Posted November 21, 200717 yr 'Wacko Jacko' Not So Wacko Michael Jackson. Common first and last name, but when you put them together, there is only one man any of us think of - The King of Pop. Since the age of six, Michael Jackson has treated us to the music that some would say has defined generations. Songs like "Never Can Say Goodbye," "ABC" and "I'll Be There" were some of the first songs Michael released with The Jackson 5. Songs like "Beat It," "Bad," "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" and "Thriller" have shaped the way music is made today. While most 6-year-olds were outside getting muddy on the little league or football field, Michael and his four brothers were in the house on a daily basis, rehearsing songs and dances for their soon-to-be hit group. Many psychologists say this is the basis for his "creative" way of life. The December issue of Ebony magazine displays Michael in his seventh solo cover (he has also had five covers with the Jackson 5 band). Michael, wearing a cream and gold ensemble with wispy jet black hair, is the Michael we all know and love. Some may prefer Michael as he was born, but Michael will always be Michael...black or white. Aside from more than a dozen albums, more than a dozen No. 1 singles, more than 750 million records sold worldwide and 13 Grammy Awards from his solo career alone, we often view Michael Jackson as "different." We regard him as being "so cute" when he was a part of the Jackson 5, but when his hair texture started to change little by little, followed by the shape of his nose and his skin color, we began to regard him as "weird." There were also the unforgettable incidents involving Michael, such as dangling one of his children over a hotel balcony and allegations that he molested a number of young boys at his multi-million dollar Neverland ranch. These acts and characteristics began the trend of distance from Michael Jackson. People began to see him as almost not human - a strange being that lurked behind the untouchable gates of his estate. The article and interview in Ebony magazine, however, puts some human characteristics to the name of Michael Jackson, also often known as "Wacko Jacko." The photographs of him laughing and conversing with Quincy Jones and other producers give a personal aspect to Michael. Descriptions by the writer, detailing his interaction with his youngest son, Prince Michael Jackson II (aka "Blanket"), also give him a human-like quality he seemed to lack before. Many did not believe these children existed, let alone that they belonged to him. They were first and foremost white in color, and no matter what color Michael changes his skin to, his DNA still reads "black," so to speak. Photographs of him acting goofy and silly during the photo shoot are a clear indication that Michael is no longer the sad, serious creature we once believed him to be. He is no longer the "smooth criminal" (no pun intended) with a serious demeanor that the media and courtroom tried to prove him to be. Michael Jackson is Michael Jackson, and no matter his appearance or demeanor, you cannot deny the trail he blazed for so many current artists, such as Chris Brown, Ne-Yo (whom Michael considers to be one of the best performers, according to his Ebony interview), and Usher. http://media.www.thehilltoponline.com/medi...o-3112163.shtml
