Youth Radio - Topic: Michael Jackson

Neverland Ranch: Possible Transformation

rgee — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:26:51 -0600

Word on the ranch is... Michael Jackson’s former playground could become a teen music institute, similar to the reputed Julliard School, reports TMZ.

Colony Capital just has two hurdles to overcome: getting the OK from Santa Barbara County, and the rights to use Michael Jackson’s name to promote the school.

The school would teach all aspects of music, writing, and performing.

"Thrill The World" Sets Record For Simultaneous MJ Dance

rgee — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:02:38 -0500

In preparation for the spookiest night of the year, zombies from all over the world will rise from the dead... and get down to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller." That’s right. “Thrill the World” - the annual worldwide simultaneous execution of MJ's famous “Thriller” dance takes place on October 23.

Last year, the Thrill the World event broke the world record for the most people simultaneously dancing to "Thriller" (see video below). This year, creator Ines Markelle wants one million dancers to participate. Markelle began Thrill the World in Canada, and it has spread all over the world. According to the Thrill the World website, Markelle began dancing to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" at age three.

Amada Anderson started the Thrill the World New York City team in April, 2009. She stumbled upon the event through a YouTube video. “Last year in January, I wanted to do an exercise regime," she said. "I decided I was going to learn Thriller after I saw the movie ‘Thirteen Going on Thirty.' So I started searching on YouTube for a video of the dance. I found a video made by this girl in Canada, Ines Markelle, who organizes Thrill the World. I ordered the DVD that she created and I started learning the dance.”

After that, Amada’s interest was thoroughly peaked. “Eventually I registered with Ines, so that I could start my own Thrill the World event in NYC. I recruited volunteers from Facebook and Craigslist. I quickly learned the ropes of New York City permits, and began getting sponsorship from Halloween stores.”

Last year, Anderson held Thrill the World NYC in Astoria, Queens. Because it was their first time, they ran into a few difficulties. “It was pouring rain!” said Anderson. “We only had about 100 dancers, and I ended up paying a lot of money out of pocket.” But, worldwide, Thrill the World raised about $50,000 for charity.

After that, Anderson began designing a website and getting sponsorships from dance studios in New York. Everyone pays $20 to register their event, and they have the choice of directing the money they raise towards a charity.

“This year, I’m charging $20 to take the Thriller class, or $10 + either a pair of pajamas or a children’s story book,” said Anderson. This year, Thrill the World NYC is raising money for the Pajama Program, a non-profit organization that collects pajamas and books for kids in homeless shelters or kids who have been removed from their homes.

“This year, we are holding two events in NY,” said Anderson. “One at 7 a.m. in Times Square and one at 7 p.m. on Coney Island.”

The best part for Anderson last year was actually doing the dance. “It’s about bringing the community together,” said Anderson. “There were kids dancing but also people in their 60’s and 70’s. Once it actually stopped raining and the music was blasting, it was electrifying.”

Now, she’s really enjoying teaching the classes. “I love seeing the light bulbs go off in people’s heads when they say, ‘I got it!’ The dance is taught very simply and once you get it, you’ll never forget it. It’s ‘thrilled’ into your body!”

Anderson wanted to emphasize that this event really is a tribute to Michael Jackson. “To him and his music. Not that you have to be a huge fan, but for some reason, his music bridges gaps between people of all races and ages. He was also a big philanthropist. So this event is also becoming a living memory of him,” she said.

According to Anderson, groups who have put on Thrill the World events went on to learn the dances to ‘Beat It’ and ‘Smooth Criminal’ as well. Some groups have started cleaning up their communities, going around as “trash zombies,” and raising awareness for the environment.

“I had almost given up on this event so many times this year, but I’ve seen how important this even is. I even saw a couple fall in love in one of the Thriller classes!” said Anderson.

Pop Fans THRILLED To Hear Their King Is Back

ajames — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:25:42 -0500

By Vivian Ponte-Fritz

According to foxy news.com the legend, the genius, the creepy, Michael Jackson has returned to our living, breathing world. Doctors around the globe are stunned by his revival and have kept him in a lab, inspecting him to try to find the cause for this amazing miracle recovery. 100 % of the doctors on his case believed that death was a fatal ailment, until now. During a small scale memorial service being run by some fans of his in Sweden, Jackson arose from the ground and began to jerk around to his hit song, Thriller that was being played, in solidarity. The melancholy event was broken up by the police when five of the twelve Swedish fans fainted with excitement. The police thought that Jackson was another obsessed fan performing an odd ritual, but after various tests the “zombie” was genetically identical to the real “king of pop”.

The sporadic movements that Jackson was performing when he was released from his cavernous hiding place were said to be the movements to the “thriller dance” that he made famous with a music video in 1983. The resurrected Jackson was very frail and weak after his short performance for the fans in Sweden, so he retired to his old home called never land to recuperate.

