Summary
[Michael Jackson]'s songs were part of the sound track of my life. And when I was having a moment dealing with life's struggle, I would often fell back my favorite MJ ballad, "You Are Not Alone." (A bit of trivial here: this was the first song in the 37-year history of Billboard Magazine's Top 100 List to debut at number one.)
What made this an unforgettable moment for me was not only that he was Black just like me, he embodied what Donny Hathaway said was "to be young, gifted and Black." For me he was a symbol of someone who held promise for the future as Donny's song said we all did. At that moment Michael and the Jackson 5 were that promise incarnate. It was undeniable and it made me proud and incredibly hopeful that the world view and future of black folks would shift for the better now that the pathway had been illuminated by this young, gifted and Black rising star."I always wanted to create music that influences and inspires people. You want what you create to live," said Michael. "I know the creator will go but his work survives," Michael continued quoting Italian painter Michelangelo. "That is why to escape death I attempt to bind my soul to my work." And he did bind his soul to his music. His songs will R.I.P (reverberate into perpetuity).The flurry of breaking news alerts and text messages and emails that followed were as frenetic and chaotic as those typically dispatched during an emergency such as a catastrophic earthquake or a Category 5 hurricane. The numerous tributes to MJ have been comforting and fitting, particularly the musical tribute on local radio station KJLH in Los Angeles.See the full content of this document
Extract
Michael Jackson - R.I.P.
The CNN breaking news alert that popped up on my Blackberry on Thursday, June 25 at 2:20 p.m. still leaves me speechless and in disbelief. It read:
Pop singer Michael Jackson has suffered cardiac arrest.The flurry of breaking news alert...See the full content of this document
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