"The last 15 years"

[babykinsilk05]

Were they really that bad for MJ in America? I mean I know the press beat him up relentlessly (and I believe that those who did will get theirs one day) but he was still respected and revered in the industry wasn't he? I mean, at the end of the day, all that tabloid crap didn't, couldn't, and could never take away all of his outrageous accomplishments. I guess what I'm asking is...In the eyes of his peers, was he still the KING?

Also, in almost every article I've read about MJ's death, people always refer to the last 15 years as being "so horrible" for him here, but I remeber he was getting awards left and right during the begining of the decade when Invincible came out...or am I wrong?

 

[bluetopez]

The fact that so many YOUNG NEW ARTIST that came out over the yrs copy him... I would say yes, he was still KING! That's one of the reasons why the media tried so hard to take his ass down to much influence!

 

[iamthriller82]

The media how hard they try cannot erase Michael's legacy

 

[DIRTYDIANA☆]

They didn't like the fact that a MJ was black and that he was the greatest/most influential artist/entertainer of all time..it's very sad, but it's the truth..if MJ was white then he wouldn't have been hounded by the media..They didn't and still don't want to see a black man be as successful or better than artists like Elvis and the Beatles..but since MJ did that, they tried to tear him down..

 

[tarah86]

The tabloid and most of the media in the US tried hard, especially after the 2nd trial MJ faced to take away his crown. They tried the impossible, they tried to make MJ look like he was a has been. They tried to make him out to be a joke of his former self. After Martin Bashir's interview a lot of the media outlets tried to overshadow MJ's legacy with every negative thing they could. MJ fans in the USA still loved him(well the ones not corrupted by the media garbage shown to us) but the media spit on MJ constantly.

 

[JoeyMJFan]

They didn't like the fact that a MJ was black and that he was the greatest/most influential artist/entertainer of all time..it's very sad, but it's the truth..if MJ was white then he wouldn't have been hounded by the media..They didn't and still don't want to see a black man be as successful or better than artists like Elvis and the Beatles..but since MJ did that, they tried to tear him down..

If that were the case then America wouldn't have elected a black president -- the 1st western country to do so -- so maybe it's the world media and self-hating Americans who like to perpetuate the myth that racism dominates the mainstream culture. Jimi Hendrix is regarded as the greatest guitar player, Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player, Tiger Woods the greatest golfer, Oprah the queen of day-time television, etc. "Playing the race card" is a lazy thinkers scape-goat for quick answers. I've just refuted your entire point in two sentences of examples. It's really absurd to say people don't want a black man as the best entertainer when they'll elect one to the most powerful position in the country.

 

[DIRTYDIANA☆]

If that were the case then America wouldn't have elected a black president -- the 1st western country to do so -- so maybe it's the world media and self-hating Americans who like to perpetuate the myth that racism dominates the mainstream culture. Jimi Hendrix is regarded as the greatest guitar player, Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player, Tiger Woods the greatest golfer, Oprah the queen of day-time television, etc. "Playing the race card" is a lazy thinkers scape-goat for quick answers. I've just refuted your entire point in two sentences of examples. It's really absurd to say people don't want a black man as the best entertainer when they'll elect one to the most powerful position in the country.

Yeah they are the best at what they do also, but they still were somewhat targets for the media..look at Tiger Woods now..and look at Barry Bonds..When Barry broke the home run record..he got a lot of slack from the press, saying that Barry used steroids..Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace prize and people were saying that he didn't deserve it..I'm not saying that applies to all black people..but it applies to most..it is what it is..

 

[JoeyMJFan]

Were they really that bad for MJ in America? I mean I know the press beat him up relentlessly (and I believe that those who did will get theirs one day) but he was still respected and revered in the industry wasn't he? I mean, at the end of the day, all that tabloid crap didn't, couldn't, and could never take away all of his outrageous accomplishments. I guess what I'm asking is...In the eyes of his peers, was he still the KING?

