TOP 20 REASONS WHY MICHAEL JACKSON IS THE G.O.A.T.!!!

Tags

GOAT, LL Cool J, Michael Jackson, Music, Muzik, Remember The Time, Timeless

G.O.A.T. is an acronym for Greatest Of All Time and was the eighth studio album by American Pioneering Rapper LL Cool J released by the equally or even more legendary Def Jam Recordings label. It was released on September 5, 2000, and peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200. It was LL Cool J’s first and to date only album to reach the #1 spot.

Rappers are known to be braggadocio and it is also to be expected to hold your ground in what some call not only entertainment, but a sport. At the time old school singers who were pioneers for black music in the middle of the last century were expected to carry a certain demeanor that represented humbleness and not be too edgy in fear of scaring away the mainstream. There would of course be exceptions to this rule like James Brown with songs like “I’m black and I’m proud”, but that was soul brother #1 who got an excuse from Middle America.

He was amidst the Civil Rights Era and back then it was the duty of our entertainers and athletes to take a stand for what was right regardless if it might hurt the bottom line. Something that a lot of entertainers and athletes today are quite afraid of doing, but that is another topic all together.

In that Era of James Brown came Berry Gordy’s Motown Records which changed America by being the “Voice of Young America”. It was deliberate marketing to avoid the words “soul” and “black” to attract a larger audience.

Fast forward a couple of decades later when Def Jam Recordings would hit the scene with an impact that would also be the “Voice of Young America”. In 1984 during the prime of Michael Jackson, a young and vibrant LL Cool J hit the scene with “I need a beat” that received a distribution deal with CBS Records which would later be known as Sony Music. The same CBS Records Michael Jackson had left just a scant years earlier after leaving The Jacksons group and the same Sony Music that he would make a record breaking deal with just a few years later.

Michael Jackson in 1984 was the darling of the media world believe it or not and was the biggest celebrity without question. It was the peak of Michael Mania as some called it. LL Cool J with the “new” genre of rap was also a darling in the streets for representing the ghettos of America. It was only natural these two titans would clash right?

With all the success of the biggest selling album “Thriller” in its early stages of selling like no other, there was still a problem for Michael Jackson with some of his critics. Some felt his music did not represent the gutter of America (in other words not street enough) and relied on fantasy images due to the success of the monster music changing Thriller album.

LL Cool J was the pop icon who was seen by some who represented the kid on the corner street or basketball court. Although some may never believe it, there was a mean streak in Michael Jackson who loved to strive on competition and defying the odds(will get into that later on). What we ended up with in 1987 was Michael Jackson “Bad” vs. LL Cool “Bad”.

VS.

I believe this “battle” was a crossroads in American music where the old school style of music that was rooted in Michael Jackson through growing up and learning from the greats such as James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and Stevie Wonder saw the rise of the new breed of music in the form of rap that was starting to takeover America with the likes of Run DMC and LL Cool J.

Marvin Gaye was once quoted as saying “Michael will never lose the quality that separates the merely sentimental from the truly heartfelt. It’s rooted in the blues, and no matter what genre Michael is singing, that boy’s got the blues”.

It was a fascinating quote that was reflective on how old school artists saw music, but the new musical movement of the streets would enter with edgy lyrics with curse words and story telling that was unexplored of the streets.

Michael Jackson was also a very smart in terms of marketing his brand as America’s most sought after star and originally wanted to “battle” Prince in the “Bad” music video. Prince was also seen as a man who was a threat to Michael Jackson in terms of staying true to his roots as MJ went “POP” so to speak on his Thriller Album according to some of his R and B critics at the time.

Michael Jackson always saw challenges and stayed true to what the clubs and the streets although it may not have seemed like it with his eccentric behavior which was done to create a certain magic aura surrounding him.

Shortly after MJ’s death in 2009, a leaked single called “Serious Effect” that was originally planned for the “Dangerous” album was released. That single was recorded shortly after their “battle” of dropping their “Bad” albums in the late 80’s. It was clear that both Michael Jackson and LL Cool J knew what uniting with each other meant to American music at the time.

Michael Jackson foresaw the perfect storm that hip hop was going to bring for the decade of the 90’s and had prepared himself with aligning with LL Cool J. The song was never released, but Michael Jackson ended up working with Naughty By Nature, Heavy D, and Kriss Kross who were all major players in the game at the time.

Smokey Robinson was quoted as saying “He’s an ancient in modern times. I knew Jackie Wilson, I knew James Brown, I knew all them guys Michael loved. It took them years to develop their sound. When Aretha was seven, she was playing full-chorded big voiced gospel piano. That was a miracle. Michael was a miracle. It was more than having soul: it was soul that went deep into the soil of a whole people’s history.”

