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Mourning Celebrities
As you all know, Michael Jackson died this past Thursday, June 25th. If you didn’t know, I’m sorry to be the first to tell you. But I also have to question if you took Kid Cudi’s place as the Man on the Moon. Everything from major news networks all the way down to social networks were feeding updates non stop. I think Twitter crashed at some point and Facebook was slower than, well, slower than it usually is. Everyone was a buzz about it, as they should be. He was and, to some extent still is, the King of Pop. Has touched billions of people worldwide with his music. And at the very core of it all, was a music legend who inspired ridiculous amounts of artists who haven’t yet come close to what he’s accomplished. However, this isn’t an obituary or even a posthumous fan letter for Mike. I’m sure there will be more than enough blog posts, Facebook notes, letters and YouTube videos about that. Because from what I’ve seen in the past few days, folks get a little OD when they mourn a celebrity.
From Thursday evening all the way to Sunday , a slew of very emotional tweets and status updates flooded my home page. Some made me laugh, others made me reminisce, but a majority had me reeling. They either made me uncomfortable because of how highly emotional or highly callous they were. And I noticed that there are three very distinct mourners for celebrity deaths – folks who give their respects and keep it moving, folks who get very emotional over the person who passed and folks who seize the opportunity to make (inappropriate) jokes. Right now, I want to discuss the latter two.
“If You Ain’t Met His Momma, How the F*ck You Cry For Him?” – Clipse
Said harshly in reference to those rappers who quote and memorialize Biggie, but I feel the same way when it comes to celebrities and their fans. I remember when Aaliyah passed, the radio stations were playing her music back to back, girls were crying and some even had memorials in their homes. I’m sure it will be much more extravagant seeing the amount of people that MJ has touched. I’m all about DJs giving their Michael memorial sets. He’s got more quality music than most “artists” out here could ever hope to have. Plus I definitely don’t mind hearing a good Michael track. But, I just can’t bring myself to get overly emotional for someone I’ve never met no matter how much I listened to their music. I’m all about giving my respects, whether public or privately, but are continuous status updates regarding the now dead celeb, self imposed depression and tears for someone you’ve never met necessary? I really don’t understand it. In all seriousness, can someone explain it to me?
OK man. Don’t Be A Dick.
On the other hand you have those who want to crack a few jokes at the expense of the person who just passed. I remember there were a lot of airplane jokes regarding Aaliyah’s death, but it doesn’t compare to how many pedophile/MJ jokes I saw or just heard about. And posted on Facebook & Twitter no less. One person even made a site. C’mon man, the dude just passed. I should punch you in the throat off principle, but that would contradict the point I made above. I know he was a legendary musician who had his “indiscretions”. I get it. But with every joke, timing is everything. Sometimes it has to do when you deliver the punch line and other times when you deliver the joke itself. Furthermore, are you that much of an attention whore that you need to detract from someone’s death?
Me? I paid my respects personally and kept it moving. I’m sure I’ll reminisce to a few Mike tracks at some point, but I couldn’t take off from work to mourn on Friday and I’m not one to announce things like that via Twitter. Just felt uncomfortable. But, R.I.P. Michael Jackson. No jokes, no overt passionate goodbyes. Just much respect.
Seattle – Bout to Moonwalk Across My Wood Floors – Washington
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I can see your point but to many Michael’s music was woven into the “fabric of their lives” in such a way that they did feel like they knew him.
I loved Michaels music, grew up with it, so in some small way I grew up with him.
I am not crying a river for him, but I am inexplicably saddened by his sudden departure.
In losing MIke I am really saying goodbye to a part of my childhood that I have been holding on to without realizing and forced to let go of without proper burial…however I can understand those that simply see it as the death of a great entertainer
thats How I viewed Biggie and Tupac’s death when people were falling out and crying all around me…
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This is probably going to go on forever, kinda like the Anna Nicole Smith death did. There are kids involved, the rest of his family is famous, and…he made Thriller. Thriller. For Christ’s sake, I was watching the news earlier and saw the bad Reverend Sharpton w/ Joe Jackson. You know if the short permed pastor is out, it’s bout to be some sh*t.