Foxy news journalist jack Michelson reports from Dubai that now that Jackson is in a laboratory in the Dubai experimental hospital extensive blood tests are being run on him, and scientists have discovered that Michael is actually the first “bionic man.” With similar genetic make up to superman, his only weakness is a form of kryptonite serum. Jackson’s personal physician, Conrad Murray was administering him with a cocktail of prescription drugs that, combined, resulted in a kryptonite serum that put MJ into a temporary coma, from which he awakened months later in an average Swedish backyard. Michael Jackson never fails to shock and impress his audiences, but now it’s on a whole different level, Michael Jackson is a real life super hero; no wonder little boys love him.

Michael Jackson's "This Is It" in Stores

denise — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:41:19 -0500

Michael Jackson's highly anticipated record “This Is It” hit the stores on Monday. "This Is It" features both greatest hits and a new title track. The first disc contains some of Jackson's best-known hits, in the order they appear in the film, including "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Something.” It also includes the album's title track, which Jackson planned to debut during his London concerts. The second disc has several unreleased versions of the classic tracks as well as a spoken-word poem entitled "Planet Earth." Stores are hoping this will be a bestseller throughout the upcoming holiday season.

Sales may not reach the levels that Jackson's back catalog attained following the death of the King of Pop, but it is expected to be in the top 5 best selling albums for the next two months ahead. The album is out, now fans are waiting for the movie, which comes out in theaters and in IMAX Oct 28.

Previously:

The Good and the Bad Of the VMA Awards

denise — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:48:44 -0500

The MTV music awards happened this weekend and Michael Jackson’s tribute wasn’t the only thing that destined to make headlines. Some of the most anticipated performances were Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, and a rumored tribute to the late King of Pop by his sister Janet Jackson.

What no one expected to see was Kanye West's ego on full display.

The show opened up with Madonna sharing her personal admiration of Michael Jackson. As soon as Madonna was done the lights went down and more than a dozen dancers dressed like Jackson performed to a medley Thriller, Smooth Criminal, and Bad. Then Janet Jackson made her big entrance and danced to one of the most memorable of her brother's videos—Scream. Everybody was on their feet throughout the performance.

This opening did not prepare the audience to what was in store next.

Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and country sensation Taylor Swift, were up against each other (along with Katy Perry, Pink and Kelly Clarkson) in the category for Best Female Video. It was the upset of the night when the 19-year old Swift came out victorious in a race that was assumed to be a lock for either Beyonce or Gaga.

Taylor Swift was in the middle of her thank you speech when Kanye West grabbed the mic from Swift and told the audience that Beyonce deserved the award for Best Female Video. The crowd went silent and so did Swift, who was not able to finish her speech.

It was clear the audience was upset at West's actions and had no problem showing it. Kanye West name was booed throughout the night.

Yet the VMA awards did not end on sour note.

Beyonce took the moonman for Video Of The Year and in her thank you speech noted that she was only 17-years-old when she received her first VMA award and it was the most memorable moment for her. The gracious star invited Taylor Swift to the stage and allowed Swift to finish her thank you speech.

Despite all the negativity Beyonce’s class and humbleness brought the audience together. Not only is Beyonce one of the most dominating female artists and performers but she is also a good team player. By inviting Taylor Swift to the stage it made me respect her and see her in a way I’ve never had.

Apparently Kanye West has apologized to Taylor Swift on his blog. “I'm sorry to my fans if I let you guys down . . . I'm sorry to my friends at MTV . . . I will apologize to Taylor." He says he will apologize to Swift personally.

There is no doubt that Kanye West is one of the most leading producers and rappers at the moment but his ego needs some polishing to it.

Overall the VMA awards were OK. My favorite moment was seeing Janet Jackson’s tribute to her brother Michael Jackson. She still has it.

Previously:

Bad Music and the Fans Who Dance To It

skhan — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:36:07 -0500

It seems as though a lot of current artists have run out of new ideas. Nowadays, you hear silly songs that rhyme about the simplest things and somehow make it big in the charts. A few years back, Lil Mama created a hip hop sensation with her single "Lip Gloss," which goes into the psychological depths of how her lip cosmetic of choice is so cool and how it will make all the boys chase her after school. Soulja Boy had tweens across the country singing about a comic book hero-inspired sexual act with his hit single, “Crank that (Soulja Boy).” And most recently, the New Boyz have got youth all over my neighborhood calling each other jerks with a track that they first recorded in a closet. A lot of people argue that what these songs lack in lyrics, they make up for in the toe-tapping beats and and hip-shaking dance moves that they introduce into youth culture. This phenomenon makes me wonder about what creates musical success: the song or the dance?

