Friday, June 26, 2009

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

Heart heavy - I join millions in mourning today.

A legend. The Best. The King.

Talent Unmatched. An Inspiration. Incomparable. Brilliant.

Gone too soon...no loss more impactful than that of this Icon.

Thank you God for sharing him and his talent with the world. I feel privileged to have witnessed his greatness in my lifetime.

His music will live on forever. Music will never be the same. There was never and will never be another like him.

I pray your soul is comforted - Rest in Peace.

Michael Jackson.


This is how it all started for me. This performance right here is what made me fall in love with him.



The video.



How many of you wanted this jacket? :-)



This video was the SHIZNIT!!! We piled in my dorm room freshman year to watch the worldwide premiere of Remember the Time. Incredible.



Rock With You was the joint! Only Michael could rock a glittery suit and make it look sexy.



You know you tried the "lean." :-) Smooth.



"Your butt is miiiine..." Sha-mon!



Thriller. The best video ever made - PERIOD.




Global Humanitarian.



You are now with God - You are not alone.




Gone Too Soon.
:-(



We'll miss you.

-b

25 comments:

Ms. Princess said...

Dear Brooke-lyn,
Unfortunately, we received this news yesterday right after my brother's graduation. It went from a joyous day in his hs auditorium to a widespread sadness within instants. It was a madhouse, with people (teachers, security, school aides) all running trying to reach a source that confirmed our worse fears: the notice about MJ's death was more than a rumor but a tragedy realized. My God! On what part of the planet is Michael not the King? I'm sure there are aliens on Mars who know all the words to Billie Jean and can moonwalk. Came home from dinner last night and as my family was discussing what every other family in the world was discussing, I quickly stopped participating in the conversation to listen to what words were being said. My mother and aunt were singing some of their fav Jackson 5 hits from their time (the 70s) like "Mama's Pearl." This was back in my mom's youth when she thought for sure one day she'd be Mrs. Michael Jackson. I was FBing with someone, stating how in the 80s I used to, and still do, love "Liberian Girl." But as a kid, I thought he was saying Librarian girl. I used to think, "what's so sexy about a nerdy librarian? LOL. My brothers were talking about how "Remember The Time was so groundbreaking, and coming up in the 90s, there wasn't anything like it on tv. As I sat for those few moments as an outsider of the conversation, I thought to myself and smiled. What other artist's influence on music, fashion, video choreographer or even gossip fodder can span generations, 3 or 4 decades and still be relevant in the present time? Only little Michael Jackson, the Black kid from a big family in little Gary, Indiana. A true icon and entertainer. Your well of talent will be sorely missed brother.
And that's all I have to say about that. Spread love my people!
PS - I'm still a little afraid of "Thriller."
Love, Princess

Nikki_T said...

It is soo sad when a legend and musical genius is lost. I can remember where I was each and every time one of his video's premiered on MTV. When it happened, that was all anyone ever talked about that week in high school or college.

Just gone too soon . . . . . . . . .

Pranny - Nice to know that I am not the only one that still thinks that Thriller is a little eerie!

Anonymous said...

Sarah says...

first album i ever bought was thriller.

Ms. Princess said...

As Madea's baby daddy Mr. Brown would say, "Amend!" Vincent Price's narration is the pièce de résistance!

Anonymous said...

he ws supposed to be my husband! i told my mother when i was 5 that as soon as i was a real grown-up (10), that i would marry michael jackson and i wouldnt even have to change my name!

my first concert EVER was michael jackson. i remember wanting a silver glove sooo badly but after the divorce of my parents, we were poor. my mom bought me a white glove and some glitter glue for me and i made my own. mad getto but i remember thinking that he was the greatest.

perhaps my "cousin" can finally get some peace. :(

Annamaria said...

Austin & I stayed up watching his videos on You Tube last night & dancing & singing along. Never really thought I'd see the KING die in my lifetime. He was a force larger than life & was responsible for making Pop music what it is today. There will NEVER be anyone like him & he will definitely be missed. Hopefully he can find peace in death that he never got to find in life!

