I am still in shock. Michael Jackson, the ultimate icon of American popular music, has died of an apparent heart attack this afternoon at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Crowds are gathering in cities all over the world to remember Michael.
I just remember him as a man who stole popular culture and made it his own — not the person who had become the subject of so much ridicule. I truly feel, above all, that he should be remembered as a music genius who had the ability to transform ideas and thoughts into some of the most profound lyrics and beats that the world has ever seen.
Michael’s death, in many ways, is not completely unexpected. But it is still disturbing none-the-less. Much like with the passing of Elvis Presley, the world of music has lost an icon. Rest in peace, Michael.