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Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, Is Dead

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posted: 1 DAY 17 HOURS AGO

comments: 8682

filed under: Movie News, Music News, Obits, TV News

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Michael Jackson, the charismatic musician who came to be known as The "King of Pop,' has died at the age of 50.

Michael's brother Jermaine, during a brief statement at the hospital, said the following: "My brother, the legendary King of Pop Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday, June 25 at 2:26 pm. It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of an autopsy are known. His personal physician who was with him at the time attempted to resuscitate my brother, as did the the paramedics transported him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Upon arriving at the hospital at approximately 1:14pm, a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, and were unsuccessful. My family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time, and may all love be with you, Michael, always."

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A Michael Jackson Retrospective

Michael Jackson was rushed to the hospital suffering from cardiac arrest. According to reports, he has died at the age of 50. A Retrospective of His Life

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Known as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson began his life as a child sensation who blossomed into one of the greatest pop stars of all time.

Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

He was the lead singer for the very popular Jackson 5 that included the his brothers -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon. He then morphed into a highly successful recording artist, making his first solo album in 1972.

Ron Galella, WireImage

Jackson appears in the 1982 music video for 'Thriller,' one of the best-selling albums of all time with at least 27 million copies sold worldwide.

Everett Collection

Over the course of his storied career, Jackson won 13 Grammy awards -- eight of them for 'Thriller' alone.

Liason

His stage presence captured the hearts of millions -- including his signature "moonwalk" dance which he unveiled in 1983 while performing 'Billie Jean.' At 50 years old, he was attempting to make a comeback with several dates scheduled in London.

Dave Hogan, Getty Images

Jackson's successes were also marred by personal strife and controversy. In later years, the singer was twice accused of molesting children. In the first, he settled out of court with the accuser, and in the second he was found not guilty.

Roslan Rahman, AFP / Getty Images

Jackson is seen being escorted into court in January of 2004 -- the second time he was charged with child molestation. The first, in 1993, resulted in a settlement reported to be worth about $23 million.

Hector Mata, AFP / Getty Images

Jackson is shown here in his 2003 mug shot where he was booked on child molestation charges. The singer was later acquitted.

Robyn Beck. AFP / Getty Images

The 'Dangerous' star caused a stir when he held his youngest child, Prince Michael II, over the balcony of his Berlin hotel in 2002. His son was later dubbed 'Blanket' due to this incident.

Olaf Selchow, Getty Images

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In Tribute: Top 10 Jackson Songs All MJ Radio

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TMZ was the first to report the news. According to reports, the pop legend suffered a cardiac arrest Thursday afternoon and medics were unable to revive him. A TMZ source said Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived, while the Times says he was in a deep coma upon arrival.

The 50-year-old singer was picked up at his rented home in Bel Air around 12:26 p.m. where medics had to administer CPR before transporting him to UCLA hospital.

Capt. Steve Ruda of the Los Angeles Fire Dept. told the LA Times that Jackson was not breathing when help arrived at the house, which is about a two minute drive from the hospital.

Earlier, a Jackson family member told TMZ Michael is in "really bad shape." Joseph Jackson, the patriarch of the musical clan, also told media outlets his son was "not doing well."

A report in Britain's The Sun newspaper, citing a UCLA Medical Center source, claims that Jackson received an injection of Demerol -- a drug similar to morphine -- shortly before the incident and began breathing very shallow shortly after. A photo of a police 911 computer purportedly from a call related to Jackson says the subject was "not breathing at all."

The 'Thriller' superstar has long been addled by health problems and has had addictions to painkillers in the past.

Jackson had three children, Michael Jr., Paris and Prince.

This year, Jackson mounted an effort to revive his career after several setbacks in the past decade. He announced he would perform 50 concerts at London's O2 Arena. Those sold out concerts were set to begin on July 13.

Jackson had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the London shows.