Pretty lofty praise from the lead singer of The Miracles. However, it was clear Michael Jackson was out to create Timeless Music and thrived off of it as with that same “Dangerous” Album he created “Remember The Time”. It was a classic, but yet a throwback at the same time in an era where rap was slowly starting to take over.

With all the changes that has happened in music over the years and all the celebrity gossip that surrounded the “King of Pop”, it has been pretty much shown that Michael Jackson has tested the time as the true Greatest of All-Time.

Here are my 20 reasons why Michael Jackson is the GOAT!!!!

Honorable Mentions:
Beat Music Video:

Michael Jackson brought REAL blood and crips to the set to keep it street. Of course, MJ being a citizen of Los Angeles knew of the problems in the city.

However, he felt he could bring the two rival gangs together in unity for his music video which he did. A fight happened on set eventually, but for a moment in time Michael Jackson brought the gangs together in one spot.

1993 Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award:

It was nice to see the 1st Family of Music get their just dues when Janet presented her brother with the highest accolades possible. Janet Jackson was becoming huge in her own right for her musical achievements, but it just showed how big Michael was when he stood taller next to the Pop Princess. Not too many artists can do that with one of the biggest Divas of all-time.

We Are The World:
Not much needs to be said about why this moment is on here now is there?

Heartbreak Hotel song:

The Jacksons were on a mission to break out of their Motown image of bubblegum Rhythm and Blues with this single right here. It was too edgy for the radio, but it was a huge hit in the clubs as it mixed old school religion with a touch of sexuality and fear.

The record companies thought it was Michael Jackson taking a shot at “King of Rock ‘N Roll” Elvis Presley and renamed the song for the album “This Place Hotel”. Michael Jackson swore the single wasn’t a reference to Elvis Presley.

MJ marries the “King of Rock ‘N Roll” Daughter:
Lisa Marie Presley once said that she didn’t want kids with her husband because it would have been war in the court room between these two larger than life musical families.

Bad Music Video: This was explained why above!

Rock With You Music Video:

Believe it or not the word “Rock” was not seen in a good light in the time of this release. Somehow MJ got past the airwaves with this infectious song. It can still be heard in clubs today which is the definition of Timeless!

Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough Music Video:

It was a breakout song that had Michael become the Prince of R and B!

The Jackson 5ive Cartoon:

Seeing this for children of the era was huge and also showed how mainstream acceptable Michael Jackson and his brothers were. They were known as “The Black Beatles” for a reason. All this right of the heels of the post civil rights movement.

You Rock My World Music Video
This video showed that although he started his musical career in the 60’s he still had the allure of getting big name celebrities to appear in his videos decades later. It was Michael Jackson’s last hurrah for the modern era.

Now The TOP 10 MOMENTS that make him the GOAT!!

10. If “You Rock My World” was his swan song as a solo performer than it is easy to say that his Madison Square Garden performance with his brothers was a throwback to the days of when seeing young black men on television was rare. Truly a Timeless moment that will never be forgotten how the family made big grown men and women cry at their performance as if they were children all over again.

9. Michael Jackson cleaning up at the Grammys

8. Michael Jackson releases Thriller Album

The release that turned him Immortal in the ranks of history!

7. Off The Wall Album
What many consider to be the perfect album and the greatest R and B album in history. THIS album is the one that truly turned him from a child star into an adult superstar.

6. American Music Awards Performance 1995
This moment in time was definitely the peak of his dancing skill and proved that even though the landscape had changed with the ever empowering hip hop music that was growing in popularity by leaps and bounds, MJ STILL could mesmerize a crowd like he did in the 80’s. It was also clearly proven he had turned back the challenge from MC Hammer in dancing here.

5. 1988 Grammy’s Performance
This is perhaps his greatest soul stirring free televised performance
in history. Right at the peak of his “battle” with LL Cool J.

4. Ed Sullivan Show
Although this was not the television debut of Michael Jackson and his brothers (They previously appeared on Hollywood Palace), it was indeed the moment in time that the world fell in love with the little star that would become the biggest star to shine ever.

3. Thriller Music Video
Not much needs to be said about the music video that changed the industry.

2. Billie Jean Music Video
It paved the way for black music videos on MTV which says a lot since it was less than 2 decades removed from the Civil Rights Movement. It was the beginning of what MJ would do with music videos 2 years later.

1. MOTOWN 25
In an event that housed some of the greatest stars of all-time, Michael Jackson at the peak of his popularity imo stole the show like no one else in history with his performance.

It was the debut of the moonwalk to the masses although Michael Jackson kept his ears to the street by learning it from an inner city kid at the time. Only further proof that Michael Jackson during his prime and peak was well aware of the pop culture and street culture.

I started the article about who was the GOAT and why his battle with LL Cool J was symbolic, but it is this performance and night that separates the greats from the greatest.

When the media today proclaims people like Justin Bieber or Justin Timberlake as the new generation MJ just remember this piece that was written and scoff at the lack of historical dexterity.