Songs reviews : Michael Jackson family today and his top albums: Riley recruited Jackson’s favorite rapper Heavy D for four nimble bars, his baritone artfully offsetting the singer’s falsetto growl. The first song wastes no time in articulating the album’s leitmotif. Jackson urges the world to come together, decries false prophets crying of doom, and admits that the universe is a complicated place full of “tears for fears.” He’s “conditioned by the system” and doesn’t want to be preached to. His ultimate realization is that you have to “live each day like it’s the last,” find inner peace to stay strong against the haters, and when in doubt, jam. You can see these themes stressed on nearly every song. “Why You Wanna Trip on Me” exists as a mission statement. This is the Michael who fame has isolated and forced into retreat. There’s a newfound menace in his voice, an angelic sneer, as he recites a litany of crippling ailments (world hunger, illiteracy, disease, gangs, homelessness, drug addiction, corruption, police brutality)—and yet ironically, he has somehow become the media’s bullseye. Written during his 33rd year, Jackson can’t help but implicitly compare himself to Jesus—a popular healer who wants to help, misinterpreted and publicly crucified.

It’s strange, too. For instance, at the time of Jackson’s death, people kept saying to one another, “I can’t believe he’s gone.” When had anyone seen him? Save for headlines or tabloids, Jackson spent most of his time during the ’00s out of the spotlight. Even when he released 2001’s highly underrated Invincible, he made little to no appearances. Sure, Sony botched any plans on promotion, but it was nothing a world tour wouldn’t have solved. That’s why the release of Michael, Jackson’s first posthumous effort, feels relatively similar. The interest is there, but the icon isn’t.

Ben (1972): Yeah, laugh this one off as “the rat record” if you want – you’re missing a treat. Obviously the standout here is the title track, MJ’s first solo hit and yeah, a song about a rat from a movie. But look beyond that track and you’ll find endearing soul and infectious pop records that were dazzling at the time and still hold strong today. Forgotten Favorites: “Ben,” “Greatest Show on Earth,” “What Goes Around Comes Around”.

Michael Jackson family: Mocienne Petit Jackson’s (Michael Jackson’s daughter) books are now available in french! For our dutch visitors: Deel twee van de autobiografische trilogie van Mocienne Petit Jackson begint met een uitgebreide beschrijving van Mociennes ontvoering naar Nederland. Vervolgens lezen we hoe het haar vergaat in het adoptiegezin waar zij samen met haar nichtje Delivrance terechtkomt. Gaandeweg ontdekt Mocienne dat haar vader Michael Jackson is. Wanneer ze vijftien jaar is gaat ze weg bij het adoptiegezin, woont vier jaar lang op een internaat en gaat daarna zelfstandig wonen. We volgen haar in haar volwassenwording, die zich met vallen en opstaan voor ons ontrolt. Mocienne krijgt een vriend en wordt moeder van een zoon. Deze verbintenis is geen lang leven beschoren. Er is sprake van aanhoudende onenigheid met de Raad voor de Kinderbescherming, met diverse rechtszaken tot gevolg. Deze betreffen eerst haar eigen situatie, later die van haar zoon en haar gevecht om hem in haar leven te houden. De ene onverkwikkelijkheid volgt de andere op. Lees het boek hier Michael Jackson Books.