P.S. I attended one of those Aaliyah tributes in a chick’s dorm. WEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRDDDDD
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Nicki Sunshine Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 7:34 am
Aliyah was like the black Princess Diana. Now I did cry for a second when she died… but mostly bc she was the same age as me… and then they kept playing that dang Rock the Boat video and we all already knew how it ended.
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Vanessa aka Miss V Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:13 am
yeah Aaliyah’s death was really sad, mainly because she was so young, and died so tragically. i was upset when i heard the news, but my sis was obsessed with her for a couple years after she died, but gladly, she got over it.
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Nicki Sunshine Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I know a girl who was obsessed with her in life so in death, all I’m saying it WOW. lol
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RIP MJ…he was an extremely talented man that most artists today couldn’t match if they tried…
I completely agree with this post Seattle. I feel like respects should be paid and that’s about it. I couldn’t imagine being so complete distraught over someone I don’t know personally. I don’t know any of his family or close friends personally and he doesn’t know mine. What’s different about his death from stars like Biggie, Tupac, or Aaliyah is that he was nearing the end of his career. Yeah I’ve heard about him and some stars maybe collaborating on some stuff, but for the most part he wasn’t doing any shows or making any new albums. I wish they had done a tribute while he was still alive. We never really appreciate something until it’s gone. So I will pay my respects for his talent and everlasting contributions to music and entertainment. However, his personal life was truly his business and I’ll leave it at that.
I heard people were committing suicide so they could be with Michael in heaven…smh.
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Vanessa aka Miss V Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:14 am
suicide?? seriously? that’s OD ridiculous
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This is exactly how I feel, Seattle.
One of my co workers showed me a joke about MJ yesterday that pissed me off, although I didn’t say anything bc it was so out of character for her. It was extremely ignorant.
I’m so sick of people going on and on about it…. they’re changing facebook profile pictures, taking “which MJ song are u” quizzes, etc and it’s all showing up on my updates, driving me nuts!
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I totally agree with this post. People are definitely going overboard. I haven’t heard any bad jokes, but that seems highly inappropriate and inconsiderate behavior towards anyone who has passed. May Micheal Jackson’s soul rest in peace.
As for the people “mourning” his death as if he were a family member, that is beyond odd to me. I love Micheal Jackson’s music, he used his fame to give back, and probably was the most famous person on earth; however, unless you knew him personally, all of those “mourning” need to stop. I don’t mind DJs and TV stations paying tribute, but he did not find the cure for cancer or for AIDS. He essentially was just an entertainer (he may have broke color barriers for other entertainers).
My heart goes out to his family and I even got a little teary eyed when I saw Janet speak b/c I could see her pain and empathized with her, but I cannot behave as if I knew him just b/c he made great music and could dance well.
Maybe I am biased b/c I think people hold entertainers up on an unnecessary pedestal while people making greater contributions to the world die everyday and are ignored. Most people don’t even care to know who they are.
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Man, folks were crying for Mike when he was ALIVE (some ninja FAINTED…fainted, I tell you!) so I’m not surprised they would cry for him when he passed.
In all seriousness, I think the emotional feelings felt for a celebrity you don’t know is tied to your experiences with them. A lot of people felt they grew up with MJ, grew up on his music, that his music is attributed to major milestones in their lives, that music died (it really did), all of the above, etc. Some may not be able to feel that strong connection with someone or a song they sing…or a movie they acted in. But usually, when a celebrity dies, memories of that celebrity in connection with YOUR life flood in. And frankly, it’s sad.
Now, I was not one of those “extreme” fans of MJ (because well, I ain’t worthy…lol, them mofos got extreme), but I was a pretty big fan of his and his death did hit me hard. Did I take off work because of it? Nope. Did my life stop because of it? Nope. But my life did change a bit…the guy was on my mind throughout the majority of the days that followed. And I’ll always look at his videos with a little sense of melancholy…which will of course become less significant as time goes on, but it’ll still be there in a way.
Mostly, though, after the shock, I’ve come to be more comfy with celebrating his life than mourning his death. Mainly because I’ve come to terms with how glad I am that he doesn’t have to be here (where there was no peace) anymore. I’d like to believe that he is in peace…finally. He hasn’t had it since he was a shorty, so I pray he has it now.
