Words by Sophia Nurse
He gained the title of the King of Pop, and for good reason.
Today we pay tribute to one of the most recognised figures in popular culture, Michael Jackson on what would have been his 58th birthday.
Seven years after his death, it’s clear to see that the legendary performer is not forgotten by his peers and loved ones. Jackson’s daughter, Paris re-grammed a poem by older brother, Prince, in remembrance of her father – captioning the image “Love this.. proud of you big brother. and happy birthday to the man that means more to us than anything and anyone ever could”:
Fellow musician and Queen of Pop, Madonna also honoured the fellow 80s artist with a series of throw-back photos, captioning the collage “Happy Birthday to this wonderful and glorious creature!! The King! Gone too soon”:
Record producer, Quincy Jones, also tweeted remembrance to the star, who produced and collaborated on Jackson’s albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad:
.@michaeljackson would have been 58 today ? miss you Smelly ❤️
— Quincy Jones (@QuincyDJones) August 29, 2016
His contributions to music include timeless hits like ‘Thriller’ and ‘Billie Jean’, often replicated but never matched dancefloor moves like the moonwalk and crotch-grab, and over-the-top fashion including his signature white glove, fedora, and his iconic red biker jacket:
And who could forget his patented ‘anti-gravity’ shoes, which he debuted in his video for his 1988 single ‘Smooth Criminal’, where he performed an impossible 45 degree lean with his feet still planted on the floor:
But Michael Jackson won over our hearts way before this, as the bright-eyed youngest member of The Jackson Five, which he formed with his four older brothers. Check out a very young MJ below performing the hit single ‘ABC’ alongside his brothers and bandmates:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho7796-au8U
It’s safe to say that the King of Pop who contributed so much to popular culture and music will remain sorely missed in 2016.
