in 2021). Sony Music will be able to buy half of his stock, or about 25% of the catalog, for a set price. Jackson's financial executives had compelled him to sell a portion of his interest in order to prevent bankruptcy. As a cost-cutting initiative, the main house at Neverland Ranch was closed, while Jackson spent his time in Bahrain at the hospitality of Sheik Abdullah, the ruler's son. At least 30 percent of Jackson's employees were not paid on time and owe $306,000 in back wages. Jackson was sentenced to $100,000 in fines.

Jackson had signed a partnership with two Seas Records, a Bahrain-based startup; no word of the transaction was known about the offer, and Two Seas CEO Guy Holmes later said it was never finalized. Jackson had been filming at a studio in County Westmeath, Ireland, on October 10th. Fox News announced it on October that he had been filming there. It was not clear what Jackson was doing or who had paid for the sessions; his publicist said he had left Two Seas by then.

Jackson welcomed an Access Hollywood camera crew into the Westmeath studio in November 2006, and MSNBC announced that he was working on a new album, will.i.am. At the World Music Awards in London on November 15, Jackson briefly performed "We Are the World" and received the Diamond Award for the sale of over 100 million albums. It was Jackson's last public appearance at the festival. In December 2006, he returned to the United States, settling in Las Vegas and attending James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia, where he gave him his best inspiration.

Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom, was purchased by Jackson and Sony in 2007. Eminem and Beck, among others, were granted the privileges to songs under Eminem and Beck's name. In a short interview with the Associated Press in Tokyo, Jackson said he had no regrets about his lifelong work despite challenges and "deliberate attempts to hurt [him]" him. In March, Jackson visited Camp Zama, the United States Army post in Japan, to welcome over 3,000 troops and their families.

Jackson's next album, which he never completed, was still working on his new album in September 2007. Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25, as singles: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' 2008," in honor of Thriller's 25th anniversary of Thriller's 25th anniversary of the company's 25th anniversary of Thriller's 25th anniversary of the 2008 film "Wanna Begins. Sony BMG released a series of hits albums, King of Pop, for Jackson's 50th birthday, as well as other tracklists for various regions.

Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson had used as collateral for his loans, in 2008. Fortress sold Jackson's debt to Colony Capital LLC. Neverland Ranch's name was transferred to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC, in November. He received $35 million as a result of the offer. Through Julien's Auction House, Jackson managed to sell a series of his memorabilia of more than 1,000 items. After receiving between $200 million to $300 million in initial revenue from a string of concerts to be held in London on the eve of the first public exhibition, Jackson canceled the auction.

Jackson announced this Is It, a series of comeback concerts at a press conference at The O2 Arena in March 2009, amid rumors regarding his finances and wellbeing. The shows were supposed to be his first major concerts since the HIStory World Tour in 1997. After the shows, Jackson predicted that he would retire. The initial target was for ten concerts in London, followed by performances in Paris, New York City, and Mumbai. AEG Live's president and chief executive, Randy Phillips, estimated that the first ten dates would bring Jackson £50 million.

Following record-breaking ticket sales, the London residence was up to 50 people; over one million tickets were sold in less than two hours. The concerts were scheduled from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Jackson then traveled to Los Angeles, where he recovered in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega, who had worked with him on previous tours. The Forum and the Staples Center, owned by AEG, were subjected to rehearsals.

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