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LoudPen Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I agree with this comment completely. When I first heard about Michael’s death, I was in complete denial. I had received a txt from someone and told the person that Mike was just being dramatic and would be okay. Then when I realized it was true, I just went into a state of shock. It wasn’t until I popped the HIStory DVD in that I started crying and doing the Beat It dance. (BTW did you know that the Puerto Rican dude from NY Undercover is a back-up dancer in that video?)
And as I told my cousin, I never cry when celebs pass cause I don’t know them. I mean I have reminisced about Aaliyah, Biggie, Pac, and Left Eye. But, with MJ it was just…different. His music is classic. And I think people (at least me) are crying cause we know that this type of music WILL NEVER hit the airwaves again. Those moments of innocence and happiness spent doing Mike’s dances are over. Time to grow up, move on, do the stanky leg or turn you swag on. That’s what made me cry.
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Reecie Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:17 am
This is exactly how I feel. very well said.
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“Man, folks were crying for Mike when he was ALIVE (some ninja FAINTED…fainted, I tell you!) so I’m not surprised they would cry for him when he passed.”
I must say…it is quite hilarious when the show footage of him making public appearance, they always have shots of grown ass men hyperventilating and screaming his name. Fuuuhneee.
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I CO-SIGN this blog. And everyone’s comments. However I must protest. As a music lover, you can not make a Mike Jack blog without listening your top 5 favorite Micheal Songs. I would now request that every comment here on list their 5 fav Mike Jackson songs. If you can’t… lets be serious your opinion doesn’t matter.
1)Baby Be Mine
2)PYT
3)Man in the Mirror
4)Human Nature
5)The Love You Save (3-5 show i’ma sucka for deep concept songs)
HM: Smooth Criminal and I want You Back (i have a good freind whose musical opinion I respect. He swears that this is greatest pop song ever)
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OrangeStar616 Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 9:44 am
ok my top Five are…….
This Place (Heartbreak Hotel)
Show you the way to go
Never can say Goodbye
Off the Wall
Can’t help it……..with many more fav’s
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ashbunnie Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:12 am
5. PYT
4. Lady in My Life
3. Can’t Help It
2. Rock with You
1. Human Nature
Honorable Mention: Smooth Criminal
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Vanessa aka Miss V Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:20 am
My top 5 (in no particular order):
1. Billie Jean
2. Bad
3. Human Nature
4. Butterflies
5. Rock With You
HM: Beat It
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niasmomma Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:58 am
1. Rock With You
2. P.Y.T.
3. Butterflies
4. Lady in My Life
5. Off the Wall
HM: Workin’ Day and Night – EXCELLENT workout song!!
-Random order. I could keep going with more than 5, though.
The “Remember the Time” video was star-studded and a classic!
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shay_D_lady Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
1.Rock With you
2. I just cant stop loving you
3. Give in to me
4.human nature
5.PYT
this is my mj top five today….
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kiki Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
My top five:
1) Human Nature
2) Man in the Mirror
3) Dirty Diana
4) They Don’t Really Care About Us
4) Earth Song
5) Beat It/ Stranger in Moscow/ Rock with You/ PYT (I can’t make up my mind :-p)
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ACJ Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
My MJ Top Five that I have been playing lately nonstop:
5. Speechless
4. Heaven Can Wait
3. Dirty Diana
2. Burn This Disco Out (I loooooove this song!)
1. P.Y.T.
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Cheekie Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I’m all late, but I don’t feel complete until I add my songs:
1. Billie Jean
2. Human Nature
3. Dirty Diana
4. Speechless
5. Beat It
J5 Honorable Mentions: I’ll Be There and Who’s Loving You.
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Slim Jackson Reply:
July 1st, 2009 at 8:19 am
You can never be too late to Three Ways Cheekie. You can never be too late.
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MJ : a man who touched the whole world (no pun). He brought people together with his music. Case in point:
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhp59VI0swwW89vn3k
With that said, he will forever be apart of people’s lives in someway or another. HOWEVER, people crying and being super hysterical, is ridiculous to me. He was not your father, mother, brother, 3rd cousin twice removed. IMO there is no need to be super dramatic. & it’s extra funny how people were calling him wacko jacko & saying how bad his concert was going to be but as soon as they heard the news, they’re all falling out and taking days off work to mourn.
Get over it. None of the crying and displays of stupidity is going to bring him back. Remember the great things he’s done for music and the world, and boogie.
