on June 25, 2009, the entire world came to a standstill.
Word had just broken about the death of Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop” who had moonwalked his way into incomparable fame.
He was just 50 years old when he perished.
After rising to fame with his siblings in their family band The Jackson 5, Jackson broke out on his own.
Hit songs like “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” and “Beat It,” as well as Jackson’s iconic dance moves, made him an international phenomenon.
Jackson was dogged by legal troubles in the 1990s and 2000s and took a step back from the spotlight in 2005.
However, by 2009 — the year that Michael Jackson died — the pop star was preparing to go back on tour when the world learned of his death.
Rumors immediately swirled about the cause, though it took months to reveal that Jackson had died in his Los Angeles home after taking a fatal combination of drugs prescribed to him by his doctor.
He was one of the world’s most successful and iconic entertainers, but a damaging documentary in 2019 made the case yet again that he sexually abused young boys — and got away with it.
The success Of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to a large and musical family.
When he was five years old, he joined four of his older siblings in their band The Jackson 5 and eventually became the group’s frontman.
Under the unrelenting — and frequently violent — eye of their father, Joe, the boys in The Jackson 5 became a success in the early 1970s with hit songs
PBH Images/Alamy Stock PhotoA publicity shot of The Jackson 5 from 19
In 1972, he released his first solo album for Motown, Got to Be There, and showed off his acting chops in the cult classic film The Wiz (1978).
But everything changed in the 1980s. Then, Jackson released his album Thriller (1982) and his now-iconic “Thriller” music video the next year.
The album became the best-selling album in world history, eventually selling 70 million copies, and the music video arguably heralded the MTV era.
As Jackson became a bigger star, however, troubling rumors about him began to bubble to the surface.
Some were concerned about his ever-changing appearance, especially his skin, which had started to lighten before the world’s eyes.
In the 1990s, Michael Jackson started facing allegations that he’d molested young boys.
The Downward Spiral Of The “King Of Pop”
By the 1990s, Michael Jackson’s appearance had dramatically changed from his early days of fame.
His brown skin had become noticeably whiter, almost translucent.
Jackson addressed the rumors about his skin in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, telling her he had a skin disorder called vitiligo.
YouTubeMichael Jackson speaking to Oprah Winfrey in 1993.
“It is something I cannot help,” Jackson said during the interview, claiming that he’d only used makeup to fix blotchiness caused by vitiligo and never bleached his skin. “
But that same year, the LAPD was investigating accusations that he’d molested a 13-year-old boy.
Jackson was known to spend much of his free time with young children, which sometimes included sleepovers.
The allegations led some to believe that there was something far more nefarious to these get-togethers.
When the boy’s family filed a civil suit against him, Jackson settled out of court, allegedly for over $20 million.
The charges were destructive to both Jackson’s image and Jackson himself, and Rolling Stone reports that the pop star’s fatal reliance on medication began around this time.
Jackson turned to drugs as a means of escape and to cope with pain from past surgeries and injuries, including severe burns that he’d suffered in 1984 while filming a commercial for Pe
Yvonne Hemsey/Getty ImagesMichael Jackson broadcasting from his Neverland Ranch home in 1993, denying allegations of child molestation.
As time went on, Jackson appeared in the news more often for his scandals than his music.
He married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis, in 1994, only to divorce her 18 months later.
In 1996, he married a nurse from his dermatologist’s office named Debbie Rowe, with whom he welcomed two children
Meanwhile, child molestation allegations against Jackson emerged yet again.
In 2003, Jackson was arrested on charges of molesting a different 13-year-old boy.
Jackson was eventually acquitted of the charges, but the damage to his reputation was severe.
After 2005, the singer largely retreated from the public eye.
Jackson avoided the spotlight until 2009, when he announced a series of 50 concerts that he’d perform in London later that year.
How Did Michael Jackson Die? His Final Hours
As Michael Jackson prepared for his tour, some close to him started to notice disturbing changes.
Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, insisted that Jackson was capable of handling all his responsibilities as a performer.
On June 24, 2009, Michael Jackson attended rehearsal as normal.
The tour was set to begin the next month at London’s O2 Arena, and Jackson rehearsed until about midnight
Jackson who had long suffered from insomnia told Murray that he needed rest.
Murray gave Jackson a series of drugs that were meant to help him sleep,
Mere moments later, Murray realized that Jackson was not breathing.
He said he made multiple attempts to resuscitate him, as did first responders who arrived at the home.
But it was too late Michael Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest brought on by acute propofol intoxication.
The Aftermath Of Michael Jackson’s Death
Taty2007/Wikimedia CommonsGifts left by fans at Michael Jackson’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star on the day of his death
Eight months after Michael Jackson’s death, investigators charged Conrad Murray with involuntary manslaughter.
Since then, Michael Jackson has held an uncomfortable place in American culture.
He was the “King of Pop,” an iconic singer who revolutionized dance moves and music videos.
Jackson will always be remembered for his songs, his famous music videos, and his even more iconic dance moves.
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