The Michael Jackson controversies
The singer considered the king of pop music reached fame from a young age; Before passing away, Jackson practiced for the 50 performances he would give in London.
50-year-old Michael Jackson, considered the king of pop music, is dead. The singer was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital with a heart attack and an autopsy will likely be performed on Friday, CNN reported, citing Los Angeles medical examiner Fred Corral.
Here are key details about Jackson.
Youth
-Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, and was the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson children - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael - first performed together in a talent show when Michael was 6 years old and took first place.
-The group later became "The Jackson Five", and when they signed under Motown Records in the late 1960s it underwent its final metamorphosis to become "The Jackson 5." Jackson made his first solo album in 1972.
Success
-Jackson released "Thriller" in 1982, which became a huge hit and had seven songs in the top 10 most listened to singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide.
-The following year, he debuted his signature "moonwalk" dance move while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.
-The total number of record sales achieved by Jackson in life is believed to be close to 750 million, which added to the 13 Grammy awards he has received, make him one of the most successful artists of all time.
Accusations
-In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy and police raided his California ranch "Neverland."
-That same year, Jackson announced that he had become addicted to painkillers and abruptly canceled a world tour to promote his album "Dangerous."
-In 1994, the singer reached an agreement, which was later reported to be for 23 million dollars, with the family of the allegedly abused minor.
Marriage and family
-In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only daughter, Lisa Marie, but the union ended in a divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe that same year and had two children before separating in 1999. The couple never lived together.
-Jackson has three sons named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over a hotel balcony railing, causing widespread criticism.
More controversies
-A television documentary "Living with Michael Jackson" aired in 2003, stating that Jackson was still sleeping with young children and that he had had his third child with a surrogate mother. Jackson issued his own response.
-Jackson went to trial in 2005 on charges of abusing a child under the age of 13 in 2003, as well as conspiring to kidnap him. Had the singer been convicted, he would have faced almost 20 years in prison.
-The four-month trial culminated in June 2005 with the artist acquitted of all charges. Jackson had spent time in Bahrain, Ireland and France since the end of the child abuse case.
Return?
-After several false alarms, Jackson and the music production company AEG Live announced that he would present a series of 50 concerts at the O2 Arena in London. Jackson had planned to begin the concerts on July 13.
The singer was rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for concerts in London, the tickets of which sold out within hours of being put on sale in March.
