Michael Joseph Jackson (Wacko Jacko!) 10 Years Gone But Still In Our Hearts!

Today makes it 10 years since the King of pop, Micheal Jackson left us and his legacies on pop music, break dancing and the entertainment at large still has a major influence.

Born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson boys – Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael – first performed together at a talent show when Michael was 6. They walked off with first prize and went on to become a best-selling band, The Jackson Five, and then The Jackson 5.

Jackson, a child star turned King of Pop, set the world alight with his infectious songs and music videos. But his musical genius was overshadowed at times by a bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals.

Jackson made his first solo album in 1972, and released “Thriller” in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide.

The next year, he unveiled his signature “moonwalk” dance move while performing “Billie Jean” during an NBC special.

Known as the “King of Pop,” for hits that included “Thriller” and “Billie Jean,” Jackson’s dramatic, one-gloved stage presence and innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the world.

His lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, made him one of the most successful entertainers of all time.

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley’s only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.

Jackson has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II. The youngest was dangled by his father over the railing of a hotel balcony, which drew widespread criticism.

Jackson died of cardiac arrest, age 50, on June 25, 2009, at his rented mansion in Los Angeles, as he was rehearsing for a series of London concerts aimed at reviving a career shattered by strange events as an adult and acquittal on charges of molestation.

His family say they remember Jackson as a generous person who gave millions to charities, loved to have fun and wanted to unite people through his music. (Guardian)