RIP: Michael, Farah & Ed

Brooke said...

God needed him more than we did - his spirit simply too big for this world. :-(

Anonymous said...

i really hope that people continue to focus on the positive and not tear him down in death.

Anonymous said...

i'm listening to michael jackson songs and "you are not alone" just came on...

how fitting...wow. i think that the gravity of this really REALLY hit me now...

Anthony Otero said...

I cannot believe this man is gone. I have been twittering all night and I am truley heart broken...

I find myself fighting tears when I think about how lonely he was. What really susrprises me is my own reaction to this whole thing.

I have created a playlist I plan on listen all day on iTunes...

Kat said...

Truly a sad and erie day. We all know it is going to happen but no matter what it's still a shocker and I am always in disbelief when it does...but he is out of his pain and his misery and with God. The media can leave him alone...finally. How many people can say that when they leave this earth that they had such an impact on the WORLD...not the US, not Indiana where he grew up but the entire GLOBE...AMAZING! I am truly sad for his family. No parent wants to lose their child. RIP MJ.

Annamaria said...

I agree with Liz I hope that people (media) leave him in peace. Stop speculating about the conspiracies surrounding his death. Let him rest in peace not only for his soul but for his family & children.

Pretty Ricky What Dey Call'em said...

I'm all Michael..all day today. I was actually surprised how sad I was when I heard. Usually when entertainers pass.. I just whisper a liitle prayer for the families and move on. But I actually had a lump in my throat for a minute. One of the CNN correspondents last night said "This is one of those events that you'll remember what were you doing when you heard Michael Jackson Passed"

But enough of the sadness... I started celebrating his life last night!!! That man had some joints. As i look through you tube I keep saying... oh shoot... I forgot about that one... Dam that was my joint...

Hopefully at VIP Game Lounge tonight, they do a tribute. You best believe I will kick the tables and chairs out the way..and dance like I always do.. but just a little harder for Mike!!!!

Anonymous said...

Brooke I your heart is heavy today. No one knows how big of a fan Brooke was to MJ. She had a huge red photo album that she kept all news clippings of MJ in. I remember watching that first video with Brooke when we were kids and seeing her cry so bad because of how much she loved MJ. Remember that plaque Aunt Cheryl got you. Were is all this stuff?

Yea he was eccentric and he did a lot of stuff we didn't understand, but can we just remember him as an entertainer and humanitarian. I hate when people speak ill of the dead. No one knows MJ true life story, so lets leave the judgment to Allah(GOD).

Rameer said...

I'm with Ant.

I'm flabbergasted, and extremely hurt. I found out while shooting video at a "Best Of Western New York" awards event/party last night. A friend of mine actually said he had just heard it, and I immediately went on my phone...and say the news on Google. It took me 15 minutes 2to collect myself to be able to do an interview...I was just STUNNED.

Then, I lost myself for a second, as my station called me up to get different interviews asking people there about their reaction to the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and MJ. Everyone expressed sadness for Farrah, but Mike - most could barely put a sentence together. They were floored. It didn't seem real.

I finally got home around 9pm with my friend Nita, who is in from out of town. I tried to turn on the draft...but I switched to CNN. Basically talking heads...and when it started to go negative, I turned away. But then I turned to BET and saw his videos playing...and it hit me. This was MICHAEL JACKSON. I grew UP on this man's music. Some of my fondest childhood memories are attached to him and his music - there are far too many moments to count.

My baby sister used to run to me as a toddler and make me play his music. She would beg me to play his "Moonwalker" video game EVERY DAY, no matter how many times I flipped it. Watching every new video he had was an event she and I shared together. When his Moonwalker film was made, she watched it with me every time it aired.

I began getting really emotional. And I NEVER thought I would have this type of reaction to a celebrity death. But I was truly stuck. Nita started feeling bad and trying to cheer me up, but nothing could get me out of it. She tried to get me to turn back to the NBA draft, but I just didn't care.