Also, in almost every article I've read about MJ's death, people always refer to the last 15 years as being "so horrible" for him here, but I remeber he was getting awards left and right during the begining of the decade when Invincible came out...or am I wrong?

One of the worst events of the past 15 yrs was Martin Bashir and his 'documentary', a product of the BRITISH press, so you could change "America" to Britain or just change it to the press. Quite frankly I've read enough of "Let's bash America!" on this site. BTW, Michael's album sales in America DWARF any other country's totals.

 

[MJsPYT1]

NO BASHING OF ANY COUNTRY please, or this thread will have to be closed

 

[marebear]

I think it really got bad for him when that Bashir interview and then the trial. It felt like nobody believed he was innocent. The media pretty much acted he was guilty before the trial even started.

 

[shaugnie]

I think it really got bad for him when that Bashir interview and then the trial. It felt like nobody believed he was innocent. The media pretty much acted he was guilty before the trial even started.

Yes i think so. I dont remember anyone i knew at that time telling me they believed he was innocnet. I felt like i was the only one. Nearly everyone seemed to be taking the media junk pumped out about it all as Fact!

 

[analogue]

This is where i gotta give the younger generation of fans the respect they deserve cause through most of their lives growing up all they've ever seen in the media is how much Michael was a 'freak'' but thankfully they saw though the media bull s**t and said ''screw you guys we're with Michael''

Now that's cool

 

[marebear]

Yes i think so. I dont remember anyone i knew at that time telling me they believed he was innocnet. I felt like i was the only one. Nearly everyone seemed to be taking the media junk pumped out about it all as Fact!

I felt the same way.

 

[Krshna28]

NO BASHING OF ANY COUNTRY please, or this thread will have to be closed

You can't deny the truth!!!!!!!!!

Michael was loved all over the world but attacks came only from two countries.......my home the UK and..................

 

[ensleyave]

One of the worst events of the past 15 yrs was Martin Bashir and his 'documentary', a product of the BRITISH press, so you could change "America" to Britain or just change it to the press. Quite frankly I've read enough of "Let's bash America!" on this site. BTW, Michael's album sales in America DWARF any other country's totals.

Racism is not a lazy excuse out of anything. Maybe you need to have a little more empathy. When we say racism is alive; it doesn't mean you are a racist. Just like if a black man gets arrested for a crime doesn't mean all black people are thieves. We have to live in reality in order to make things better. I would hope you did not mean the way it sounded. Sometimes we all need to take a step back to reflect. We are a great country and I am proud of the U.S. but don't pretend we are right in everything we do because no country is always correct. No offense to you.

 

[ensleyave]

If that were the case then America wouldn't have elected a black president -- the 1st western country to do so -- so maybe it's the world media and self-hating Americans who like to perpetuate the myth that racism dominates the mainstream culture. Jimi Hendrix is regarded as the greatest guitar player, Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player, Tiger Woods the greatest golfer, Oprah the queen of day-time television, etc. "Playing the race card" is a lazy thinkers scape-goat for quick answers. I've just refuted your entire point in two sentences of examples. It's really absurd to say people don't want a black man as the best entertainer when they'll elect one to the most powerful position in the country.

Some still argue Obama is not a citizen even though there is proof he is. In my kids christian school; parents were calling left and right not to here Obama's speech or they will come and get their kids. Michael is and was on a whole different level. He was loved and known to argueably the WORLD. People were in awe of him people falling at his feet about to wet themselves. That is too much power for a mere black man. When Obama was elected a small group of the majority race in the U.S. said black people will start thinking they are better than us. They won't know their place. When MJ would have little black boys around no one really cared. They would say oh Emmanuel Lewis why is MJ with him? It would go no further than that, but when he started hanging out with little white boys and white women well that was a problem. I am just saying. My personal observation. I don't believe hollering racism everytime something bad happens, but sometimes it is what it is.

 

[Thetruthbetold]

They didn't like the fact that a MJ was black and that he was the greatest/most influential artist/entertainer of all time..it's very sad, but it's the truth..if MJ was white then he wouldn't have been hounded by the media..They didn't and still don't want to see a black man be as successful or better than artists like Elvis and the Beatles..but since MJ did that, they tried to tear him down..

