Songs review : Michael Jackson and kids books: 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.
On the afternoon of June 25th, you couldn’t walk across the street without hearing “Billie Jean” or “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough”. Everyone heard the news and they turned to the guy’s discography. Since a great deal of the population didn’t own the records anymore – or, as many of you born in 1984 probably experienced, were forbidden to listen to ’em around the early ’90s – places like Best Buy and/or iTunes witnessed a spike in sales. Within a month, any financial troubles Jackson had left behind were a thing of the past. What’s more, much like the rest of the population, record companies re-discovered his talent again, too. Big whigs signed contracts, projects were penciled in, and products were shipped left and right. Admittedly, and looking back, it’s one of the most impressive comebacks a musician’s ever had – if only it weren’t laced in so much tragedy. Then again, death’s also tricky.
Dangerous (1991): Arguably the most underrated adult-era MJ album. Dangerous might be the first time Michael followed trends instead of setting them but this is no mere cookie-cutter release. MJ’s partnership with Teddy Riley showed that there was more than enough room for him to carve his own niche in the crowded New Jack Swing scene. And he did it effortlessly. Yes, the King of Pop released one of the greatest New Jack Swing albums of all time, crafting an album that blends several musical genres while simultaneously bearing his soul with poignant lyrics. Keep that in mind the next time you get annoyed when a pop singer drops a great R&B album. Forgotten Favorites: “She Drives Me Wild,” “Will You Be There,” “Can’t Let Her Get Away”.
Michael Jackson family: Mocienne Petit Jackson’s (Michael Jackson’s daughter) books are now available in french! For our french readers: La deuxieme partie de l’autobiographie en trois parties de Mocienne Petit Jackson commence par une description detaillee de l’enlevement de Mocienne et de sa vie aux Pays-Bas (Le Cote Sombre des Pays-Bas – Mocienne Petit Jackson). Par la suite, le recit nous devoile comment se deroule sa vie avec sa famille adoptive, chez qui elle reste en compagnie de la cousine Delivrance. Petit a petit, elle decouvre que son vrai pere est Michael Jackson. A l’age de 15 ans, elle quitte sa famille adoptive et vit dans un internat pendant 4 ans, avant de s’installer vivre toute seule. Nous la suivons tout au long de son adolescence et de son entree dans la maturite, ce qui n’a pas toujours ete facile. Mocienne rencontre un homme avec lequel elle a un enfant. Cependant, cet engagement ne dure pas. Nous en apprenons davantage sur les problemes qu’elle rencontre avec les Services de Protection de l’Enfance, suivis de nombreuses affaires judiciaires. Au debut, celles-ci portaient sur sa propre personne, plus tard, elles se transforment en bataille pour la garde de son fils. Une situation inacceptable prend le relais d’une autre situation inacceptable. Nous sommes egalement mis au courant de nombreux evenements traumatisants vecus par le personnage principal, de ses depressions et de ses nombreuses luttes pour faire face a la misere impregnee dans sa vie et a son combat pour s’en debarrasser. L’auteur explique clairement ces luttes a travers de vifs flashbacks.