This HURTS. And I never thought it would. I didn't approve of the whole situation with kids and MJ...but always loved and respected his music. But the tragic parts of his life don't even matter now. He was the greatest musical icon in world history. I can't even begin to talk about all he made possible, what he did, etc. - it reaches too far!

When Magic announced he had HIV, I was hurt. Same when Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas. Those moments still make me wince thinking about them and how upset and hurt I was. But THIS is like those moments together magnified by 3. I'm in a complete funk at work today, and these white people don't get why.

And I truly think it's different for people of color than most whites. I won't get completely into that, But I'm going off of the reactions I've seen on Facebook, in-person and on TV. But I'm just really emotional about this whole thing. It's so sad, so tragic. Yes, we lost Ed McMahon and Farrah, and I was really saddened by the loss of Farrah. But I've never been this moved in my entire life by a celebrity occurrence. I don't even know is writing this I'm making much sense. I'm just pouring it out.

I teared up when "Man In The Mirror" came on last night - and I don't cry like that. And even just writing that last line just brought tears to my eyes at my desk.

I realize that I LOVED Michael Jackson. Not in an idol worship way - but because he was the soundtrack to my life. The things he did were family events for me; my family and I shared loving times around him, his music and his accomplishments. I've literally never been more excited watching a TV performance than when he was on Motown's 25th. Hell, the Jackson 5 movie has been running the past 2 weeks - and I watched it twice last week.

R.I.P. to the King. Not of Pop, not of R&B - of MUSIC. When I take everything into the equation, that's what and who he is. Man, I miss him...and I'm so hurt and I don't even want to be around people.

I just want to see my baby sister.

Anonymous said...

Thank you rameer. you just eloquently express EXACTLY what i am feeling.

its still so hard for me to wrap my head around this! my friend Jaki from the UK was online all night waiting for a code to get the tickets to one of his shows in europe. EVERYONE loved him!

i guess white people have Elvis...but we ALL had michael!

Pretty Ricky What Dey Call'em said...

EVERYONE HAD MICHAEL!

Anthony Otero said...

I posted my blog on MJ...

I cant say more about it..

-V- said...

I remember watching that Grammy performance with my little brother. It was the first 'great performance' I saw from any musician.

"Off The Wall" is on of the greatest albums of all time - regardless of genre.

Rameer said...

I don't want to sound like a b***h...but I've been fighting back tears all day.

I'm so emotionally shaken I don't even think I should've come to work.

Anthony Otero said...

Say Say Say What you want..but dont play game with...you emotions?

Rameer..it is ok to tear up. He was our ICON. The symbol of our generation.

Serena W. said...

I'm still speechless. I fell in love Brooke when I saw him rock out that show when he did Billie Jean! R.I.P. MJ. There will never be another like you.

Brooke said...

Rameer, I completely understand. I've read all your comments and got choked up realizing that we all have very similar memories of Michael Jackson. I listened to MJ the entire drive to Philly, crying and smiling while singing along. Then I cried again while talking to my mother on the phone as she told me that she remembers seeing Michael as a child part of the Jackson 5 - and then re-discovering him thru us as we marveled at him and Thriller.

We should all feel so blessed to have witnessed this man in our lifetime. We should all hope to live a life that leaves such a wonderful impact on another person's life, let alone the WORLD. God gave us a truly great gift in Michael Jackson, and has now called His son home. He is finally at peace and free - and that makes my soul smile :)

Serena W. said...

Rameer you said it perfectly, "He was the soundtrack of my life." One of my fondest memories is when I got on a plane for the first time with my mother. She saved up her duckets and took me to Disney World. We put our bags down and went to Epcot Center.

I can't tell you how many times we saw Captain Eeo over and over and over again. She was so excited too! Heck we went back right before we left and saw it a couple of more times (3-D of course).

Man in the mirror brings the tears to my eyes. It speaks truth to today.

He has moved the world...the WORLD! He was such a humanitarian. He truly cared about the community and the world. He'll be missed!

iriegal said...

What a wonderful tribute. So sad. We have lost a great talent in our community. my heart grieves..

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