Classic read right there. You can't stop god's plan at all That's why they mad >>>>Michael was his on leader they couldn't knock him down

 

[souldreamer7]

The American People Loves Michael...His Fan base stayed stronge. It's like that everywhere where Michael is concerned. It's the awful media devils that tried to cast their programed spell - There's no truth in the press these days..as far as Americans and The Americas... The people Love Him and always will. The Freaking Media(and I wanted to add The media in ALL countrys)..tried to expell him.. Michael withstood much and his fans had his back. Always will. L.O.V.E

 

[ensleyave]

^^^^^

you said it; and I agree.

 

[Krshna28]

They didn't like the fact that a MJ was black and that he was the greatest/most influential artist/entertainer of all time..it's very sad, but it's the truth..if MJ was white then he wouldn't have been hounded by the media..They didn't and still don't want to see a black man be as successful or better than artists like Elvis and the Beatles..but since MJ did that, they tried to tear him down..

That's the very heart of the matter!!!!!!!!

It's not just black people.....it's all coloured people (even though it counts for most of the human population in the World).

Every time I look at the American news, they are always slating President Obama for almost anything. But when George Bush was in his first few years as President, he was getting away with murder!!!!!

And why does Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Beatles always get mentioned as the greatest but Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, Jackie Wilson, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown always seem to be forgotten????........

.........or for that matter the whole of Motown never gets a mention as one of the major influences of modern music!!!!!

 

[DIRTYDIANA☆]

That's the very heart of the matter!!!!!!!!

It's not just black people.....it's all coloured people (even though it counts for most of the human population in the World).

Every time I look at the American news, they are always slating President Obama for almost anything. But when George Bush was in his first few years as President, he was getting away with murder!!!!!

And why does Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Beatles always get mentioned as the greatest but Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, Jackie Wilson, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown always seem to be forgotten????........

.........or for that matter the whole of Motown never gets a mention as one of the major influences of modern music!!!!!

I agree with everything you said..it also upsets me when music magazines like Rolling Stone put Elvis, The Beatles, and Madonna all ahead of MJ..they don't wanna admit that MJ is the greatest ever..they even say that he is the "self-proclaimed" King of Pop..we all know that MJ is the true King of Pop..his music, album sales, and achievements speak for themselves..

 

[gerryevans]

This is where i gotta give the younger generation of fans the respect they deserve cause through most of their lives growing up all they've ever seen in the media is how much Michael was a 'freak'' but thankfully they saw though the media bull s**t and said ''screw you guys we're with Michael''

Now that's cool

Excellent point!

In the last 15 years, he was also blessed with his children. Plus, he married Lisa Marie and I do believe he genuinely loved her.

He had some very rough periods, but still he had some major highs.

I do believe 2003-2005, beginning with Bashir and ending with the trial were horrendous. But he got through it, and was looking good in 2006 at the WMA and inthe 2007 Ebony interview.

And just think of how happy he was by the staggering historic sell out of his comeback concerts.

 

[ensleyave]

Excellent point!

In the last 15 years, he was also blessed with his children. Plus, he married Lisa Marie and I do believe he genuinely loved her.

He had some very rough periods, but still he had some major highs.

I do believe 2003-2005, beginning with Bashir and ending with the trial were horrendous. But he got through it, and was looking good in 2006 at the WMA and inthe 2007 Ebony interview.

And just think of how happy he was by the staggering historic sell out of his comeback concerts.

He was. After listening to the Travis Payne interview MJ was a good father, person, artist and human being.

 

[marebear]

He got through it all and was happy and things were getting back on track. Then he dies and it feels so unfair. The numbers for Michael are there yet people choose to ignore it or downplay it. I think the media were surprised by how people reacted to his death. No matter how hard they tried they couldn't take people's love for Michael away.

