I could never associate myself with the fanfare my grown up cousins and friends had when they’d mention Elvis and Beatles when I was young. There were others, and while good, didn’t arouse much interest in me. There was however this Michael, whom I saw once on a video my cousin was playing, and I right away had my true idol. It’s funny when everyone complains now how Jackson’s death has made it to every part of the news everywhere. I would’ve reacted the same, had it been any other celebrity. But this was Michael Jackson. Like Manny Pacquiao, I do get that sense of unprofessionalism wishing they’d always appear on every space of mainstream media every time.
I remember being mesmerized when I was a kid as I’d watch every performance of him on video. I knew not much of him, yet I could sense his energy and could always feel with the rowdy crowd whenever they see him. They’d roar on each of his antics. MJ always had something to make the crowd yell. He could make people of all ages crazy, unconscious and even die. He was ‘the king’ before I ever heard of his official monicker. Gary V was ‘the copycat.’
I also remember being asked for something my cousin could give me when she comes back from Taiwan. Several months later, she handed me my first MJ album: Dangerous. I still have it lying around in my room.
I find it funny that I’ve never really given a thought about this until now.