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I co-sign this jawn as well. When I heard the news, I was just like damn…that’s messed up. No tears. No rolling around on the ground. No kicking and knocking things over. Didn’t take to the internet to voice my deep emotional distress. Despite the impact he has had on people’s lives, he’s still just another person to me. He’s not a family member or close friend. This is how I feel about most celeb deaths.
People keep mentioning that him being gone signals the end to an era and the loss of his music. Thing is, all of his music is still here. It’s not like he died and then everything he ever accomplished just evaporated. Quite honestly, the man hasn’t done anything to cause waves on the music scene in years other than be the source of jokes. The man
in the mirrorwho created the music may be gone, but the things that are apparently bringing people to tears are still here. A lot of this is silliness if you ask me. Pure silliness.Let me guess? I’m going to hell.
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CHeeKZ keeps it in the closet (no homo) Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Slim my freind, I disagree. As a music lover, I do get sad when you legends pass. Granted their work is still here to be enjoyed, however the loss of talented life.. those truly special enough to move the world deserve their time to be mourned. Their death serves as a perfect time to teach and share experiences.
When Nelson Mandela dies what are you going to say? Why are you so sad? Hey South Africa still has democracy? Aren’t we going to teach those who aren’t old enough to remember ’92 and share stories about money we raised orprotest that we held to help out.
Lastly who said Micheal Jackson was done?!? I wanted to see what those concerts in London would have done. 750,000 tickets in TWO HOURS?! Obviously people wanted to see this “washed up” artist get down. Just because you aren’t current does not mean that you have no entertainment value. You young whipper snappers need to get up on this ol school. Invicible was one of the top 15 pop albums of ’01 (yeah I know I’m reaching), I’m still waiting to hear his unreleased work. At only 50, he had alot more to give the world, momments like him and Hov at summmerjam, him and chris brown at the World Music Awards, him and James Brown at BET. These all happened in the downfall of his career. Now we can’t have another one.
P.S. You didn’t list your fav Mike Jack Songs.. we are officially E-beefing.
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OrangeStar616 Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I was 8 when Marvin Gaye passed too young to really appreciate Marvin’s artistry yet..I had to grow up and a live a bit before I could really hear how vicious Marvin was as a musician, and vocalist/recording artist…Marvin is def my all time fav, he has a special place in my heart because he was able to convery such transparency thru his music!!!!! GOD rest his soul..in a way I am glad I was so young when he passed, cause I know that would have hurt me alot like it did most black folks esp in the DC area…..Artists can reach parts of you most people cannot, because true artists are vessels.
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RightCoastLexSteele, The Crown Jewel Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:06 am
I mean…you were going to hell way before that. But it’s ok, I’ll be there, we can set owt the 2nd D hop to the roof!! Provided there’s a roof down there.
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Vanessa aka Miss V Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 11:25 am
my sis and i were in the car listening to the radio when the news broke out. this one chick called in and she was saying how she wanted to run into oncoming traffic or something like that because she “loved Michael soooooo much.” my sis and i couldn’t help laughing hysterically… we both loved him, but damn, that chick was OD ridiculous.
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I used to feel the same way until last Thursday.
I cried when I heard the news. It hit me unexpectedly and I couldn’t help it. I’ve never cried over the death of a celebrity before, but when I thought about his life and all of the things he had been through over the past few years the tears started flowing.
Sometimes you don’t know how much you care about someone or appreciate them until they are no longer around.
I was too young to care about Princess Diana, Tupac, and Biggie and I wasn’t really an Aaliyah fan so those deaths didn’t really upset me.
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I can’t lie – I shed A TEAR for Mike on Thursday (yes, just one). No, I’m not a rabid fan. No, I didn’t roll around on the floor and act like my daddy died. But, I was shocked and when I heard them play one of his songs, a tear found it’s way out…I still went on with my day, but it did weigh on my mind a bit.
I mean, my first “favorite song” was Man In The Mirror. I remember swinging on the playground singing the words to that song at the top of my lungs!
While MJ has been kinda ghost for the last 10 years or so, for the first 12/13 years of my life, he was still coming out with new hits and doing his thing.
And my parents listened to him (Jackson 5), so he’s just always been there. Someone said earlier that he’s part of the “fabric of our lives.” I think that sums it up.
