Album review : Michael Jackson and family books: On the whole, Michael feels rather dull. Vocally, he’s on target the majority of the time, with the exception of the still manufactured-sounding, “Breaking News”, but musically it’s far from impressive. So many of the beats sound so derivative that it lacks any evolution, which is what Jackson was always about. Look at the transition between Off the Wall and Thriller, or better yet, Bad to Dangerous. He went from disco to ’80s synth, from hair metal aesthetics to New jack swing. What’s more, he always surrounded himself with the most top notch, key players in any industry. Do you think it was by chance that Jackson hired the likes of Macaulay Culkin or Michael Jordan for his videos? Remember, it was the early ’90s, those guys were just as much royalty as he was. The same went for Slash, or Eddie Van Halen, or Martin Scorcese, or Teddy Riley. That’s what’s missing on Michael.
Riley recruited Jackson’s favorite rapper Heavy D for four nimble bars, his baritone artfully offsetting the singer’s falsetto growl. The first song wastes no time in articulating the album’s leitmotif. Jackson urges the world to come together, decries false prophets crying of doom, and admits that the universe is a complicated place full of “tears for fears.” He’s “conditioned by the system” and doesn’t want to be preached to. His ultimate realization is that you have to “live each day like it’s the last,” find inner peace to stay strong against the haters, and when in doubt, jam. You can see these themes stressed on nearly every song. “Why You Wanna Trip on Me” exists as a mission statement. This is the Michael who fame has isolated and forced into retreat. There’s a newfound menace in his voice, an angelic sneer, as he recites a litany of crippling ailments (world hunger, illiteracy, disease, gangs, homelessness, drug addiction, corruption, police brutality)—and yet ironically, he has somehow become the media’s bullseye. Written during his 33rd year, Jackson can’t help but implicitly compare himself to Jesus—a popular healer who wants to help, misinterpreted and publicly crucified.
An important reason for writing this trilogy is that I want the world to know that I am not obsessed with my blood tie to Michael Jackson. I also want to make clear that I fully understand how difficult it must be for thousands of fans to accept that I am his daughter. With my books, I hope to present the possibility that he started to show odd behavior because he had had a secret daughter from the age of seventeen – not an easy situation for someone like him! For me, I have let go of all the pain and remember only the good things about him. He is gone, and he was truly a gift from god. I feel sorry for Michael Jackson because he had a bad life. R.I P., I love you always. Thank you for what you have taught me about life. Discover even more info on http://mpjjacksonrevelation.com/.
Still, it seems there is no respect or understanding that he could have been a part of my life, because he is the illusionist Michael Jackson and the King of Pop. What do people know about that? Is there proof he was not? It is easy to talk bad about a person you do not know. Because, after all, it is about Michael Jackson.
Ben (1972): Yeah, laugh this one off as “the rat record” if you want – you’re missing a treat. Obviously the standout here is the title track, MJ’s first solo hit and yeah, a song about a rat from a movie. But look beyond that track and you’ll find endearing soul and infectious pop records that were dazzling at the time and still hold strong today. Forgotten Favorites: “Ben,” “Greatest Show on Earth,” “What Goes Around Comes Around”.