From his unforgettable lyrics to his ridiculous choreography, Michael Jackson was a one man phenomenon. His music muddled the lines we drew to separate ourselves and had us all united for his talent. And granted, his life was a whirlwind of cover stories and outrageous claims, but each move that thrusted him into the harsh scope of the media had us in a rabid frenzy to find out details because his life was our human interest piece. After all, can we really discredit any story that revolves around the man who could make us all crave to have our own embroidered, red jacket and a matching white glove? Who could make entire crowds form staggered lines in various renditions of “Thriller”? Who could endlessly be cranked up in the car, in the club, in the bedroom?

     I choked when I heard the news, like most of you probably did. I remember being being five or six years old and mesmerized by “Black or White”, the first video I had seen of his. I was spending the summer in India, of all places, yet the images his music had conjured (especially the Indian girl doing Bharathnatyam with my man MJ beside her) still felt comforting in the sticky hot weather with its sun-kissed inhabitants. That man had so much love to give. It’s hard to imagine, having such a musical legend pass on without warning and without a much needed goodbye. His comeback tour would have been incredible to witness, seeing an international treasure revitalize the music we’ve put so much faith in– but we will never stop. His discography was extensive, guaranteeing that there is a Michael Jackson for every age, every genre and every mood. May his legacy live on and he rest in peace.

-SamSun