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Fans Mourn Michael Jackson

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 27: Australian Michael Jackson impersonator Paul Rizzo displays some of his memorabilia at his West Melton home on June 27, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. Rizzo, who has been impersonating Jackson since 1995 at the age of 13, performs a tribute show called 'Jackson Magic' and is ranked as one of the top 15 Michael Jackson impersonators in the world by America?s BET (Black Entertainment Television) channel. He was "absolutely and completely shocked and devastated " by the news of Jackson's death yesterday, but vows to continue with his show as a tribute to the King of Pop. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Mark Dadswell, Getty Images

Michael Jackson impersonator who goes by the name Scorpio performs for the media and fans outside the Jackson family home in Encino, California on June 26, 2009. Music legend Michael Jackson died on Thursday at the age of 50. AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

Robyn Beck, AFP / Getty Images

Fan Mike Manh dances to celebrate the life of pop icon Michael Jackson at Washington Square Park in New York June 26, 2009. Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals, died on Thursday. He was 50. REUTERS/Eric Thayer (UNITED STATES ENTERTAINMENT OBITUARY IMAGES OF THE DAY) (Newscom TagID: rtrlthree473145) [Photo via Newscom]

Eric Thayer, Reuters

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 26: Joan Bryant of Hollywood, California holds a copy of the Los Angeles Times with Michael Jackson on the cover as she waits in line with fans at the Michael Jackson star on Hollywood Boulevard on June 26, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Graves/WireImage)

Amy Graves, WireImage

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 26: Fans gather at the Michael Jackson star on Hollywood Boulevard on June 26, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Graves/WireImage)

Amy Graves, WireImage

Prison inmates perform during a tribute to late pop icon Michael Jackson at prison grounds in Cebu city in central Philippines June 27, 2009. More than 1500 prisoners, reprised their world famous prison dance based on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" on YouTube years back, in a tribute to the late "King of Pop"on Saturday in Cebu provincial prison. REUTERS/Erik de Castro (PHILIPPINES SOCIETY ENTERTAINMENT OBITUARY) (Newscom TagID: rtrlthree473469) [Photo via Newscom]

Erik de Castro, Reuters

His 1982 album 'Thriller' - which included the blockbuster hits 'Beat It,' 'Billie Jean' and 'Thriller' - is the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 50 million copies sold worldwide.

The public first knew him in the late 1960s, when as a boy he was the precocious, spinning lead singer of the Jackson 5, the music group he formed with his four older brothers. Among their No. 1 hits were 'I Want You Back,' 'ABC,' and 'I'll Be There.'

He was perhaps the most exciting performer of his generation, known for his feverish, crotch-grabbing dance moves and his high-pitched voice punctuated with squeals and titters. His single sequined glove, tight, military-style jacket and aviator sunglasses were trademarks second only to his ever-changing, surgically altered appearance.

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced "Thriller." "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."

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Michael's Brother Jermaine Addresses the Press

Talking exclusively with Spinner.com, Smokey Robinson reflected on the loss, saying "it's always hard to lose a friend."

Jackson ranked alongside Elvis Presley and the Beatles as the biggest pop sensations of all time. He united two of music's biggest names when he was briefly married to Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, and Jackson's death immediately evoked that of Presley himself, who died at age 42 in 1977.

As years went by, Jackson became an increasingly freakish figure - a middle-aged man-child weirdly out of touch with grown-up life. His skin became lighter, his nose narrower, and he spoke in a breathy, girlish voice. He surrounded himself with children at his Neverland ranch, often wore a germ mask while traveling and kept a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles as one of his closest companions.

"It seemed to me that his internal essence was at war with the norms of the world. It's as if he was trying to defy gravity," said Michael Levine, a Hollywood publicist who represented Jackson in the early 1990s. He called Jackson a "disciple of P.T. Barnum" and said the star appeared fragile at the time but was "much more cunning and shrewd about the industry than anyone knew."

Jackson caused a furor in 2002 when he playfully dangled his infant son, Prince Michael II, over a hotel balcony in Berlin while a throng of fans watched from below.

In 2005, he was cleared of charges that he molested a 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland in 2003. He had been accused of plying the boy with alcohol and groping him, and of engaging in strange and inappropriate behavior with other children.

The case followed years of rumors about Jackson and young boys. In a TV documentary, he had acknowledged sharing his bed with children, a practice he described as sweet and not at all sexual.