It seems that dancing is key and that the internet has something to do with it. Soulja Boy’s instructional dance video for “Crank That” is the most watched viral entertainment online, but is now vying against Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” for that spot. I think that only in the age of the internet, when anyone can be a star on YouTube, could the “King of Pop” have to compete with the jesters of that genre.

As a serious dancer who has studied hip-hop and belly dance, I cringe at the comparison between Michael Jackson and the likes of Soulja Boy. Unlike them, Michael Jackson wrote amazing music and lyrics and made the most complicated dance moves seem effortless and smooth. As a dancer, I can say that his moves are extremely difficult to execute. And a new generation of R&B artists like Justin Timberlake and Usher has done a pretty good job trying to emulate his style. But, the dance moves that go along with the silly songs out today aren't that well thought out. It seems like the singers just come up with a weird move that requires the dancer to jump around at random. Maybe the internet has democratized dance itself by making it accessible to all?

I asked some teens what they thought of this genre of music that I think doesn't warrant a second, or even first, listen. Why do they think these melodies and beats dominate the minds and bodies of today's youth?

Mayra, 18, doesn’t really like this music and doesn’t think anyone else does either:
“I don’t really listen much to mainstream music nowadays because it seems to me that people tend to sing about random things that don’t make sense. Lil Mama’s song about lip gloss, there was no reason for that song just that her lip gloss was poppin. People don’t really like the songs, they just to listen to it because of the beats […] and they can dance to it.”

David, 16, wouldn’t say the songs are his favorites, but finds the music to be addictive:
“A lot of the times it’s the beat because the lyrics are a little bit dumb sometimes especially the one about the car and the candy bar. The thing that catches my attention is more the music than the dancing because the dancing changes from every song, but if the song is really good, and it has a nice beat, then you’ll listen to the song whether you like the dancing or not.”

Previously:

Michael Jackson Movie In October

Devonte Swag — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:35:49 -0500

'This Is It', a documentary featuring Michael Jackson's last concert rehearsal footage, opens October 28th and will play for only two weeks. I'm not going to see this... Yes I am. We all are. We'll be watching closley at MJ's movements like we're at the circus and Jackson is the man on the tightrope. Looking for any sign of his alleged drug abuse. Maybe the freakshow will finally end here.

Crime. Punishment. Entertainment

ahowell — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:46:27 -0500

You’ve heard the news and followed the trial. We hung on to every development. We posted comments on numerous articles, adding drops of water into the oceans of commentary. These perpetrators of crime were not like those we’ve come across in the streets or in news reports that lead the hour; these perps are famous. We’ve known them before they committed their crimes. They slipped into the back of our subconscious as they began serving their sentences. When these folks are released, having paid their debts to society, it’s as though they never left prison. We write them off as renegades. They may have served their time, but they are never released from the stigma of their crimes.

A month after pleading guilty to felony assault charges of his then girlfriend, Rihanna, Chris Brown released an apology video via his record label, taking ownership of his actions. Already, web commentators dismissed his apology as being insincere. Articles around the web began circulating, questioning what other motives Brown might have for a public apology, other than salvaging his manhood, like getting back in good graces with awards shows, for example. While I can say that accounts of Chris Brown actions were extremely inappropriate, I cannot say I am willing to DEFINE him by those actions. Sadly, he is, and will be forever branded as a “woman beater” by the media writers, whose keyboards will serve as cattle branders.

Up and coming rap artist, Gucci Mane, who has been in and out of prison since his first single, “So Icey”, went national in 2005, is currently under threat of going back for failing a mandatory parole drug screening. On Sunday, July 19th, however, the Twitter population started spreading the word that the Atlanta rapper was actually IN jail based on a tweet from associate, Soulja Boy. It came out later that day that Gucci was actually not in jail at the time, but not before a great chunk of the “Twopulation” added their two cents on whether Gucci should be a free man or not. “Charlamagne the God,” co-host of the Wendy Williams show, even started a topic trend lampooning the rapper.

While Chris Brown’s offense is fairly new, and Gucci Mane’s legal status is frequently updated, what about stars who have completely served their time for crimes committed? Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick was just released after completing a sentence for animal cruelty for his part in a dog fighting ring. PETA, an animal rights activist organization, announced that they do not feel Vick is “entitled to regain his spot in the NFL.” While PETA may feel they should have a say on whether Vick should be allowed to play football, by not allowing him the regain his life in dignity, they not only undermine his right to freedom, they undermine the justice system that agrees 20 months for such an offense is just. It would be different if Vick was a zookeeper, but he’s a football quarterback, whose only professional contact with animals would be folks dressed as mascots. Not only is Michael Vick threatened to be branded a “dog fighter” forever regardless of if he continues to commit those crimes, but teams that support him will likely face protest -- as if choosing the Vick to lead players on the field is the equivalent of promoting dog fighting.

