billyworld99
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it was in 2004
The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time: Michael Jackson
By Antonio "LA" Reid
Posted Apr 15, 2004 12:00 AM
Michael Jackson is the world's greatest entertainer. One of the most explosive performances I've ever witnessed was Jackson sliding across the stage at the Motown twenty-fifth anniversary show. Just watching that made us all know: That's what greatness is, and anything that doesn't measure up to that is beneath greatness. Before him there were the Beatles and Elvis and Frank Sinatra; Michael Jackson takes his place right alongside those greats.
As a singer, dancer, and stage performer, he is simply a genius. That's why he is mobbed. He has been dazzlingly brilliant since he first cleared his throat on stage when he was eight. To put it at its lowest, Michael Jackson is an extremely important figure in the history of popular culture.
You often notice, when a singer is bopping along with a dance-troupe, that the professional dancers perform their steps much better than the singer. But when Michael Jackson is on stage, the opposite is true. This is not because he employs second-rate dancers - on the contrary, he hires the very best. It is simply because he is the best, the most electrifying mover in the business. To see him dance, and hear him sing, is one of the most exciting experiences that Western showbusiness has to offer.
I'm almost the same age as Michael, and I was one of the original fans. I first saw him at the Ohio State Fair, when I was very young; the Jackson 5 were performing with the Commodores. Michael came on, and that voice of his rang over the whole fairground. I was deeply touched by that voice from the very beginning.
"Billie Jean" is the most important record he's made, not only because of its commercial success but because of the musical depth of the record. It has more hooks in it than anything I've ever heard. Everything in that song was catchy, and every instrument was playing a different hook. You could separate it into twelve different musical pieces and I think you'd have twelve different hits. Every day, I look for that kind of song.
Michael has influenced so many artists, some of whom are picking up on the grandeur and showmanship of his live performances. You can see his influence in his sister Janet, in Justin Timberlake, Usher, Britney Spears, and in Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey. You can see his influence in the dance moves -- the syncopated choreography -- that a lot of young artists use. And a lot of them have picked up his work ethic. When you look at a Britney Spears production or a Justin Timberlake production, or if you look at an Usher production, you really see that they took a page out of Michael's book; they went to rehearsal, and they must've worked eight hours a day, because their shows are flawless, as Michael's shows were flawless.
There are many, many people who think of Michael as a spectacle, and it's sad. All of it has taken away from our ability to see him for the artist he really is. A world without Michael Jackson would be a very, very different world. And I think we should all feel very blessed that an artist of that caliber came into our lives, because he has enriched our lives
The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time: Michael Jackson
By Antonio "LA" Reid
Posted Apr 15, 2004 12:00 AM
Michael Jackson is the world's greatest entertainer. One of the most explosive performances I've ever witnessed was Jackson sliding across the stage at the Motown twenty-fifth anniversary show. Just watching that made us all know: That's what greatness is, and anything that doesn't measure up to that is beneath greatness. Before him there were the Beatles and Elvis and Frank Sinatra; Michael Jackson takes his place right alongside those greats.
As a singer, dancer, and stage performer, he is simply a genius. That's why he is mobbed. He has been dazzlingly brilliant since he first cleared his throat on stage when he was eight. To put it at its lowest, Michael Jackson is an extremely important figure in the history of popular culture.
You often notice, when a singer is bopping along with a dance-troupe, that the professional dancers perform their steps much better than the singer. But when Michael Jackson is on stage, the opposite is true. This is not because he employs second-rate dancers - on the contrary, he hires the very best. It is simply because he is the best, the most electrifying mover in the business. To see him dance, and hear him sing, is one of the most exciting experiences that Western showbusiness has to offer.
I'm almost the same age as Michael, and I was one of the original fans. I first saw him at the Ohio State Fair, when I was very young; the Jackson 5 were performing with the Commodores. Michael came on, and that voice of his rang over the whole fairground. I was deeply touched by that voice from the very beginning.
"Billie Jean" is the most important record he's made, not only because of its commercial success but because of the musical depth of the record. It has more hooks in it than anything I've ever heard. Everything in that song was catchy, and every instrument was playing a different hook. You could separate it into twelve different musical pieces and I think you'd have twelve different hits. Every day, I look for that kind of song.
Michael has influenced so many artists, some of whom are picking up on the grandeur and showmanship of his live performances. You can see his influence in his sister Janet, in Justin Timberlake, Usher, Britney Spears, and in Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey. You can see his influence in the dance moves -- the syncopated choreography -- that a lot of young artists use. And a lot of them have picked up his work ethic. When you look at a Britney Spears production or a Justin Timberlake production, or if you look at an Usher production, you really see that they took a page out of Michael's book; they went to rehearsal, and they must've worked eight hours a day, because their shows are flawless, as Michael's shows were flawless.
There are many, many people who think of Michael as a spectacle, and it's sad. All of it has taken away from our ability to see him for the artist he really is. A world without Michael Jackson would be a very, very different world. And I think we should all feel very blessed that an artist of that caliber came into our lives, because he has enriched our lives