I was 11 in 1983 when I heard the baseline that began a love affair with music that has done nothing but grow. I am positive that I was not the only little black girl in love with the jheri curled man in the black fedora, penny loafers, white socks and a sequined glove. I remember screaming when I saw him glide across the floor. That was a magical moment in time. Who knew that in that moment I was watching history? Little girls always have love affairs with those stars that make our hearts beat a little faster. How was I to know that the music of this young man would not only touch me in ways that had little to do with star power, but also move my now 14 year old daughter who never saw the sigh worthy MJ only the genius who made music from the heart and the feet.
I fell in love with the music of Michael. From the Jackson 5 to Off the Wall and of course Thriller how can you not appreciate the music? I remember learning about the Beatles from “Say Say Say” (his duet with Paul McCartney) and realizing that music knew no color lines, and good music transcended time.
I fell in love with the message of Michael. “Man in the Mirror” touched something in me that helped me understand our time on this earth should never pass without doing some good. I can remember staring at myself in the mirror as I tried to see the world the way MJ did. Something about his words made me believe that we had the ability to love not only those who look like us, but the world as a whole. I remember learning the words to We Are The World and for the first time understanding that one person has a responsibility globally for those less fortunate.
Why do we credit Michael Jackson with so much? I mean he was just a singer, right? Wrong. MJ represented the creativity that can only be gifted from God. Michael was the creativity and the muse for every artist who followed him. Even those of different genres looked at MJ’s skill, work ethic, and dedication to his art as something to aspire to. He opened the doors for every African American musician who came after him to have a forum where his or her voice could be heard world wide.
Many will believe the worst about MJ. They will look at his eccentricities and his oftentimes questionable relationship with children and say that he was not worthy of the praise we throw at his feet. To those I echo the words of the congresswoman who spoke at his memorial. He was found innocent. For the record I never believed he had done anything to harm a child. I believe he truly saw himself as Peter Pan and as such I don’t think he occupied the same space in time the rest of the world did.
Could he have handled it better? Should he have learned from his mistakes? He should have been less naive about our world, but who could really blame him for retreating into a space of his own creation? We were mean to him. We were harsh to him. We made horrible jokes at his expense and in return he loved us nonetheless.
At the closing of the day his music, his genius, and his love for the people are what should be remembered. He lived his life under the glare of a spotlight from the time he was five years old. What sins would the world see of yours if a spotlight that powerful looked over your life?
I guess my love affair with MJ never really ended. I grew from the fantasies of a tween who loved the look of a man who made my heart jump with each note and every turn — into the awe of an adult appreciating the genius of a man who lived in the midst of the never ending circus of the public eye. I choose to remember MJ like this…
As a gift from God gone too soon, but loved for the music and the heart of platinum he used to teach us that under our skin, in spite of our look and despite our differences we are not alone.
R.I.P. Michael Jackson
My Favorite MJ Songs
Human Nature
Dancing Machine
Off The Wall
