IS MICHAEL JACKSON REALLY DEAD OR…? by DETONA ABOABA

It was June 25th 2009 and I was just about to slip into bed when a friend of mine burst into my college dorm room to announce to me that Michael Jackson had just passed. I initially thought it was a joke till he insisted I turn the radio on to listen to what song were playing. Michael Jackson’s Man in The Mirror came on as I turned on the radio, I switched stations to another Michael Jackson song. My dorm room was on the third floor and it took me less than a minute to rush to the common room, located on the ground floor. There were about 30 people in the common room at that particular time watching a movie and their reaction when I changed the channel was that of extreme anger. They were easily calmed when they saw the headline …Michael Jackson, King of Pop DEAD.

My heart sank. I was confused, angry and shocked to say the least. It wasn’t April 1st and if it was, CNN wouldn’t be in on a prank so ludicrous. He should be in rehearsals for his highly publicized THIS IS IT TOUR. Michael Jackson was unarguably the greatest entertainer to ever live. He was not just an entertainer, he was the music industry. His 2001 LP Invincible was considered his greatest failure while alive and it sold 10 Million copies. Note that selling 10 Million copies or going diamond as the music industry would say in the 2000’s, a failure to Michael Jackson was a feat unachievable to so many artists. Michael Jackson was a singer, song-writer, actor, dancer, businessman and most importantly a PHILANTHROPIST. Michael changed the music industry and THE WORLD.

Where are my going with this?

On June 25th, a call was placed through to 911 from 100 North Carolwood Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90077 as Dr. Murray performed CPR on Michael Jackson with hopes to revive him. His kids stood at a distance confused at what was happening. Paramedics when realizing who they were dealing with, did everything they could to save him. When Michael arrived at the hospital, doctors spent close to an hour trying to revive him, understanding that they were dealing with an individual that was far from ordinary. When his mother was called, she knew it was Michael even before she turned on the tv. When she got to to hospital, Michael Jackson had been pronounced dead and every family member present was scared to tell Katherine Jackson for fear she may die. Katherine kept insisting, she wanted to see him but they doctors said she couldn’t. The next question she asked broke her heart. …Did he make it? When told …He didn’t, Katherine blanked out and didn’t know what she did after then. New reports say she sat down for an hours, quiet and no one could walk up to her. Michaels Kids, Paris, Prince and Blanket couldn’t leave their father. They hugged and kissed their father as his body lay. Katherine refused to see him. She wanted to remember Michael as the happy, kind and humble son she raised.

When news broke, crowds gathered at the hospital and around the world to celebrate the life of one of the greatest person to ever live. Michael gave us his life, his gift and most importantly his heart. He loved kids and gave to countless charities and is still giving. His last will and testament sees him providing for numerous charities around the world. The question now is, did MICHAEL JACKSON REALLY DIE or…? Let me divert a little bit before I answer that question.

When rapper Christopher Wallace aka Notorious B.I.G died, his mother was heart broken. As his funeral procession rode through Brooklyn, someone in the crowd did the unspeakable, they turned on the stereo and his 1997 hit song from his upcoming album Hypnotize came on. They crowd cheered and his mother, Voletta Wallace knew at that point that her son never died. She could hear his voice. In the crowd, on the radio, she saw him on tv and those memories brought tears of joy to her eyes.

It’s July 2014 and Michael Jackson is still changing the world. His just released LP, Xscape is said to be one of the greatest Post-Humous albums by an artist. Michaels soul is felt on every track. Xscapes executive producer Timbaland said he felt chills while he worked on the album. He was reported saying he felt something else in the room with him apart from his production team. Michael Jackson lives. He lives through artists like Justin Timberlake, Usher and most notably Beyoncé. Michael Jackson Inc. has made over $1 Billion since June 2009 and he is still giving. His music was magical, his dance moves were electrifying and his stage presence was MAGNIFICENT.

I’m happy to break it to you world, Michael Jackson is alive. He lives in us, in his works. He lives through people who understand his personality and his life. People who understand why and how he did what he did. Who understand that it’s better to give than to receive. His favourite phrase was …Do it with love. Michael always said whatever you do, do it with love. Let love motivate you to act.
Michael is one of the reasons I do what I do. He has motivated me to love kids and people of all race and genders. He motivated me to give everyday. He motivated me to go out of my way to help people who can’t give me anything back in return. Everyday I wake up and ask myself, what can I do today to help someone today. How much and what more can I give? It’s not about getting, it’s about giving and giving with love and not expecting back. From volunteering to counselling and charity works, I give my all, I give my life because it’s what the world needs. The world needs the kind of love that has never been seen before. Many will call you crazy and cynical but love always wins in the end. A lot of kids don’t have fathers, Mothers, big brothers or sisters. A lot of kids have no role models to look up to. People are lost trying to find who they are and what they want to be. Our generation is plagued with babies having babies, children who are orphaned by senseless wars and nobody wants to do anything. Our world is falling apart and everyone is more concerned about what they can get rather than how much they can give. Greed and corruption permeates our streets and everyone chooses to ignore it. The world is dying and no ones wants to help, everybody is waiting for the next person to do something, I won’t. I refuse to standby and watch kids with no role models suffer. I refuse to be quiet and let wars make more orphans. I’m willing to give my all. Every dollar I have, every minute of my day, every piece of clothing, every thing I own till everyone understands that LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

Michael Jackson wasn’t perfect, he had his flaws and made a lot of mistakes like everyone else, but one thing he always did and is doing is giving. He gave and is giving, through his art, life style and songs. He told us to start with the MAN IN THE MIRROR, to HEAL OUR WORLD to pray for all the LOST CHILDREN. My question to you is what are you giving and what would the world say about you if you left today. What would your nephews, nieces, brothers, sisters and friends say? Love is patient, kind and forgiving. Give love, not to get back but because it’s the greatest gift you can give to any man. Don’t do it for the fame or for the applause, DO IT BECAUSE IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
GIVE LOVE!

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Without a doubt, one of, if not the greatest singer and entertainer of all time.