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Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an Americanrecording artist, entertainer and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family,he made his debut onto the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1969, and later began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop"[2] in subsequent years, his 1982 albumThriller remains the world's best-selling record of all time[3] and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979),Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first AfricanAmerican entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularityof his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller"— widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an artform—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. Withstage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physicallycomplicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctivemusical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&Bartists.Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through hisfoundations, charity singles, and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personallife, including his often changing appearances and eccentric behavior, generatedsignificant controversy which damaged his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer had experienced health concernssince the early 1990s and conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances sincethe late 1990s. Jackson married twice and fathered three children, all of which causedfurther controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuseallegations and several other charges.One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fametwice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—includingone for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of 750 million records worldwide.[4]Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, madehim a part of popular culture for almost four decades. Michael Jackson died on June25, 2009, aged 50.[5] The specific cause of death has yet to be determined.[2] Beforehis death, Jackson had announced a 50-date sell-out This Is It comeback tour, inLondon, England.[6]1958–1975: Early life and The Jackson 5Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana (an industrial suburb of Chicago,Illinois) to a working-class family on August 29, 1958.[7] The son of African-American parents Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and Katherine Esther (née Scruse),[7]he was the seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine,La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.[7] Joseph Jackson was a steel mill employee whooften performed in an R&B band called The Falcons with his brother Luther. Jacksonwas raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his devout mother.[7]
 
From a young age Jackson claims he was physically and emotionally abused by hisfather, enduring incessant rehearsals, whippings and name-calling, but also contendsthat his father was a strict disciplinarian that played a large part in his success. [8][9]In one altercation—later recalled by Marlon Jackson—Joseph held Michael upsidedown by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting himon his back and buttocks".[10] Joseph would also trip up, or push his male childreninto walls. One night while Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room throughthe bedroom window. Wearing a fright mask, he entered the room screaming andshouting. Joseph said he wanted to teach his children not to leave the window openwhen they went to sleep. For years afterwards, Jackson suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.[10]Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in a 1993 interview with OprahWinfrey. He said that during his childhood he often cried from loneliness and wouldsometimes get sick or start to vomit upon seeing his father.[11][12][13][14] InJackson's other high profile interview, Living with Michael Jackson (2003), the singer covered his face with his hand and began crying when talking about his childhoodabuse.[10] Jackson recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he andhis siblings rehearsed and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up,really get you".[15]Jackson showed musical talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates andothers during a Christmas recital at the age of five.[7] In 1964, Jackson and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito and Jermaine— as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine, respectively. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumedlead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.[7] The band touredthe Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968. The band frequently performed at astring of black clubs and venues collectively known as the "chitlin' circuit", wherethey often opened for stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major localtalent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I FeelGood)", led by Michael.[16]The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record labelSteeltown in 1967 and signed with Motown Records in 1968.[7] Rolling Stonemagazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelmingmusical gifts", noting that Michael "quickly emerged as the main draw and leadsinger" after he began to dance and sing with his brothers.[17] Though Michael sangwith a "child's piping voice, he danced like a grown-up hoofer and sang with theR&B/gospel inflections of Sam Cooke, James Brown, Ray Charles and StevieWonder".[17] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want YouBack", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one onthe Billboard Hot 100.[7] During The Jackson 5's early years, Motown's publicrelations team claimed that Jackson was nine years old—two years younger than heactually was—to make him appear cuter and more accessible to the mainstreamaudience.[18] Starting in 1972, Jackson released a total of four solo studio albumswith Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben. These were released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and produced successful singles such as "Got to Be There","Ben" and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began
 
declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal toallow them creative control or input.[19] Although the group scored several top 40hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I AmLove", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.[19]1975–1981: Move to Epic and Off the WallThe Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, joining thePhiladelphia International Records division, later Epic Records.[19] As a result of legal proceedings, the group was renamed The Jacksons.[20] After the name change,the band continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976and 1984. From 1976 to 1984, Michael Jackson was the lead songwriter of the group,writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel"and "Can You Feel It".[16]In 1978, Jackson starred as Scarecrow in the musical The Wiz.[21] The musical scoreswere arranged by Quincy Jones, who formed a partnership with Jackson during thefilm's production and agreed to produce the singer's next solo album, Off theWall.[22] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. Hissubsequent rhinoplasty surgery was not a complete success; he complained of  breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. StevenHoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and other subsequentoperations.[23]Jones and Jackson jointly produced Off the Wall. Songwriters included Jackson,Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, itwas the first album to generate four US top 10 hits, including the chart-toppingsingles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[24] Off the Wallreached number three on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified for 7 millionshipments in the US and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[25][26] In1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts:Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&BSingle for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[24] That year, he also won BillboardMusic Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough").[24]Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[27]In 1980, Jackson secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37% of wholesale album profit.[28]1982–1985: Thriller, Motown 25, We Are the World and business career After Jackson's early 1982 contribution, "Someone In the Dark", to the blockbuster film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which nabbed him a Grammy for Best Album for Children,[29] Epic issued his second album, Thriller. In what would turn out to be theapex of his career, the album remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for 80consecutive weeks, 37 at the peak. Seven singles from Thriller concurrently hit theBillboard Hot 100 top 10, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin'Somethin'".[30] Thriller went on to sell upwards of 109 million copies, making it the best-selling album of all time,[31][32][3][33] causing Jackson biographer J. Randy
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