He was wacky and did some suspect things, but the man was TALENTED and his music is timeless – he’ll be missed.
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Some people did act like michael lived in the house with him.
I HATED the inappropiate jokes..I wouldn’t even DARE repeat them
oh..and that boy admitted he lied about the molestation…
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i’m with seattle as well. mj was a great musician and much respect needs to be paid. but the two examples he posted are really od to me. i was just on a blog talking about people committing suicide over mj’s death. don’t know how accurate it is (i actually hope none of it is true).
http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/seven-michael-jackson-fan
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I loved his music. I still do. I cried listening to the music, not the news of his death because of how absolutely wonderful it is, and revisiting the hits allowed me to reminisce on a childhood and young adulthood that was full of Michael Jackson. But as said above, I truly hope he has found peace, and for that, I am extremely glad he no longer has to suffer and endure hardship on earth.
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I am a mom whose first child, my son Noah, passed away a month after his first birthday. Death is never funny when you consider the impact it has on the people who have really experienced a loss. The parents, the siblings, the close friends and others have to face daily the absence (however sudden or expected) of a person they love and hold dear, and it can be very hard.
I’m not trying to be a spoil sport, I’m just saying. I can take and make a joke with the best of them. Sometimes, though, that shit ain’t funny; it’s just plain rude, insensitive and crass. Let it be someone you truly love and see how funny you find THAT.
Moving forward… Michael Jackson’s music and style is iconic. His name alone symbolizes so much. He will be missed by the masses for a long time coming.
Favorite Album: Off the Wall
Favorite MJ memory: Watching the “Thriller” video the night it “World Premiered on MTV and being scared to DEATH!
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Sorry, but I cried like a baby. Hysterically.
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I agree w/ what a lot of folk have already said about the lost of MJ feeling like the loss of a part of their childhood. I know for me, thinking of my childhood means remembering a time when my family was truly happy.
I grew up in a house full of music. My dad’s record collection is sick, and he had speakers set-up all over the house. I woke up every Sat/Sun morning to an album spinning. My mom passed right before I left for college and home has never been the same. MJ’s loss makes the feeling of loss of that blissful time more tangible than it is most days. I remember how excited I was waiting outside all day and night waiting w/ my whole family to get tickets to the Bad concert… how scared I was watching Thriller at the drive in movies (I felt like that was child abuse, you shouldn’t do that to little kid)… waiting for In Living Color to go off to watch the premiere of the Remember the Time video… doing practically a full out production of the Wiz w/ my mom and my sister (You can’t wiiiiiiin chile!)…
Being reminded that those things are in the past hurt like hell. Add in the interviews w/ his friends and just thinking how hurt his family is right now… yeah man I cried.
I agree that people do OD tho…
I teared up and gave in to the sad for about 30mins on Friday morning, and then I listened to my favorite MJ songs and got my Billie Jean on seat dancing style on the bus. I hung out w/ friends and we watched old videos and I sang along until I lost my voice (I belted out one to many “sha-mon”s).
per CheeKZ request here are my top 5 (plus 3… I couldn’t do just 5) in no particular order:
1. I Can’t Help It
2. Liberan Girl
3. Beat It (I know the full choreography)
4. This Place Hotel (Heartbreak Hotel)
5. You Can’t Win (from the Wiz)
6. Got To Be There
7. Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough
8. Say Say Say (w/ Paul McCartney)
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UMMM I just read on Fb that 7 MJ fans committed suicide yesterday…ummmm I’m scared..I’m also scared of everyone changing their avatars to Jackson 5 era pics….but I mean everyone deals with it in their own way right?
“Can’t help it”, is my all time fav right now..because days before his death that song was replaying in my head nonstop & 4 other reasons too
Love this : “Furthermore, are you that much of an attention whore that you need to detract from someone’s death?” bullet bullet..tell them Seattle! I was not impressed by all the wise cracks and tasteless humor that day either. Some people should not be left alone with their social networks.
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Not gonna lie, the whole captain creepo viewpoint I had of MJ quickly dissolved as the news of his death set in. More importantly, the memories of watching him when I was growing up, attempting to dance like him, rose to the surface. He had his problems yes, but his impact on music, music videos, and the world trumps anty wrongdoings that other people decide to highlight. Remember the times.
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