It’s with no ego, or comes as no opinion, to say that there will never be another entertainer in the music industry that compares to the late King Of Pop himself, Michael Jackson.
From the age of a toddler well into the age of his untimely death at 50, MJ was considered pop royalty that defied barriers of race, gender, age, culture and so many other things that limited other artists before and after him. With Michael, the impossible seemed nonexistent in terms of talent — a signature falsetto and one-of-a-kind dance moves became one of many trademarks. However, what made him so special isn’t just what he contributed to music but also what he gave to the world on a larger scale.
In honor of his would-be 64th birthday today, we look at ways MJ changed our perspective on the world without having to hum a tune or bust out his iconic Moonwalk.
Well, maybe just a little on the latter.
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Those that saw the tribute post that went up on his official estate’s Instagram account earlier today (seen above) may have spotted the list of his many aka’s within the caption. One standout was “beloved humanitarian,” and MJ was quite the charitable figure. That’s just one of five qualities to his artistry outside of the Billboard hits he made that we thought it was important to highlight on his special day. From a business-minded approach when it came to owning publishing, to keeping other like-minded businessmen around him to advise on deals outside of music, let’s just say the King Of Pop could’ve also been the King Of Entrepreneurship as well.
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On a day when many fans across the world will celebrate the Thriller artist’s heavenly birthday by listening to his everlasting gift of song, we hope to shed light on the man he was outside of Hitsville and more in other aspects of his real life.
Happy heavenly birthday, Michael Jackson! Take a look at 5 ways the eternal King Of Pop influenced the world outside of music:
Nights like this one in 1988 at the 44th United Negro College Fund Anniversary — here with Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, Yoko Ono, Christie Brinkley and even Whitney Houston! — were one of many ways MJ found time to donate money to charity…and lots of it!
2. Forming A Business Relationship With John Branca
The tweet from a fan above is just one example of how Jackson and Branca worked together to solidify business deals that still managed to earn his estate money years past his passing. From negotiating MJ’s game-changing Thriller royalty rate to helping him land that genius Sony/ATV publishing partnership, Branca even to this day has looked out for Jackson’s best interests.
3. Investing In (And Owning!) Neverland Ranch
Source: Getty
Although Neverland Ranch sold for just over $20 million a few years ago, at one point MJ’s former real-life wonderland was valued at upwards of $90 million. Michael blowing major bread on renovations may have put him in the negative, but it’s the way he enjoyed living lavishly in the moment, money being no object whatsoever, that felt inspiring coming from someone of our culture.
4. His Love For Helping The Youth
Even with the false allegations made against him, Michael Jackson never allowed the negativity to stop him from showing nothing but love and support for the children. His million-dollar donation during the L.A.Riots was one of many occasions where he gave back directly to benefit the melanated leaders of tomorrow.
5. His Undeniable Impact On The Art Of Dance
Dancing, be it professional or if you’re just leaving blood on the dance floor at your local nightclub, hasn’t been the same since MJ’s spins, foot kicks and most importantly the famous Moonwalk. Dance as an art form has been altered indefinitely just based on how he moved throughout his career.