It’s been rumored that celebrities are people, too -- people like us who might make legal missteps. But should being defined by the least of one’s actions be considered the price of fame? Michael Jackson was labeled a “child molester” in the media for more than a decade, and even though he was never found guilty of such conduct, he wasn’t cleared of public suspicion (kinda) until his death in June. You shouldn’t have to die in order to regain your dignity in the public eye, especially when the public eye has blurred vision and is only focused on the shadows.

Previously:

Michael's Memorial Tab

ahowell — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:10:31 -0500

Two weeks after his passing and one week after his nationally televised memorial, Michael Jackson is still leaving his mark on the world. Unfortunately for the city of Los Angeles, the mark left by the late singer was a hefty financial one. So heavy, that city officials have engaged in a little bit of in-fighting.

Almost as soon as mayor Villaraigosa, who was away in South Africa during the death and memorial planning of Michael Jackson, released an estimated cost figure of $1.4 million, councilman Dennis Zine (Dist. 3) claimed the taxpayers spent nearly $4 million memorializing the pop icon. Almost every aspect of the celebration was criticized, from the contract agreement with the company that provided the police lunches, to the call on public donations to help ease the financial load. Although councilwoman Jan Perry, then acting-mayor and spearhead for the memorial, made public calls for third party sponsors other than donations solicited, it was when LA’s official mayor returned, calling the solicitation “ridiculous,” that revealed some tensions that may exist in city hall.

I was at the memorial and from where I was (outside), there seemed to be two types of individuals in attendance: those there to remember Michael Jackson, and those there to profit from Michael Jackson. While the two groups were both well represented inside the Staples Center and the surrounding area, it looks like the city is having a hard time figuring out what line of the sand they stand on.

Even though the city rushed to organize a memorial, making funds available at a rapid pace (sickening to anyone working within any of LA’s under-funded departments I’m sure), it didn’t seem genuine. I stood outside of the Staples Center with the other thousands of LA citizens who weren’t allowed access, either because of denial, or because they didn’t register. I didn’t feel like the event had the city in mind at all. It felt like a private party for who’s who’s and VIPs. This feeling was made possible, not only by the fact that the Jumbotrons on site were deactivated, but mainly by the wristbands distributed in pure Hollywood nightclub fashion. They probably could have saved a TON by hiring actual nightclub bouncers instead of Overtime LAPD support.

While I can’t say how much effort went into SAVING money on this event, I’m am sure that even less effort went into MAKING money on this event. I understand if the city wanted to provide a respectful memorial and not disrespect the family by directly capitalizing from it, but I would then remind the city that their loyalties should stay to the well being of it’s citizens. Michael Jackson loved children. I’m sure more than he’d like to be memorialized by the city of LA, he’d like for it’s youth to have full access to summer schools and other programs. Because of this Velvet Rope memorial, however, it seems like the citizens will have to pick up the tab, likely at the expense of a struggling, under-funded department.

Previously:

That's OK, Just Put It On Their Tab

skhan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:12:34 -0500

I’m so tired of all these special events taking place in downtown Los Angeles these days. I mean, don’t get me wrong -- L.A. is a bustling city, and the only way that a bustling city can continue to survive is by having ongoing major events. There’s also an added bonus: if an event is highly newsworthy, travelers from a number of countries will come to town and spend money that is definitely needed during these dreadful state budget shortfalls. At this point in time, we truly need all the financial help we can get. Working towards the ultimate goal of restoring jobs and improving the local economy is just fine by me.

But what I do have an issue with is the City of L.A. being left to pay for these events. It's widely known that Los Angeles is going broke, and that we don’t have any cash left over for wasteful spending. In the last month alone, we have had both the Lakers’ Championship Parade and Michael Jackson’s memorial at the Staples Center. The Lakers’ parade racked up a $2 million tab (to their credit, the team and some donors picked up the largest bulk of the expense), while Michael’s memorial is going to cost L.A. around $1.4 million. And then, of course, adding more horrible hilarity to this issue is the establishment of the donation site to fund Michael's security. Does anyone really mean to tell me that there is absolutely no money that the people responsible for planning the event can throw into the pot? I mean, after all, the cost of this event should have been carefully considered before a final decision was made; right now, it seems like the plan was not as thoroughly thought out as it should have been.

For the record, let me say this: Michael was one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived and I love his music dearly, but with Los Angeles more than 500 million dollars in debt (coincidentally, around the same amount that Michael’s estate owes to its’ debtors), the idea of taxpayers being forced to pay for this is a load of horse feathers. After all, people are losing their jobs or suffering mandatory furloughs, money is being cut from education, taxes are going up, and the unemployment rate is steadily increasing.

It was great that this memorial was shared with fans, but with this additional financial burden, people can go for free to Michael’s star near Graumann’s Chinese Theatre, lay flowers, and pay their respects to him there.