 

[Asedora]

I agree with everything you said..it also upsets me when music magazines like Rolling Stone put Elvis, The Beatles, and Madonna all ahead of MJ..they don't wanna admit that MJ is the greatest ever..they even say that he is the "self-proclaimed" King of Pop..we all know that MJ is the true King of Pop..his music, album sales, and achievements speak for themselves..

Oh my God how bad it is! Michael didn’t deserve it. Michael is a real King of Pop and it is nothing to do with "self-proclaimed". They never will be able to take this title from him. Never! I would say Madonna is "the media -proclaimed" queen of pop. Michael got his title from his fans and this is the real thing, not fake.
Millions of white ppl over the world love this black man and the greatest artist ever.
This is the answer to the racist media.

 

[PCR]

And why does Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Beatles always get mentioned as the greatest but Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, Jackie Wilson, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown always seem to be forgotten????........

.........or for that matter the whole of Motown never gets a mention as one of the major influences of modern music!!!!!

Excellent and 1000% true.
There are many great black artists who deserve more credit than the one they are actually given. Michael, sure, but also the many you have just mentioned.

 

[mistermaxxx]

the media bashed him and it was racial.

they are still hating him for the beatles catelog, marrying lisa marie and the fact that he did things his way. he spoke the truth about Phony Sony. all true and look at what happen to Tommy Mottola?


President Obama is being hated on left and right. rush limbaugh and others are taken daily shots. the fact we had a first and this was year 2008 says what? not very progressive.

Tiger Woods is getting treated worser than David Lettermen, Bill CLinton and Charlie Sheen combined I wonder why that is? he is getting the OJ Simpson treatment.

Barry Bonds they ran out of baseball when he could still be playing.

Michael Jordan nike and the powers that be make money off of him. as long as they can profit off of you(which is modern day Slavery) then you are good.


Oprah they are going after her.

when you are black you still gotta be twice as good.

MJ made thriller and the powers that be want you to think the eagles sold more?

the man had kids and was a parent and they hated on him.

the man gave back and stayed humble,however that got little to no coverage

 

[raingirl]

I'd say that the last 8-9 years (since 2001) were difficult for Michael. He spent too much time (unwillingly of course) in the court room. It was true what he said that everytime there was a new project or a new release they would hit him with some negativity. A tabloid story or Sneddon or somebody claiming MJ owes him money. There were people who kept making sure that Michael would never release anything new, a song, short film, performance.
For that I'm so bitter as a fan. We were the ones that got scewed too with Michael. All this time they did nothing but stop Michael from being the kind of artists that he wanted to be.
And now Sony is about to relase all that stuff in the years to come. We are being raped.

 

[Krshna28]

These racist/fascist people still see black people as slaves...........

President Obama should make those people pay.........it's the only way they'll shut up.....

 

[marebear]

the media bashed him and it was racial.

they are still hating him for the beatles catelog, marrying lisa marie and the fact that he did things his way. he spoke the truth about Phony Sony. all true and look at what happen to Tommy Mottola?


President Obama is being hated on left and right. rush limbaugh and others are taken daily shots. the fact we had a first and this was year 2008 says what? not very progressive.

Tiger Woods is getting treated worser than David Lettermen, Bill CLinton and Charlie Sheen combined I wonder why that is? he is getting the OJ Simpson treatment.

Barry Bonds they ran out of baseball when he could still be playing.

Michael Jordan nike and the powers that be make money off of him. as long as they can profit off of you(which is modern day Slavery) then you are good.


Oprah they are going after her.

when you are black you still gotta be twice as good.

MJ made thriller and the powers that be want you to think the eagles sold more?

the man had kids and was a parent and they hated on him.

the man gave back and stayed humble,however that got little to no coverage

I have noticed that myself and others I have talked to. People say there is no racism anymore or it's not how it used to be but it's still there. Michael said he had vitiligo and people refused to believe that. They were convinced he was bleaching his skin or whatever. It is a real condition that other people have and yet it was always used against him in some way. They kept bothering him about his plastic surgery like he was the only celebrity to have something done. It was constant picking at him and no matter what he said they never listened.