Despite the acquittal, the lurid allegations that came out in court took a fearsome toll on his career and image, and he fell into serious financial trouble.

Jackson was preparing for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13. He was in rehearsals in Los Angeles for the concert, an extravaganza that was to capture the classic Jackson magic: showstopping dance moves, elaborate staging and throbbing dance beats.

Singer Dionne Warwick said: "Michael was a friend and undoubtedly one of the world's greatest entertainers that I fortunately had the pleasure of working with. ... We have lost an icon in our industry."

2009-06-25 16:44:39

Getty Images

The All Michael Jackson Edition

<< Plans for the Kids -- Radar

He Was MTV's Jackie Robinson -- Daily Beast

Talk About Influence! Amazing MJ Sample Map -- Buzzfeed

Stars' Twitter Tributes to MJ -- Socialite Life

Young Fans Caught in MJ's Spell -- SnagFilms

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LimeGreenSea

08:16 AMJun 28 2009

And Im sorry as good as MJ was no one can hold a candle to Elvis. Try not to compare artist appreiact them in there own right because they all expressed themselves differently because they were all different people. God Bless them all.

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LimeGreenSea

08:13 AMJun 28 2009

Dvdfrnzwbr 08:04 AMJun 28 2009 What are ED McMahn, Farra FAucett, and Michael Jackson expecting for Christmas? Patrick Swaze................................................................... ... Awwwwwwww now thats just plain mean and nasty. You should be ashamed of yourself for saying that. And what makes you think they all went to the same place? Personaly I pray they all did........up. Thats where I want us ALL to go....... UP. You go down? Then the hell you THOUGHT you had here will look like a trip to never never land ;) and thats no pun there!

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LimeGreenSea

08:08 AMJun 28 2009

As for the man himself I was shocked to hear of his death, I know we all gotta go at some point and no ones next breath is promised to ANY of us but now? That was a big surprise. I'm sorry he passed, I have been praying all this time that he would be with the Lord but now I don't know where he went with that alla bs. I sure hope for his sake he believed in Christ cause if he didnt........ well. I think he had to be the sadest man in all showbusiness. His father ruied him. I saw what MJ said about how he and all his sisters and brothers feared his father and I could just see why MJ was messed up so bad. I feel sorry for him realy. I'll keep praying for his soul and if you loved him you will pray hes in the right place, up, too.

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Dvdfrnzwbr

08:04 AMJun 28 2009

What are ED McMahn, Farra FAucett, and Michael Jackson expecting for Christmas? Patrick Swaze.

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LimeGreenSea

08:01 AMJun 28 2009

Alla?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the f**** does he mean ALLA????????? What was Jacko muslum?????? ALLA???????? F***** alla! ITS JESUS CHRIST NOT ALLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well if he didnt believe in anything other then Christ right now jackos got bigger problems where he went then he EVER could have had here! F******** alla! BS

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Henryptnm

07:58 AMJun 28 2009

If Michael molested children, that is not for us to judge. Michael was his own worst enemy. There is nothing wrong for iniviting children to see his Neverland Ranch but iniviting them for sleepovers especially in his own bedroom, that sets a stage for something else. Michael was in the limelight and people look at that and start saying things. Quincy Jones warned Michael about this.

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Pow keno

07:51 AMJun 28 2009

How much news coverage can they have and who is watching all this crap sorry the idiot killed himself what he did was cool however. Hey would you be this upset if it was a family member of your own?

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MoeshaAC

07:50 AMJun 28 2009

Could Michael Jackson have died from Lupus?http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bonnie-fuller/the-real-reason-for-mi cha_b_221825.html

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Dvdfrnzwbr

07:46 AMJun 28 2009

Michael Jacksons' family are unsure whether they should bury him or put him out with the plastic recycling.

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Killntyme527949

07:45 AMJun 28 2009

WELL AT LEAST ELVIS DID NOT LOOK LIKE A PUPPETT ON A STRING AND ELVIS DID NOT SOUND LIKE A MOUSE TRYING TO SING AND HE WAS WHITE NOT BLEACHED HOW IS THAT BUDDDDDDDDD

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